An exhilarating and funny superhero sequel.

Rating: 8/10 (11 June 2010)

Iron Man 2 is a fine sequel. Almost the whole cast returns intact, and director Jon Favreau has more screen time in his role as Happy Hogan. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is riding high after the events of Iron Man (2008). He has become famous worldwide, and he re-institutes the Stark Expo. But problems begin to pile up. Another wealthy industrialist wants his Iron Man technology. Then a new villain appears. Stark's relationship with his assistant Virginia Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) is also expanded upon. There's a lot going on in the film, but its rather weak script hurts it for sure. Mickey Rourke as the villain Ivan Vanko stands out. He's more menacing than Obadiah Stane was in the first film. Vanko's first encounter with Stark leads to a thrilling fight scene. Unfortunately Rourke's character isn't fully developed. This is a problem with other characters in the film as well. Vanko is a memorable villain but if Rourke was given more screen time and his character had more of a backstory I'm sure he could have been even more memorable. Still, Rourke tried to make his character as complex as he could.
The film's special effects are excellent. Some of the time, however, they're used on shootouts and explosions that don't produce much excitement. There's a lot more humour this time around. I was smiling or laughing during most of the film. Scarlett Johansson as the beautiful Natasha Romanoff gets to show off some impressive martial arts moves. It's rather funny afterwards because no one else can fight like her. Overall, the film is not as good as Iron Man. Still, it's an entertaining summer blockbuster and the performances are solid. I wasn't expecting much from the film but was pleasantly surprised. I recommend Iron Man 2.