Movies With The Gang: Iron Man 2

Almost nobody likes to go to the movies alone. Since I am currently single, I go with my friends. Actually, that’s usually the only way we get together these days. One is busy doing IT, one is a teacher, and then there’s me. Poor, pathetic, little me. So I thought it would be interesting for y’all if I got them to write a review as well. As they don’t think about stories the way I do, and for this movie isn’t as connected to the source material as I am, you get a different perspective on the movie we saw. In this case,

Iron Man 2.

This is sort of a trial run for me, so I don’t really have a format set up. I’m just using the one from my Summer Movie reviews last year, only this time I’ll be adding one of my friend’s reviews as well. With the school year coming to a close, my teacher pal is busy, but the IT guy and I are ready to give our opinions. So let’s get started.

Warning: potential spoilers, but mild at best

Overview:

Things look good for Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) after revealing that he is Iron Man last movie. He’s using the armor to help promote his company, he’s a big hero, and everybody loves him. Well, everybody except a senator (Gary Shandling) who insists that the armor should be in government hands, the business rival (Sam Rockwell) who would love to see him taken down, and the son (Mickey Rourke) of one of Howard Stark’s former partners who is out for revenge. Plus the very thing keeping him alive is slowly killing him. Gwyneth Paltrow and Samuel L. Jackson return as Pepper and Nick Fury, but Don Cheadle takes over as James “Rhodey” Rhodes, who this time gets to wear the War Machine armor. Rounding out the main cast is Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow.

So what did we think?

ShadowWing says: I’ve read reviews saying that the sequel isn’t as good as the first. I really don’t care. Unlike some sequels, this was still totally awesome. Storywise, it’s a proper continuation of the story and watching Tony’s fall and rising up again is well done. The visual effects still knock it out of the park (only rarely did I notice the CG) and it held my attention the whole way through.

The cast was well done, but Iron Fans may be a bit put off by the young Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer. In the comics, Hammer is an old man, but here he is the same age as Tony. However, Rockwell does a great job portraying his version of Hammer. He’s the perfect villain. Rourke takes on the role of Whiplash, although he is never referred to by that nickname, and “Ivan Vanko” is the name Iron Man: Armored Adventures uses for “Crimson Dynamo” (Anton Vanko in the comics, the name of Whiplash’s father in the movie.) It’s kind of all over the place, but he does a well enough job in the role that you can put all that aside.

Downey, Jackson, and Paltrow continue to play their parts well, and director Jon Faverau has a larger part as Happy Hogan, and he’s a pretty good actor. The big question is Chandel as Rhodey. I preferred Terrance Howard, who played him in the first movie. Don’t get me wrong, Chandel portrays Rhodes very well, but Howard physically looked the part better, not only compared to the comics but being able to see him able to operate the War Machine armor.

The other guy says: I’ll admit that Iron Man 2 wasn’t what I expected: that the producers of the film would spare no expense trying to top the first movie. Instead they played it safe—surprisingly, it works. Though there is no doubt that the special effects cost a fortune, there are no dead spots—as seems to be the habit lately—where time comes to a halt just for the sake of showing off extended CG sequences. Thankfully the film doesn’t attempt to take itself too seriously, either; it’s light on drama and simply winks at a romantic subplot as it quickly moves forward.

I can’t say that Iron Man 2 explores its characters more deeply than the first movie, but it’s definitely centered around the personalities. Our hero isn’t a flawless super-man. Neither is he a dark, brooding avenger with a one-track mind. He hasn’t changed a bit since the first movie: he’s flawed—heavily. He’s bright, forgetful and easily distracted—though at times intense. He’s tactless, self-absorbed and more often than not, he’s three sheets to the wind. He’s an entertaining disaster with the world’s most powerful piece of technology.

The pace of the movie takes a sharp incline upward early on, and pauses only briefly to address a subplot, before rocketing upward until the last minutes. Downey Jr. and Paltrow trade jabs in fast-paced banter, and Don Cheadle’s Lt. Colonel Rhodes does his best to keep them on track. The movie introduces more characters, but doesn’t give them much depth. Mickey Rourke’s reticent Vanko adds contrast, but the film provides comedy (some of it from the gutter) in quantity. There’s no preachy dialog, no insurmountable problems, and no character is changed in the least at the end of it all. In trade we get fast pacing and the right amount of action, rendered in eye-popping detail by so many CGI animators that I lost count. It’s just plain old fun.

But will you get the DVD?

ShadowWing says: Hell, yeah! The first movie was the best I’d seen the year it came out, and this one at least appears to give this year’s films a standard to live up to. I’m an Iron Fan as it is, but since I still have yet to pick up Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, that isn’t a done deal. However, the movie was a lot of fun and action packed, even if, as “the other guy” said, we don’t get a lot of character development. I wouldn’t mind seeing Faverau take over for Bay on the Transformers franchise. Everything just works perfectly.

The other guy says: Absolutely. I look forward to a ‘special edition’ box set with both movies. They’re crowd-pleasers. People identify with Robert Downey Jr., and since the movies don’t burden the audience with technical detail, they have wide appeal.

So I think the final word from both of us (and I do think our third member would agree) is to go see this movie, and get the DVD when it comes out (or Blu-Ray, if you’re so inclined). Whether or not it’s better than the first movie, it’s still a great movie, and that’s more than some sequels give us.