Review of Iron Man 2 (2010) by Garrett S — 28 Feb 2016

Shamelessly capitalising on the resurgence of Marvel comic book adaptations, this sequel to the armoured adventures of the smartass superhero Iron Man, puts the man back in the high tech body armour and back on the money making machine.

From its well-crafted origins, this second instalment (obviously designed with sequels in mind) has the usual impressive stunts and inspired CGI. It's insipid motivations of revenge and overly crowded story arc however lack the buoyant levity and wry humour of its predecessor. Favouring gleaming tech over inner turmoil leaves the continually gyrating story missing its necessary electrifying spark.

Since announcing his dual life to the world, the Richard Branson-esque billionaire inventor and playboy Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), AKA armoured superhero Iron Man, has turned his ever impressive empire into a three ringed circus.

Surviving on a volatile life force palladium inside a high-tech heart gizmo, Stark/Iron Man lives his high-end life impetuously, parading around as the centre attraction of a year round giant Stark Expo in New York's famous Flushing Meadows without consequence.

Adamant in his assumptions about the uniqueness of his Iron Man technology, the arrogant Stark defies requests of Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) by publically refusing to relinquish it to the exclusive custody of the US military.

Proving that no other country, conglomerate or even long-time arms rival, scheming slime-ball defence contractor Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) are within 20 years of mimicking his technology, Stark insists the suit is not a weapon but a shield that only he can possess to single handedly bring world peace.

On this issue, however Stark is somewhat incorrect. Deranged Russian physicist Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) holds a long-simmering grudge against Stark's father (and original business pioneer), claiming that he stole the tech from his father and caused a great deal of problems for the family. However, Stark himself was estranged from his own father and oblivious to the old feud.

Avenging these perceived injustices, Vanko plots to annihilate Tony, and discredit Iron Man by replicating his own unique suit from the original drawings of his father's. Under the guise of super-villain Whiplash, Vanko openly attacks Stark (non Iron Man clad) in an explosive confrontation at the Monaco Grand Prix, welding newly added twirling whips of megavoltage electricity.

Although managing to subdue Vanko and restoring order, Iron Man's reputation is in tatters and Starks ever escalating antics get completely out of control. To the extreme exacerbation of his contentious long-term assistant and reluctant girlfriend Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow) and his loyal friend (later sidekick) Lt. Col., James "Rhodey" Rohodes (this time played by Don Cheadle) action must be taken to placate him.

Forcing Stark to come to terms his flaws, human and technological, he is shut away form the world and prying eyes. Finding a way to stop Vanko and his new lucrative alliance with Hammer, Stark must try to decipher hidden messages in his father's 30 year old work whilst also attempting to prevent his own death by finding an alternative to the palladium's toxic secretion that is slowly poisoning his blood stream.

Continuing on from Iron Man 1's surreptitious introduction of secret S.H.I.E.L.D agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) we meet Starks replacement PA "from legal" Natalie Rushman AKA the super-sultry curvaceous temptress Natasha Romanoff /Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Keep an ear open for other teasy references setting up captain America and Thor leading in the 2012 release of The Avengers.

Downey exudes the complexity and self contradictory charisma that simply is the overbearing persona of Stark; Rockwell is a natural at the oily fast-talking weasel Hammer and Rourke squeezes every drop of vodka-infused weirdo out of Vanko. Pitting one alpha-male against another, Theroux's screenplay of unhinged and caustic one-liners dares to delve into the risqué, going where no superhero movie has gone before.

The Verdict: Although this cacophonous orgy of militaristic might runs amok, the cumbersome subplots, uneven pacing, character bloating (too many in one film), middle-movie structure, and Marvel in-referencing leaves viewers baffled and sometimes winded. True, it's nothing Iron Man 3 can't fix, but what a waste in its own right.

Published: The Queanbeyan Age.

Date of Publication: 10/05/2010.