sequel drop-off, but enough to sustain hopes for #3

Rating: 8/10 (7 May 2010)

Sequel drop-off is a well-known phenomenon, but it still bums us out when it occurs. Most of us only bother with extensions of films we liked, as we hope the next edition will buck the industry trend. Like Godfather 2. No such luck in Robert Downey Jr's further adventures in this superhero's supersuit.
After a great early scene in which a witty, sarcastic Tony Stark triumphs over a pompous senator's (Gary Shandling) political posturing, the film drags emotionally - especially compared to the charismatic, sympathetic Stark persona introduced in the first film. Six months after the events in that one, we now find a Stark who is initially too full of himself, then anxious and morose over threats to his health and the superiority of his technology over those who would do evil in the world. Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke head the new arrivals, as a surprisingly versatile assistant and arch-villain, respectively.
The adrenaline rushes of battles and explosions are viscerally comparable to such scenes from the first, but lose some punch, having to overcome the long morose stretches of Stark wrestling with his issues. There's still a decent scattering of comic relief in Jon Favreau's direction of the script Justin Theroux wrote with The Master - Stan Lee. But the overall energy level is disappointing. Not enough to kill the franchise, but at least offering a cautionary tale for the brains behind an Iron Man 3 to remember what made the first one such a winner.
Viewing Tip - After the interminable (as they always must be for stunt and f/x-laden fare) credits, there's a brief scene for which fans should defer their exits, allowing the less faithful first shot at the restrooms.
Spoiler Alert Quiz #1 - Among a handful of familiar talking-heads doing segments in character on TV screens within the film, Bill O'Reilly delivers what his detractors would likely regard as a classic example of the bone-headed, pompous, ill-informed overreactions to the depicted events that define his Fox News persona. Is his willingness to speak those lines intentional, compulsive, clueless, or self-satirical? Spoiler Alert Quiz #2 - Sci-fi flicks, like many others, require considerable "suspension of disbelief" for audience engagement. Which facet of this film demands the greater stretch - Scarlett Johansson kicking serious butt, or Mickey Rourke reading and working from complex sets of high-tech blueprints?