"Iron Man 2" Review

“Iron Man 2” zips by with energetic action sequences, snappy dialogue, and fun performances. Unfortunately, the film’s poor focus and bloated script often undermines its quick wit and kooky comic book charm.

The film, based on the popular Marvel superhero, picks up six months after the first installment ended. Tony Stark, now publicly revealed to be Iron Man, finds himself in trouble as he faces opposition from the United States government over the control of the Iron Man suit. Meanwhile, a bitter enemy of the Stark family, Ivan Vanko, schemes to destroy Tony and his legacy.

But that is not all. Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) also has to deal with Justin Hammer, his sleazy corporate rival, Pepper Potts, his former assistant who he promotes to CEO of Stark Enterprises, Natasha Rushman, his mysterious new personal assistant, Lt. Col. James Rhodes, his chief liaison with the military, and finally Nick Fury, the head of a secret organization of superheroes.

With so many elements fighting for attention, the final film results in an overstuffed plot with an abundance of characters, some of which are completely irrelevant to the film’s greater story. And because the film contains a surplus of characters, none of them ever feel fully developed. Thus, the film shifts its focus from scene to scene, never giving each character its proper due.

Thankfully, the all star cast makes up for some of the film’s structural flaws. Robert Downey Jr., putting his cocky star persona to good work, once again gives a stellar performance as Tony Stark. Gwyneth Paltrow provides a perfect match to Stark as the quick witted Pepper Potts. Seeing the couple trade barbs adds a playful humor to the film.

The true stand out, however, is Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer. Adding the appropriate amount of sleaze to every mannerism, Rockwell steals the show by highlighting Hammer’s pathetic self-regard and chatty personality. While Rockwell eats up screen time with plenty of great lines, poor Mickey Rourke is given almost nothing to do as Ivan Vanko, supposedly the film’s main villain. While Rourke gives the character a menacing presence, the script fails to flesh out his character beyond a few scenes of bland exposition.

Likewise, the character of Lt. Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) also receives little characterization. The film relies on the events of the first film to establish Rhodes’ relationship with Stark. Unfortunately, a different actor, Terrence Howard, played the role in that film. Thus, there is no believable dynamic between Rhodes and Stark in the sequel. The relationship’s lack of authenticity not only causes their interactions to feel awkward, but also ruins an entire action sequence which hinges on their supposed friendship.

In a normal Hollywood blockbuster, characters usually play second fiddle to explosive, special effects-laden action sequences. In “Iron Man 2,” this is not the case. The film simply contains too many characters. Despite this massive flaw, the film still manages to succeed. Through its goofy humor and fun, if underdeveloped, characters, “Iron Man 2” entertains with wit and charm.

B-

Did you see "Iron Man 2?" Do you disagree with my review? If so, yell at me in the comments. I can take it!

Bullet Point Reviews

I normally do not condone writing brief, bullet-point reviews, but I wanted to quickly convey some opinions on a few films from earlier in the year - most of which are now on DVD.

"Coraline" (directed by Henry Selick)

• lush, detailed, beautiful stop-motion animation
• surprisingly creepy story
• suffers from an uneven pace
• flips the idea of a perfect world; shows the controlling aspects of such a society
• a few peripheral characters feel unnecessary
• voice talent is superb; Teri Hatcher makes a convincing villain.
• Grade: B

"Gigantic" (directed by Matt Aselton)

• the film's quirky elements feel forced and hamper the film's plot and tone
• Zooey Deschanel fares well as an eccentric, yet somewhat childish, girlfriend to Paul Dano's character
• Paul Dano fails to give his character a real personality. Such a shame after his great turn in 2007's "There Will Be Blood."
• hindered by pretentious symbolism that is neither comprehensible or illuminating
• manages to bring up some interesting ideas about one's transition to adulthood, but the ideas ultimately fail to resonate due to the film's numerous problems.
• Grade: C-

"The Soloist" (directed by Joe Wright)

• inspirational true story
• interesting cinematography; surprisingly varied for a mainstream film
• good, but not great performances; both Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. feel detached from the material
• Foxx's acting is a bit too showy; would have preferred a more naturalistic performance
• script feels repetitive and sometimes slips into melodrama
• relies too heavily on voice over narration to convey the lead character's emotion and motivation; some scenes with extended dialogue feel too unrealistic
• steady pace; transitions well from flashbacks to the modern day
• at least somewhat outlines the many problems on the streets of L.A.
• It provides a realistic conclusion for the two main characters. Unfortunately this conclusion is marred by an annoyingly sentimental final scene.
• Grade: C+