In 2008, “Iron Man” was a surprise package for mainstream moviegoers and critics alike. But for the people who were already familiar with the characters and the Iron Man mythology it’s ultimate success was not shocking. In Tony Stark, Marvel has one of their greatest commodities. He’s a person that people can relate to and fundamentally invest their emotions into believing that his story is viable. Jon Favreau’s initial installment secured this commitment from the public. So, how do you build on that accomplishment and take it to the next level on “Iron Man 2”.
Well, the prognosis seems to have been ‘more of the same’. At the heart of it “Iron Man 2” continues were “Iron Man” left off, and with Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltow’s fantastic onscreen chemistry you’re effortlessly eased back into the swing of things. The dialogue is snappy and the humor witty. Basically what we’ve come to expect by now. The main ambition to expand the scale of the movie lies with the additional cast. We’re immediately introduced to the movies main antagonist Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke). It’s a solid performance throughout, but I felt the quirky sense of humor applied by Rourke diminished the characters villainous immorality. A more ruthless portrayal would have been appropriate, especially since his partner in crime Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) brings heaps of personality and hilarity to what is easily the best performance in the movie. A truly evil counterpart would have been perfectly apt. In terms of Tony Stark’s allies, the addition of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is a welcome one. The mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D agent is responsible for the best stunt scene in the movie. In general, the visuals throughout the movie are amazing. The extra money was obviously spent on perfecting the CGI because at no stage do you doubt what you’re seeing. The recast James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) also does a brilliant job under the circumstances of making the role his own. The inclusion of War Machine creates an interesting dynamic between the two friends.
But even with all its assets “Iron Man 2” is not a classic stand alone movie. It’s an enjoyable continuation to what has already been established with “Iron Man”. As the director will happily admit, they created a certain tone with the first movie and they’re sticking to it here. But ultimately it’s the lack of risks that stop this move from hitting the heights “The Dark Knight” reached when it changed the comic book movie genre in 2008. Like Batman, people relate to Iron Man because he’s a realistic superhero based around technology and not superpowers. But realistically, the tone that the franchise is devoted to isn’t always going to be necessarily appropriate for what needs to be expressed. That is the only major flaw here. If Jon Favreau had have been willing to explore some new territory he may have had a classic on his hands. Instead he has a solidly enjoyable cinematic romp.
3/5