Iron Man 2 - what worked and what didn't

Rating: 3/10 (18 February 2020)

+ Gary Shandling. WTF.
+ Sam Rockwell. Literally never bad. Here he is rocking a fake tan.
+ Beat touching briefly on the change of actor for James Rhodes is funny.
+ Action at the Monaco racetrack, although convoluted, is a nice concept and visuals for an action sequence.
+ Iron Man in a massive doughnut with his helmet off eating a doughnut hungover is a cool image.
+ Iron Man suit-case.
+ Mickey Rourke gives us his best, he seems like he gives a damn even if the character sells him short.
+ As implausible as it is when Tony is creating a new element, I mean at least he's doing some science.
+ Scarlett Johanson is saucy as heck.
+ Justin hammer running weapons demo for war machine is silly but hilarious, his 'ex-wife' speech is phenomenal (If it was any smarter it would write a book)!
+ Really cool hud and creative future minority report computer stuff.
+ Hammer drones do look wicked.
+ Fight in the Japanese garden is pretty neat, a little videogame co-op level.

Shies away from Demon in a Bottle storyline with some sort of blood toxicity hogwash.
If IM1 was a rock concert then IM2 is a rock opera: Theatrical and faux, stuffed to the gills, garish and blowing its budget on nonsense.
Don Cheadle's a little annoying here.
Upping Tony's bellend factor doesn't make him funnier, just more grating and possibly completely dated and wrong for this new era.
It's a little too mumblecorey, the script is a little rambly and even RDJ is more irritable than he is charming. It's not as tight and structured as IM1. Very little important or memorable or even quotable dialogue.
Shoehorned world building.
Ugly and without a uniform colour scheme or look, the sets and frames are filled with off colours and other incongruities for no good reason.
Drunken suit fight during a party where Iron Man DJs then hits Don Cheadle with a barbell to Another One Bites the Dust. Such crass motivation to start War Machine. The entire sequence makes the suits look small, weak, stupid and fallible. Looks incredible plasticky and fake.
Music is some awful Danny Elfman plinky plonky Spider-Man nonsense.

Stan Lee cameo review: Old Man confused as Larry King: 5/5. Another belter. I mean he does look like Larry King, it's another confusion gag but Lee's face is not only priceless but it might actually be the only good piece of acting he's ever done.
End credits review: 2/5: I remember thinking WTF is this? And then getting on to some serious youtubing. It's teeny tiny but effective. A start to the teasers rather than full scenes. Generic lines plus a thunder clap: Didn't really do it for me.