Iron Man 2 (2010)

director: Jon Favreau

writers: Justin Theroux

starring: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Scarlet Johansson

genre: Action, Comic

I was one of the few that hadn't gone crazy over the first Iron Man film. The first film felt too rushed in its story development with no time for character moments. Did the sequel change all this or create newer problems? Sadly more problems occur in the second film leaving me bitter over still not having seen a great Iron Man film.

Second film follows the world as they have gotten used to Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) being their hero. In the meantime competitors have found opportunities to match his tech. Some unsuccessfully like Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) and others to great length of success in Ivanko (Mickey Rourke). Stark is now on a mission to stop them from stealing his tech but at the same time he has to make up for past mistakes as he loses his closest friends in Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Rhodes (Don Cheadle) as he slowly gets wrapped around his own success and almost certain death to his own power supply thats keeping him alive.

First let me say how unfinished this film feels like. The music was horrendous in its inappropriate mood settings which after the film I found out it was made in only 4 days. Then there was Favreau's amateur directing, example in Black Widows fight scene after every move which she did around 10 or so she looked straight at the camera. I dont know how he thought that he was making a commercial or something but was really distracting. Besides that, we also had the writting and directing of the boring Hammer/Whiplash scenes. Not once in the whole film did I feel pity for Ivanko, not once did i feel interest in the villains plot and not once did I think that ther dialogue was at all important to overall story, mood or entertainment of the audience.

 

Whats funny with Iron Man 2 is how it feels like a Stan Lee era comic book. Back in Lee's day villains were superficial, there were no super layered stories, action didnt have to have a point to the story and spotlight was only portrayed to the heroes. This would be all rosy if this film was made back in the day in the 60's. Sadly this film was made in the 2010 were most audiences and reasonable people want a multi-layered story with meanings, superb action with resonance to the story and villains that are epic in their evilness.

 

Iron Man 2's failure is the lack of attention on the filmmakers part to make a more professionally done film and to raise the bar on the first film and the superhero genre. The film does have its moments and the actors due carry the weight of the film as do the effects but they couldn't save film in its entirety.

In my humble opinion wait until it comes out on DVD and instead go see Kick-Ass. There is a more professionally done film and highly more entertaining. Iron Man 2 wasn't bad due to its hype nor by any studio involvement but negligence of the own filmmakers to bring their A-game or to realize that they couldn't make a good film and give it to another person that could step up and bring it.

Personal Rating:

Review by Paul