Review of Iron Man 2 (2010) by Arslan K — 30 Apr 2015

2008 was the year that started the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the beloved "Iron Man" but it was followed up by the forgettable "The Incredible Hulk" so if Marvel decided to stick with his plan, they knew they would need more money from the audience so they went to the easy route: Make an Iron Man sequel.

After the events of the last film, Iron Man is now regarded as a celebrity/superhero that makes the world safer as the assures that no one could possibly replicate the technology that makes the Iron Man suit work but he is unaware of the fact that an old enemy has the potential to match his technology and present a treat to his reputation.

Making a sequel to a surprise hit is an extremely difficult task, you need to recreate the charm that made the first film a success but you also need to introduce some elements that would make the sequel memorable and "Iron Man 2" tried too hard to succeed but it ultimately fails. "Iron Man 2" is a mixed bag, it has the same funny performances by its entire cast, Faverau´s energetic and rock and roll style still works, the entertainment value remains, the humor is back and while it is not as great as the last time it is still somewhat amusing, the hilarious and natural dialog remains, the phenomenal soundtrack is still here, the visual effects improved in a short two year span, and the action sequences are as well made as last time. As you can see, all the good elements that "Iron Man 2" has are redoing what made its predecessor great. So what about the new elements? This is where the film completely falls apart. The new characters are either forgettable or are distracting as they are only here to set them up for the Avengers, the story is cliché but not bad until we get into the details, then it doesn't make a lot of sense; the comedy is overused, a slow pacing, numerous scenes are unnecessary, not all the jokes work, Marvel´s intervention in the production of this film is downright infuriating, the clichés presented here are predictably executed, the "personal conflict" that torments Tony starts with promise but it soon gets lost in this mess of a narrative, and the "cool" style that made the first Iron Man great doesn't work here because it is expected.

"Iron Man 2" is the stereotypical rushed sequel that redoes most of the first film but lacking its charm and it elements presented are unnecessary/forgettable. If you loved "Iron Man" you will definitely enjoy this average sequel but you expected something new or that Marvel will elevate their game, you will definitely be disappointed.