Ambitiously Bigger, but Better?

Rating: 6/10 (31 May 2010)

My memories of the original "Iron Man" are generally limited to the notion that I had a good time watching it, and that, for a big-screen translation of a popular comic-book property, it was more cohesive and clever (and boasting a far finer cast) than its less-successful Marvel brethren (think "The Punisher" and "Incredible Hulk"). While it didn't come close to touching "The Dark Knight" (which is probably an unfair comparison for two wildly different superheroes), it was entertaining in a breezy, thrilling manner that got good mileage out of Robert Downey Jr.'s infectious, snarky charisma. "Iron Man 2" continues this cycle with consistent results: the action sequences are frantic and fast-paced without being incoherent; the cast well-chosen (with a barnstorming Mickey Rourke stealing the show); and the integration of CGI convincingly rendered. As both a continuation of the plot threads and character arcs in the original and as a standalone film, "Iron Man 2" is a solid, consistently entertaining effort that cements one-time indie darling Jon Favreau (who wrote and starred in the cult classic "Swingers") as the directorial antithesis of Michael Bay's sloppy, migraine-inducing action style. That being said, there is a nagging sense of lack within the proceedings, as though screenwriter Justin Theroux ("Tropic Thunder"), in an attempt to outdo the original, crammed in as many characters and subplots as possible simply to keep the film busy; while there are many Howard Hawks-ian comedic exchanges that recall the screwball comedies of the 1940s and '50s (many belonging to Downey and Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts), there are just as many characters who feel less than necessary (despite their considerable appeal, Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson don't have much bearing on the film's outcome). If "Iron Man 2" is flawed for this reason alone, then that still makes it better (and certainly more ambitious) than most of this summer's blockbuster fodder.