Iron Man 2

Movie Reviewed: Iron Man 2 Directed By: Jon Favreau Starring: Robert
Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam
Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson and Garry Shandling Rated:
PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some
language. Runtime: 124 min Studio: Paramount Pictures

Iron Man 2‘s power is Johansson‘s Black Widow

Iron Man 2 is not as good as the first one,it is, however, still
engagingly entertaining and better than a majority of the current new
releases. Among Iron Man 2‘s positive aspects is Scarlett
Johansson who emerges in a Lycra suit as the powerful Black Widow.
Johansson‘s action scenes are mesmerizing enough to call for a
film of her own.



Back at the Iron Man 2 ranch billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert
Downey, Jr.) and his Iron Man gear and persona have returned. The
owner of Stark industries is now the only single security force that the
United States needs. Yes, that is what we need in the United States!
An eccentric womanizing rabble rousing genius, privately and single
handedly commandeering security for this country. Whoo Hoo! Stark is
pleased, in an over bearing, pompous, and showy sort of way, to oblige.
But no one stays on top of the arms race mountain for long, and soon a
worthy foe arrives to knock Stark off of the weapons and world
domination hill.


Bravo on the selection of Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko, he is so easy to
dislike in the first place, so adding some rotten teeth, greasy hair, a
crap Russian accent and a real mean streak to the equation just adds heat
to the odium.

Action junkies will love the main battle in Iron Man 2 which gave new
meaning to de ja vu, as flashbacks of recent films that depict large
chunks of machinery battling (hint, hint, wink, wink, need a clue? Think
Megan Fox), and it is just as loud. Ear muffs anyone?

Gwynteh Paltrow is back to reprise her role as Stark‘s loyal right
hand, Pepper Potts (what kind of name is that?), but the seasoned star
serves as an optional salad ingredient as she floats thru her role
without any zing or pizzazz. And why should she? When the original
Iron Man grossed $98.6 million in its opening weekend, that only served
to signal that Iron Man 2 was a sure fire chunk of change, whether or
not the actress chose to put her heart into the role.

Great cameos by Samuel L. Jackson as a Nick Fury with a really strong
Morpheus from the Matrix vibe, and Garry Shandling as a wise cracking
and Stark- despising Senator Stern.

In the same way voters want to believe that political figures will keep
their promises; movie fans were hoping that Iron Man 2 would be just as
smashing as the first Iron Man. Alas, again, that is not the case
because while Iron Man 2 is enjoyable, and full of really great action,
it lacks the freshness of the first film. Director Jon Favreau could
reside in Texas and Las Vegas because he wants everything to be big, and
showy like Tony Stark's Star Expo which features screaming and adoring
crowds and dancing cheer leaders with pom, poms set on a huge stage in a
stadium like atmosphere, while Tony Stark descends from the top of a
building. What an entrance, and what a waste of precious time. Scenes
like that not only belong on the cutting room floor, but when left in
the film come across as false, setting a similar tone. Favreau could
have done everyone a favor and cut at least 30 minutes of unadulterated
fluff from his latest creation. “That would make for a win, win, win,
win win!“; a quote which has absolutely no relation to this film
other than it fits my sentiments exactly; so I borrowed it from Arizona
based comedian Kirk Buckhout, who talks about a strange “no-win“;
situations in his life.

Die hard comic buffs will want to sit through the ending credits, and
they are long, to gain a a little cinematic snippet about the next
superhero to grace the Iron Man series.