Iron Man
I saw the big “I2″ last night. It was a rainy evening and I already had a few beers in me—that won’t detract from the objectivity of this review, trust me.
What did I think of Iron Man 2? I liked it, a lot.
I was half expecting it to be a mundane followup to the first one, and also for it to rock. I’m glad it was the latter. The sweeping changes to the scale and tone of the film definitely worked for me. Jon Favreau is certainly honing his craft. He’s found his vehicle that will ensure his career as a kick-ass director for years to come. Though this is in no small part due to Robert Downey Jr.’s capital performance as Tony Stark/Iron Man.
I’ve got to hand it to Robert Downey Jr., I really believed that his drug and alcohol addiction would be the death of him (and certainly his career). It wasn’t too long ago that this man’s image constantly showed up on police blotters instead of on the screen. He was a lost soul. What a waste for a man who certainly had oodles of talent.
Then he found himself. He transformed himself into a new man that lets his talent and his passion for the art lead the way to a better life for him and the people around him. Not unlike Tony Stark in this iteration of Iron Man. Stark too was a soulless arms dealer with no purpose in life other than self-indulgence. Then having been kidnapped by a radical terrorist group (in the first Iron Man), tortured, and forced to build weapons of mass destruction, he comes to an epiphany. He changes. He becomes Iron Man. And he then fights for peace.
Downey and Stark are perfect for each other.
In I2, we are back a year later as Stark has effectively brought about an era of world peace through the insanely sophisticated technology of his creation. A technology the US government and a sleazy defense contractor (played by the impeccable Sam Rockwell, another virtuoso like Downey) desperately wants. Of course Stark refuses which only ratchets up the tension for him as his enemies plot to acquire his technology and kill him.
On the other side is another antagonist, Ivan Vanko, played by Mickey Rourke (another actor who has transformed himself as well). Rourke displays a subtle edginess that belies a truly evil wrath as he is bent on destroying the Stark legacy.
On the “good guy” team is one of my all-time favorite actors Don Cheadle as Stark’s friend Lt. Col. James Rhodes or “Rhodey” for short. He is a definite improvement over his predecessor Terrence Howard who did a good job with the part but was a little flat. Cheadle brings real depth to the character as he does to all of his roles.
Then there’s the enigmatic Nick Fury played by none other than Samuel L. Jackson himself. He’s only in four scenes but brings down the house nonetheless.
Stark and Pepper (Downey and Paltrow)
And of course the ladies are sublime. Gwyneth Paltrow is always a pleasure to see on screen as Pepper Potts. Her precise comedic timing and rapier wit is a perfect compliment to Downey’s puerile eccentricities. They remind me of Bogey and Hepburn in The African Queen.
Finally I have to mention Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff (a.k.a. Black Widow). She is so basass in this movie that I’m surprised it took until now for her to discover this side of her acting talents. Yeah, I’m definitely attracted to her—especially when she beats down like 10 security guards—but that’s not what we’re talking about here.
Anyway great cast, and the fact the Jon Favreau himself is in the movie as Stark’s driver, Happy Hogan, is a nice touch ala Alfred Hitchcock.
The movie is full of action, fights, thrills, spills, hijinks, bawdy romantic banter, and all out balls-to-wall grit that make this a definite four-quadrant flick (that is it appeals to all types of audiences: men, women, under 25, and over 25). The effects are top-notch and the soundtrack rocks. A little slow at times but it rolls along bigger and better than the original.
This is a great summer movie but make sure you stick around to the absolute end AFTER THE CREDITS to catch a glimpse of the teaser for the next Marvel film. I won’t tell you what it is here but trust me you’ll be psyched when you do.
I2 is part of the larger Marvel Universe of films that are interconnected. If you look closely during these films (The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the upcoming Thor, and the future Captain America) you will see chestnuts in each of them that refer to the others. All of which are heading towards the big one: The Avengers.
The Marvel Universe just got a little bit bigger with Iron Man 2.
I give it a solid A-
Here’s a glimpse for your enjoyment: