The summer movie season has begun and what a way to kick things off. Iron Man was a huge hit a couple of years ago, and people could not wait for the sequel. The wait is over. Iron Man 2 does not disappoint. I cannot officially say that this one is better than the original, but I believe it is just as good. Everything you enjoyed about the first one is in this one. The story is more complex but it never gets out of hand. There are several threads running through the movie, but they all have their own time and space. And when everything is brought together, it works magnificently.
Iron Man 2 kicks off six months after the first Iron Man ends. The world knows who Iron Man is and Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) is still having a blast. The Stark Expo is kicking off and it lasts for a year. It is full of glitz, glamour, and bright lights. It is another way for Stark to show off and we all know he loves doing that.
However, the government wants his Iron Man technology to use it for its military. Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) is a big supporter of this and his scene with Stark in the courtroom shows how slimy Stern can be, but the scene itself is hilarious. Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) is very close to Senator Stern and they both want the same thing. They want to abuse this technology and want the power that comes with it. But this is personal for Hammer. He wants to be like Stark, but he does not even come close. His inventions look nice, but can never perform correctly. Most of his inventions are seen as failures. He has powerful friends and lots of money, but he lacks the knowledge to have the type of success that Stark has.
Then there is the Russian, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), who knows Stark’s secrets and technology because his father worked with Tony’s father to create the Arc-reactor technology, which is the heart of the Iron Man suit. And when Vanko makes his own, he wants to send a message. A message to Stark, Iron Man, and the world. Vanko is getting revenge for his family, specifically his father. He believes Stark’s father took all the credit and left his father out in the cold with nothing. He wants to destroy Iron Man and the Stark name along with it.
Lt. Col. “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is the man who has to keep Stark grounded. Throughout the movie, he does not know what to do with him. Rhodes begins to help the military get access to Stark’s Iron Man suits, but he is still keeping a watchful eye on those who want to use it for evil. Rhodes is no dummy and he may be the only character that can see things for what they truly are. We all know who Rhodes becomes and it is awesome.
Of course, there are two ladies in Stark’s life in this sequel. Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) gets a promotion to CEO of Stark Enterprises. She has to handle the entire business and still has to clean up Tony’s messes. Her job is definitely a 24/7 type of job. With Potts gone, Stark’s new assistant becomes Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson). It is no mystery how she gets the job. She is not who Stark thinks she is, but is a whole lot more.
So here we have all of these characters and storylines, yet the movie never seems to lose its grip on any of them. It remains at a steady pace the entire time and we must thank the director Jon Favreau for that. He gives every character and plotline the right time and attention. He makes it all come together nicely and it works. All of it.
Robert Downey, Jr. is perfect as Stark/Iron Man. Just like his character, Downey has charisma and charm. Stark has a huge ego and is narcissistic and full of arrogance. But his heart is in the right place so we cannot help but cheer for him. And Stark is having a difficult time in this movie. The suit that protects the world is killing him. Every day the poison in his system gets worse. On top of that, Stark has to deal with his past including his relationship with his father. This sequel is more personal for Stark and more of a struggle.
As far as the women in the movie, well they are not just eye candy. Pepper Potts has always had to deal with Stark but there is this sexual tension between the two. It is just in the air. And it gets confronted in this movie. Scarlett Johansson is beautiful and sexy, but can kick some major ass as well. Her character is Black Widow (though it’s never said in the movie) and she does a great job being seductive, smart and secretive. But she is just doing her job. These women have important duties and responsibilities. They are just all built around Tony Stark.
We all know what happened with Don Cheadle replacing Terrence Howard. And whether you agree with that decision or not, Cheadle is a talented actor who has taken on great roles in his career. For a different actor to play the same character is tough, but he manages to do it. It almost feels like he was Rhodes in the first movie. I guess if you are going to replace an actor why not let it be one just as good or better. And Rhodes finally putting on that suit and becoming War Machine is a sight to see. And it happens right when Iron Man needs him the most.
The villains are amazing. Jeff Bridges was a great first bad guy in Iron Man. But Jon Favreau was able to get two more great actors and they run wild and free with their characters, and it could not be more exciting. Sam Rockwell is a great actor and he plays Justin Hammer with ease and conviction. Hammer wants the money for the ideas but can’t come up with any great ideas of his own. Once he hires Ivan Vanko, he has a real shot at beating Tony Stark to the punch. Just the way Hammer talks to Stark and the way he dances at the Stark Expo makes me look forward to seeing Sam Rockwell in the upcoming sequels. And you know there will be more Iron Man sequels.
Mickey Rourke found a great role in Vanko. Rourke does not have to say much in that thick Russian accent to get his message across. Vanko is a man of few words, but when he does speak–you listen. Rourke plays Whiplash with intelligence and violence. For Vanko, it is not about the technology, money, and fame. Vanko is different from Hammer. It is about showing Iron Man’s weaknesses in front of the whole world and destroying him with his own devices. Tony Stark may have never known about Ivan Vanko, but Vanko knows Stark and waited until the time was right to strike. My only complaint is the final action sequence (which is awesome) should have lasted longer when it came to Whiplash versus Iron Man and War Machine. It was over too quickly for me.
Iron Man 2 is explosive, entertaining and fun. The whole cast delivers amazing performances, especially Rockwell, Rourke and Downey. Tony Stark/Iron Man is a character that only Downey can play and its a beautiful relationship between the two.
The story has a lot going on, but it is all put in the right hands. The hands of director Jon Favreau. This sequel is just as exciting as the first one, and lets everything play out as it should. I cannot think of a better way to start the summer blockbusters than with Iron Man 2.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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