Iron Man 2

Positives:

• Robert Downey Jr.
• The first act
• Ideas with potential

Negatives:

• Second and third acts
• Inconsistent story and pacing
• Villain(s)

Iron Man 2 is a lot messier than its game changing predecessor as it does what too many comic book sequels do and crams too many characters into one film. There's a genuine story of addiction that has to share screen time with 2 separate villain storylines and some clunky set up for the Avengers. On top of those, there's also another plot thread involving big revelations about Tony's father and it can't all cohere but it does a really good job overall.

MCU movies almost always cast the best people in the title roles and Robert Downey Jr. In every single appearance as Tony Stark/Iron Man is the epitome of Marvel casting in full effect. Whatever issues this film has, he's never one of them as he navigates a self destructive character arc by initially pushing away those closest to him. Scarlett Johansson is equally perfect thanks to her winning combination of confidence and mystique.

Sam Rockwell is a perfect pathetic villain who absolutely should've been utilised way more in the wider cinematic universe. He nails his character's desperation to be as charismatic as Tony Stark without ever being able to come close. Don Cheadle is effortless in taking over the role of Rhodey and succeeds in making the character his own. Samuel L. Jackson instantly arrives with his trademark screen presence and Mickey Rourke does a decent job despite working with scraps.

Even though Jon Favreau's direction is understandably struggling to give every element the necessary space, the technical craft remains strong. The CGI is pretty damn good and whilst the action sequences are a little too sporadic, they definitely deliver the goods and the Monaco Grand Prix set piece has a very satisfying sense of danger and excitement. The third act battle feels slightly rushed however, it still contains plenty of thrilling moments.

!! Possible Spoilers!!

*Iron Man 2* picks up shortly after the events of its predecessor, finding Tony Stark basking in the glow of his newfound hero status. However, the film quickly reveals a darker underbelly to the billionaire playboy's life. His reliance on the Arc Reactor, the power source for his Iron Suit, is slowly poisoning him, while the demands of the public and the military put immense pressure on Stark Industries.

Mickey Rourke delivers a menacing performance as Ivan Vanko, a bitter Russian scientist seeking revenge against Stark for his father's downfall. Vanko's creation, the Whiplash suit, proves to be a formidable opponent for Iron Man. The film also introduces Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury in a more prominent role, laying the groundwork for the Avengers initiative.

While Downey Jr. Continues to shine as the charismatic and witty Tony Stark, the film struggles to maintain the same level of originality and excitement as its predecessor. The plot becomes increasingly convoluted as it juggles multiple storylines, including Stark's personal struggles, the threat of Vanko, and the introduction of new characters like Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and War Machine (Don Cheadle).

The action sequences are undeniably impressive, with the iconic climax featuring multiple Iron Suits battling it out. However, the film's pacing suffers at times, and the overall tone is less focused than the first installment. Additionally, the resolution of the palladium poisoning plot point feels somewhat rushed and anticlimactic.

Key plot points:-

* Tony Stark's dependency on the Arc Reactor * The introduction of Ivan Vanko and the Whiplash * The development of the War Machine armor * Black Widow's first appearance in the MCU * The increasing involvement of Nick Fury and S. H. I. E. L. D.

Despite its flaws, *Iron Man 2* is still an entertaining superhero film with plenty of eye-catching moments. It successfully expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe and sets the stage for future installments. However, it ultimately falls short of reaching the heights of its predecessor.

At its high points - the first act and the climax - Iron Man 2 is actually better than the first film. Everything up to and including the action scene in Monaco is just great fun to watch: the action, the character interactions, and of course Robert Downey Jr's wonderful portrayal of Tony Stark. And the action scene at the end is pretty epic.

The problem is, the film just stops being so much fun in-between. In a large proportion of this time, it's either going too slowly with little happening that's exciting or even particularly interesting, or it's providing some silly moments like Iron Man lounging on a giant display donut. To be fair, there's no problem with the many subplots this movie has: they all blend together quite smoothly.

The acting in this film deserves credit: almost everybody does a great job. Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow are just as entertaining as they were in the first film, Jon Favreau gets more to do as Stark's chauffeur, Don Cheadle is actually a little better than Terrence Howard as Rhodie (again, maybe because he has a bigger role), Mickey Rourke portrays a decent but overall ordinary villain, and once Scarlett Johansson is allowed to do something substantial with her own action sequence, she's well worth watching. The only weak link is Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, who gets quite annoying after a while.

Overall, Iron Man 2's slow middle section prevents it from being better than the first film as a whole, which is a shame considering how brilliant the beginning and end segments are.

This movie contains some throughly enjoyable moments that are on par with some of Downey Jnr's highlights as Tony Stark. The relationship between Pepper and Tony is taken further and built upon brilliantly in this movie. It contains some really cool and innovative action scenes which are taken for granted now. However the poor villain, a pattern in Iron Man Solo Outings, and the lack of direction meant this is easily the poorest Iron Man Performance. It's still an entertaining watch but you wouldn't be wrong if you skipped this movie when rewatching MCU Classics.