Very cool genre cinema

Rating: 7/10 (13 May 2010)

In Russia, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) grieves when his father dies but he is left with a blueprint to the arc reactor from Stark Industries. Given his father's dispute with Howard Stark, Ivan decides to build his own reactor that will empower his to take down Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and his Iron Man suit. Back in the USA Tony is being pressured by the US Government to hand over the suit, even though it is being used as a means of holding a truce between America and its adversaries. Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) is a rival arms dealer who is also intent on getting his hands on Tony's invention too as he has failed regularly to replicate the machine's design. Yet Tony is more concerned about how is heart is being poisoned by the device in his chest, placing further strains on his relationships with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Lt. Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle). Tony is further intrigued by the arrival of the mysterious Natalie (Scarlett Johansson), who is helping Tony with the legal assignment of handing over his CEO position to Pepper.
The first Iron Man stands as one of the very best superhero films because of its emphasis on character, in developing a highly unconventional protagonist, rather than simply relying on the limited appeal of visual effects. Director Jon Favreau has returned to this sequel, which offers more of the same fun and action but with some slightly bloated results too. What is missing at the heart of this film is the subtext and political undertones that made the first movie a lot smarter and more sophisticated than cynics may have been expecting. The criticism of America's arms trading policies allowed for the growth of Tony Stark, in realising the destruction his company was responsible for. Thematically, Iron Man 2 is weaker than its predecessor because it clings to thin ideas of legacy and competition to support its narrative. There are moments in this film which do not make a lot of sense, but for the sake of most fans, exist to provide the spectacle. Tony's random entry into the Grand Prix race for example is simply to have a showdown with Ivan and it remains a silly but still intense match-up. There are also too many subplots here, most specifically the inclusion of a secret organisation called S.H.I.E.L.D, and several twists and turns, highlighting how the first film said so much more with a far tighter narrative and less characters.
For some of the flaws in the narrative, there is no shortage of style here, courtesy of the sheer cool factor provided by Tony Stark himself. Stark, surrounded by his fast cars and futuristic gadgetry, is as cheeky, funny and likable as ever. Downey Jr. overshadows all of his co-stars with the sheer amount of charisma and charm that he possesses. He really holds this film together with his belief in the confidence and slickness of this unique character he has created. His chemistry with Pepper also continues to be one of the film's most endearing elements as they exchange fire, word for word, with some witty banter and precise timing. Yet given that their emotional entanglement is largely unmentioned for much of the film this is not as romantic as the first instalment. Mickey Rourke also impresses here and through the attention to detail in the look of his character, like his matted hair and tattoos, he creates a highly sinister villain. Rourke not only learnt Russian for this role but it has also been reported that he also spent time in a Russian prison to gain a greater feel for his character. Rockwell is slightly disappointing as Hammer because although he is as wordy as ever, with charisma to burn, his flamboyance is less endearing as it has been in the past. The weakest links in the cast are Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson simply because they do not have enough to do in the film. The latter is so luminous and successfully fills her eye candy quotient but her character really only comes to the foray in a rather stupid scene at the end. The talents of these two actors could have been used a lot more efficiently.
There is a lot of fun to be had with Iron Man 2 because of its slickness, in particular the intensity of the action sequences, and Downey Jr. who continues to transcend one's image of the typical hero through his wit, charm and mischief. The narrative here is bloated with too many plot points and characters and does not provide the same level of substance as the first movie. Regardless, those who have been anticipating this picture the most are still likely to be engaged by the spectacle and will relish what is essentially very cool genre cinema.