From the beginning, Iron Man 2 feels very much like its predecessor, director Jon Favreau was very wise not to tamper with the prequels format and carries a lot of his ideas and energy from Iron Man into his sequel. The plot isn’t exactly the stuff that Shakespeare is made of but with enough special effects, explosions and action to keep any Marvel fan happy, Iron Man 2 certainly does not fail to entertain.
After revealing to the world that he is in fact Iron Man, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr.) continues to enjoy the fame and attention that his new found heroic identity earns for him: saving the world, defending America all only seem to inflate Stark’s already bloated ego. With his trusted friends Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes (Don Cheadle) constantly having to clean up his messes, relationships are strained further. Meanwhile in a very miserable and bleak Serbia an old man dies and a disgruntled son vows to take revenge against those who betrayed him and his father, the Stark Corporation.
On top of all that Tony has realised that being Iron Man is putting too much strain on his body as the power mechanism for the suit and his own human body is poisoning him. To add fuel to the fire the US government are pressuring Stark Industries to hand over the Iron Man suit so it may be used to build more suits. The movie isn’t entirely without feeling, as the relationship between Tony and Pepper from the first movie seems to only grow colder and when a new assistant is hired, Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson) suspicions begin to grow.
The film has a decent enough plot to keep the audience interested and the dialogue is funny enough to distract you from the story but don’t expect to be confronted with philosophical ideologies or any metaphors, Iron Man 2 is a true action movie – if you blow enough stuff up, the audience really won’t care why you blew it all up as long as it looks cool.
In the prequel the part of Rhodes was played by Terrence Howard who was then replaced by Don Cheadle. While Cheadle should be admired for his previous roles on some successful films, his performance as Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes can’t be considered his best work. The part didn’t suit him and many had hoped that the rift between Howard and Favreau would have been resolved so Howard could reprise his role but negotiations fell through and Cheadle was cast. At times in the movie Cheadle looks as awkward in the role as he does when wearing his armour suit. Scarlett Johansson also joins the cast, taking up the role offered to Emily Blunt as Natalie Rushman, personal assistant to Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. Unfortunately Scarlett’s performance was one of the weaker elements of the movie, hardly her fault though when her character is on screen for very little of the actual film. Don’t worry though, her role is somewhat saved when her fight scenes appear and some of the best fight choreography are seen toward the end of the movie.
Robert Downey Jnr. is in fighting form once more as Tony Stark, his portrayal of the narcissistic and egotistical industrialist is as enjoyable as his first performance as Stark in the prequel.
With enough effects to make a fireworks factory boring, a decent soundtrack and amicable performances, Iron Man 2 is a very enjoyable movie. If you are expecting to bring something away from this movie, please leave your expectations at the door. This is a pure action movie, character development and interactions, plot metaphors and intense dialogue are all pushed aside to make room for the action and special effects, and there is nothing wrong with that. Don’t forget to remain in your seats until the very end of the credits to get a special treat and teaser as Marvel introduces its next hero to take up a movie role.
Iron Man 2 is screening in cinemas nationwide.
