Directed by Jon Favreau
Written by Justin Theroux
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling, John Slattery, Kate Mara, Clark Gregg, Olivia Munn
Rated PG-13 for violence
Rating - 1 bullet hole
Like the Christopher Nolan-directed Batman franchise, the Iron Man franchise is ideal for people who don’t normally care for the superhero genre. Sure they have special effects, flashy characters, and a damsel in distress but they transcend the genre with smart dialogue, sophisticated themes, and plots that don’t insult our intelligence.
Also like Batman, the hero at the center of Iron Man does not possess super powers. It is through his weakness and brush with death, that he becomes equipped with a new set of ideals and morals that enable him to stand up to evil. It also helps that he is rich as hell. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) is back as the charismatic and flamboyant weapons industrialist with an ego the size of Kansas. Unlike other superheros, Stark has revealed to the world (in the first film) that he is the face behind the mask. He doesn’t exactly shy away from the attention. As he puts it, he has” successfully privatized world peace”. No one can stand up to him. Enter Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke).
Vanko has a score to settle with the Stark family that goes back a generation. And Mickey Rourke rocks this performance. He possesses a menace that I thought was severely lacking with Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) in the original film. He represents a very real danger to Stark. His first meeting with Stark at the Monaco Grand Prix is truly momentous. It is a well shot scene and presents the first “Oh shit” moment in Stark’s life since he revealed he was Iron Man. But, it is this struggle between Stark and Vanko that ultimately is a letdown. They only meet two other times in the film and only one of those times is to fight. And that fight is so short, I felt ripped off.
Stark has another serious challenge in his life as he has come to the startling realization that the very power core he had to create for his heart and which powers the suit is also poisoning him. In most superhero sequels, the protagonist has to take on multiple villains. I like how this film uniquely turns the hero’s own body into a villain. Speaking of villains, one of the reasons to see this film is for Sam Rockwell’s performance as the slimy, backstabbing Justin Hammer, Stark’s main competitor who takes an interest in Vanko.
I think Gwenyth Paltrow is…ok here. But, it’s not really her fault so much as Justin Theroux’s script and ultimately Favreau as the director. I liked the chemistry she had with Downey in the first film, but she is kind of shoved aside her to make room for Scarlett Johansson’s Natalie Rushman. There is a lot going on here as Rushman and Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) take more screen time in their bid to recruit Stark to join their team. This is all paving the way for Joss Whedon’s Avengers film in 2012. So far, I think Favreau is capably handling juggling multiple characters. But quite honestly, I’m not as interested in that storyline as I am in Stark.
Another weakness in the film, I hate to admit, is Don Cheadle. He replaces Terence Howard as Lt. Col. Rhodes. I love Don Cheadle. But, he seems like a fish out of water here. He doesn’t seem comfortable with his lines, and he is not convincing as War Machine.
One major bonus to this sequel is that the special effects are much better. They were admirable in the original film (except for the clunky looking final battle), but they seem much more polished here. Favreau does a great job of handling action scenes with multiple characters and objects. One of his greatest strengths is in keeping the action human by frequently showing us the faces inside the suits.
But, ultimately what makes Iron Man so successful is Robert Downey Jr. He is funny, charming, and carefree as Stark. He is like Bruce Wayne…if Bruce Wayne really did know how to have a good time instead of using his playboyishness (yes, I know that isn’t a word) as a cover. But, when it comes time to take out the trash, he is the garbage man you want working on your street. In fact, he’ll probably have a drink with you when it’s over.
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