In 2008, Marvel Comics released its first self-financed film, Iron Man, through its imprint Marvel Studios. It was a much-needed move for full creative control over the big screen adventures of Marvel’s precious properties, and spawned an immediate success. Director Jon Favreau (Elf) paid due respect to the source material, cast the incomparable Robert Downey Jr. as his protagonist, then sat back to enjoy the US$585 million gross.
Two years on, Favreau’s hotly anticipated follow-up has arrived. And don’t we all know it! With a multitude of ads, product tie-ins and general hype stirring at every turn, it is a concerted effort to annoy us into seeing the film. It seems no expense has been spared, and every penny will undoubtedly be recouped with a sizable profit. So how does the film stand up to its esteemed predecessor? Not particularly well, but it does offer a lot of bang for the buck.
For action junkies, there are explosions and gunfire aplenty, handled with the sensitivity of a PG-13 film. And to Favreau’s credit, the second film offers a more satisfying action climax than the first whose final battle was over before anything memorable even happened.
Still, it all feels predictable, like a collection of glitzy set pieces showcasing the spectacle of Iron Man’s tech. Perhaps it was an attempt to capture the printed adrenaline of a comic book. I was entertained regardless.
Iron Man 2 picks up where Iron Man left off, with Tony Stark (the hero) revealing his secret identity to the world. He goes on to embrace the celebrity of the role, as well as the controversy over his private ownership of, as the US government suggests, a powerful weapon.
The film explores Stark’s struggle to cope with the responsibility of superheroism, his mortality, alcoholism, and gigantic ego. Unfortunately the sophistication that these themes allude to is lacking in the final product, and instead of an edgy, dark superhero portrait, it settles for diluted popcorn fare.
But what Iron Man 2 misses in compelling storytelling, it makes up, in part, with compelling performances by the main cast. Downey Jr. reprises his role as Stark/Iron Man with the enthusiasm and wit that made us love the first film. While screenwriter Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder) gives him a lot of witty quips to work with, RDJ’s personality and skilled improvisation is the headlining act. He strongly affirms his credentials as the industry’s best sarcastic narcissist.
Sam Rockwell plays villainous Justin Hammer (Moon), Stark’s fierce business rival. The character is quirky, insecure and suffering from a serious inferiority complex, Rockwell handles him with typical conviction. He is outdone, however, by the understated aggression of Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash, a Russian physicist hell-bent on destroying Stark. Rourke admirably matches Downey Jr.’s egotistical swagger, without the bling and papparazi, and with a smugness that almost encourages you to cheer him on. Indeed he is perhaps the most likable character in the film, despite his apparently misguided intentions.
Also amidst the orgy of starpower are Don Cheadle (Brooklyn’s Finest), taking over from Terrence Howard (The Princess and the Frog) as Lt. Col. James Rhodes/War Machine, and Gwyneth Paltrow (Two Lovers) as Pepper Potts, Stark’s assistant. While they are solid supporting characters, necessary to the narrative, the actors’ obvious talent is never truly tested. Neither inspires any emotional attachment, and Paltrow comes off as annoying.
The other main characters are similarly unfortunate. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff is underdeveloped and almost unnecessary, cast more with an eye toward sex appeal and box-office draw than narrative potency. Joining her is Samuel L. Jackson, who returns as Nick Fury, head of law enforcement agency, S.H.I.E.L.D. Much the same, he suffers from casual involvement, not given any time to shine and cement his obvious relevance to the Iron Man lore. In fact his screen time is spent laying groundwork for future Marvel film projects rather than actively contributing to the Iron Man 2 storyline.
In this regard, Iron Man 2 comes off as a platform for a myriad of upcoming films, rather than the stand-alone film it should be. Captain America and Thor (both 2011 release) get “subtle” mentions (the latter after the credits) and The Avengers (2012) are introduced explicitly. Fury, Romanoff, Rhodes and Stark will return for that film. As such, Iron Man 2 comes full circle, heavily advertised and itself an advertisement – a mere splash of paint in a much larger Marvel portrait.
Rating: 3.5/5
The Verdict: Iron Man 2 is a solid addition to the Marvel film universe, but fails to scale the heights of Iron Man, Spider-Man 2 and X-Men 2 before it. Favreau bulks up the action, the technology, and Tony Stark’s “textbook narcissism”, but the film never quite achieves what it should. Take Robert Downey Jr. out of the mix and we are left with mediocrity, if so much. Where The Dark Knight dazzled with its complex themes and brilliant performances, Iron Man 2 barely approaches either. It is a mish mash of ideas, more intent on procuring future episodes than cementing its own completeness. It could and should have been so much better. An entertaining, if forgettable, cinematic experience.
Liam Camps
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