|
|
Let the summer movie season begin! I went to see "Iron Man 2" this past Mother's Day weekend. What? Seems perfectly logical to me.
Let’s get the big question out of the way: Was it better than the first one? Umm...not quite. Before you start with the heavy sighs, though, I didn't say it was awful. Can we just get this review started please?
You want the good news or the bad news first?
The good news is that "Iron Man" is back. The bad news is that he brought lots of company!
"Iron Man 2" picks up where the original left off, right after Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) reveals that he is indeed Iron Man.
Not everyone loves Stark as much as Stark loves Stark. In fact, no one seems to even like him very much at all.
We are introduced to a new villain, Ivan Vanko, a.k.a Whiplash (Mickey Rourke).
SideNote: Vanko is never referred to as Whiplash but fans of the comic book will know who he is.
Anyway, Vanko/Whiplash/what-have-you has a score to settle with Tony Stark. Apparently their fathers were weapons development partners way back when and guess who got the boot? So Vanko builds his own weapon of mass destruction contraption.
Another rival is a guy named Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), a rich weapons manufacturer who is jealous of the Iron Man suit. Yeah sure, he’s developing his own armor technology but it’s years behind Tony Stark’s. Hammer and Vanko team up to take down Iron Man. If you can't beat 'em set out to destroy 'em!
There are other plots going on, Stark's personal relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) for one; a mysterious new personal assistant (Scarlett Johansson) who may not be what she appears to be (she isn’t) and his Army buddy Rhodey Rhodes (Don Cheadle, replacing Terrence Howard) defending Tony's right to keep his technology private.
For all of you not keeping count-that’s 2 bad guys we’re expected to hate! But wait there's more.
Did I mention that somewhere in there, Samuel L. Jackson strides in wearing an eyepatch?
He doesn't even show up until the movie feels like it's winding down. Oh, yeah that's right-he's Nick Fury from the Avengers S.H.I.E.L.D Squad. He's also Johansson's (a.k.a as Black Widow) real boss. Don't ask.
Seem a bit “busy” to you too? And because the movie has a lot of characters you can only imagine the sheer amount of dialogue going on. There's a lot more talking, with each new character introduced, more talking. Each new plot, you got it...more talking!
There are lots of things, too many things to keep up with in "Iron Man 2"; yet it just feels emptier than the original. In other words, it's more of the same — a lot more of the same — and yet a lot less. Jon Favreau, the director worked hard to pack more things in that it just didn't need. There are more characters, more conflicts, but not necessarily more entertaining.
But enough with the negatives – "Iron Man 2" more or less doesn't suffer with "sequelitis," as much as most sequel movies do. It's always a blast to see Robert Downey Jr. (and no,Sherlock Holmes doesn't count!)
His awesomeness once again makes the movie. He really is Tony Stark. Actor Sam Rockwell was great too.
Mickey Rourke was o.k, Yeah I said it, just o.k. He looks and acts just like he did in "The Wrestler". I just didn't feel his wrath or evilness. I think he literally spent 80% of the movie typing. Typing with conviction- sure. But villain material he is not!
But I'm using too many words. This is what you need to know: "Iron Man 2" is not as good as the original, it had some rust spots. As the old saying goes, sometimes less is more.
Rated PG-13 |
Posted by oxyjen on May 11, 2010
|
|
 |
|
|
Click to enlarge images
|
 |
|
