Iron Man lives again!

Rating: 6/10 (10 May 2010)

Ah, summer blockbuster 2010 has started, and what bigger bang than with the sequel to 2008's smash hit, Iron Man? I really did enjoy the first Iron Man, it was exciting, action packed and different from other super hero movies that we see. Most super hero's hide themselves and stay very introverted in their "normal human" disguise, but Tony Stark was something different, he was so alive and colorful and admits pretty much off the bat to the world that he is Iron Man. Naturally he is going to get a lot of challengers in the world and we love to see him take them on as he knows how hot he is and doesn't hide it. So Iron Man 2 is the sequel that everyone who loved the first Iron Man had to see. I admit that I was extremely excited, this looked even better than the first Iron Man. So I got to see it this weekend and I have to say that my friends and I were a little disappointed. Not to say this is a bad movie by any means, it's a good one and very much worth the theater experience, but it didn't have the same "pazazz" as the other Iron Man had. Usually most sequels have this part of having to explain the characters, go a little more in depth with them, Iron Man 2 is no stranger to this. Now it can either be good or bad, in this case, Iron Man 2 fell a little short and started to bore me; but it does come back for an awesome ending.
Six months after revealing his identity as Iron Man, Tony Stark, has helped maintain world peace. A United States Senate committee, led by Senator Stern, demands Stark release the technology for military application. Stark refuses, declaring that he and the suit are as one while also claiming his competitors are years away from successfully recreating the technology. Afraid of a possible doom he's facing, he appoints his former personal assistant Pepper Potts CEO of Stark Industries, replacing her with Natalie Rushman. While racing in Monaco, Stark is attacked by Ivan Vanko, who has constructed an arc reactor of his own, along with whip-like energy weapons. Stark defeats Vanko. Afterward, Stark learns that Vanko is the son of his father's old partner. Ivan blames the Starks for his family's poor fate, and seeks revenge. Rival weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer has Vanko broken out of jail and recruits him to perfect a line of armored combat units he will use to upstage Stark at his own Expo.
Mickey Rourke over all does his job well as the main villain of the story, but my only problem is that a lot of his lines I couldn't understand. He has a thick Russian accent that over does it a little too much because I kept leaning over and asking my friends "what did he say" and they would respond with "I have no idea". Trying to be as intimidating as Ivan Drako in Rocky IV(heck, even their last names look alike) it didn't work as well. Scarlett Johansson was a little dull at first but once again comes back with a vengeance in the end as she has possibly the coolest fight scene in the film. Robert Downey, Jr. as usual does a great job, my only problem being once again, in the first Iron Man, he was confident and smooth, this one he was more cocky and a jerk. I couldn't root for him as much with this sequel. But Iron Man 2 still delivers in the action, the effects are just as cool and really keep you on the edge of the seat. There are some good laughs and over all a decent enough story, it just could have used a little more sparkle I think. But I'm satisfied with Iron Man 2, it gives the audience what it wants and doesn't hold back on the action.
6/10