Let me preface by saying I loved the first Iron Man. I thought it was clever, witty, full of enough action to satisfy most testosterone levels, and enough bad boy charm from Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) to satisfy most ladies. So I was expecting a similar reaction to the sequel, especially under the helm of one of my favorite directors, Jon Favreau. This time around things were just a little...well, off.
Stark is still a narcissistic playboy, but with a little darker edge. Sure, he's got the girl by his side, Pepper Potts, (Gweneth Paltrow), even if their relationship sometimes seems a lot more like business associates than lovers (perhaps that is why the "You complete me" scene from the trailer was nowhere to be found in the finished film.)
Stark is still a narcissistic playboy, but with a little darker edge. Sure, he's got the girl by his side, Pepper Potts, (Gweneth Paltrow), even if their relationship sometimes seems a lot more like business associates than lovers (perhaps that is why the "You complete me" scene from the trailer was nowhere to be found in the finished film.)
When he is not fighting off the ladies, Stark is struggling to keep his suit to himself and out of the governments hands. The bigwigs and his pal Rhodey (Don Cheadle, replacing Terrence Howard) would like to get the suits technology into the militarys hands. Of course, if the good guys want it, so do the bad. If all these guys knew the flashlight of a chest behind the suit was slowly killing our protagonist, perhaps they would be a little less eager. Maybe.
What is slowly killing the audience's attention is the use of so many storylines. Any one of the multi-plots could have made for a compelling film. All together and even the massive amounts of CG and the humorous albeit evil villains can not keep the audience fully engaged.
The 2+ hours does appear to speed up anytime the two major baddies show up, especially Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) a shady business competitor, out to outwit Stark and gain the notoriety that the advanced technology of the Iron Man suit would bring. To help him, he hires Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a Russian scientist out for vengeance against the Stark lineage that has unjustly claimed the fame and prestige (not to mention $$$) that Vanko believes should be shared with the son of the senior Stark's former business partner.
Not enough new characters for you? Don't worry, a latex clad Scarlett Johannson (Natalie, Natasha, Black Widow, take your pick) is right around the corner to add a little more cleavage to the mix. And don't forget her role, along with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, to remind everyone that The Avengers movie is only two years away! And in case that is too long for you, Captain America and Thor are also superheroing their way to a multi-plex near you. So please, don't sweat it if this movie doesn't live up to your expectations, the next dozen or so films to come out of this will. They promise.
As more and more Marvel is piled on the movie trailer bandwagon, this flick is still worth a glance. I'd say wait until DVD, but as the temperatures soar, an air conditioned interlude may just be enough to make this worth watching on the big screen. But do your perspiring body and shrinking wallet a favor and head to the matinee.
