An okay film that mostly works because of Robert Downey Jr

Rating: 6/10 (6 May 2016)

Iron Man 2 is the sequel to the really rather good Iron Man and is a fun and easily enjoyed action film. Robert Downey Jr is again excellent as playboy technologist Tony Stark/Iron Man and his charisma and wisecracking keep the film rolling along nicely. The plot of Iron Man 2 doesn't really match that of Iron Man which was full of contemporary touches but the basic premise is that a Russian rival to Iron Man emerges and attacks Iron Man who must battle someone nearly as brilliant as he is.
That Russian rival is the fantastic Mickey Rourke who puts on a believable Russian accent and looks terrific as the downtrodden son of a genius who lived in poverty and obscurity while the Starks lived in glamour and luxury. The revenge that Rourke's character creates is not much of a plan as it basically involves him fighting and losing in a very public sphere but that is only the setup for the rest of the film where Rourke is given the resources to build a credible threat to Iron Man's prowess.
The first showdown between the main villain and main hero is a bit more flash than substance. Rourke's character with electrode whips is awesome but the Monaco GP is not well rendered. Mixing a real event that the audience will be very familiar with and the fantasy can work but it doesn't here. The cars fly about and explode at unrealistic angles and it is all just an excuse for fire. Later action sequences also make suspension of disbelief a little difficult especially when the heroes are cornered and don't just use their otherwise ubiquitous flying abilities to get out of a difficult spot.
The action is what is always difficult about sequels. More explosions doesn't necessarily equal better fun. What was terrific about the first Iron Man was the character of Tony Stark. Here he again is excellent but too much time is given to shiny effects. Fortunately there is more than enough of Stark the man to make this a good film. For reasons that become clear during the plot, Stark is living life as if it could end soon and his breakdown is harming his business. The very reliable Pepper Potts picks up the slack and makes actually a much better CEO than Stark does even when he's not having emotional trouble.
The father-son relationship stuff is interesting if not overly original. The key plot device contained within the design of a future world city is a little less creative than this reviewer at least came up with but it is still decent fare. The metaplot items are there for those who look hard enough including the Expo which seems a clear reference to Shanghai and Russian-American arms treaties that are currently going through Congress can be read into the Congressional hearing scenes though there's nothing quite as impressive as that cave in Afghanistan from Iron Man 1.
The supporting cast are decent. The new Rhodes played by Don Cheadle is a massive upgrade and his is a much better supporting role representing the tension between the collective good as represented by the military, and the good that an individual can do represented by Stark. The plot that surrounds War Machine is very believable. Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer is the comic relief and while he may be a bit fidgety at times, the banter that he is on the receiving end of for the most part is terrific particularly before Congress. Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff is not much more than a stereotypical sci fi martial artist but for those who are fans of hers she will have some appeal. Samuel L. Jackson gets slightly more lines than in the first film and he does what he can with limited screen time. Gwyneth Paltrow is again excellent - are her best performances the two Iron Man films? Pepper Potts is thrust into a more senior role in this film and Paltrow brings it off expertly, she has great timing with Robert Downey Jr and their scenes all work very well together.
The lighting and effects are good if not mesmerising. The overarching shots of the Stark Expo are beautiful. Not all the visual sequences work well and the Stark Cheerleaders are an unfortunately size zero group of models so it is a relief that they are not featured much. The post-credits scene is just about worth waiting for but only just unlike the first film which was definitely worth waiting for.
The film itself could be a 3 or a 4 star outing. It is not as good as the original but is still some nice lighthearted fun made much better by Downey Jr.