Iron Man 2 Review

• 19th Oct 2010

Robert Downey Jr has always been with us. Right back since the early half of the 80s fans will know he popped up as an antagonist in Weird Science. From here on he did a few teen films, eventually bagging the leading roles. The 90s are what really booted his career to the prime time as his Oscar nominated role in Chaplin will attest.

Of course the substance abuse stories started as he started to live the wild life – but at no point did this ever seem to really effect the performances he was giving in screen (unless it made them better???).  Restoration, Short Cuts, even The Gingerbread Man show that he was still the best thing on display in the films he was in.

The 2000s seemed to have him make an apparent comeback (again, not that he ever went anywhere?) in the likes of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Goodnight And Good Luck, A Scanner Darkly and David Fincher’s Zodiac. It was then in 2008 that he bagged the role of Tony Stark in the first Iron Man screen adaptation and the fit seemed only too perfect.

The film itself on first viewing is fairly straight forward for a comic book movie origin story (yet surprisingly is more entertaining the more it is watched), but Downey Jr’s performance was screen dynamite. He then earned another Oscar nomination with Tropic Thunder and followed that with Sherlock Holmes, which won him a Golden Globe. So with two high profile franchises under his belt he is now making good on following them up with the sequels.

Iron Man 2 has no excuse for its publicity as it was everywhere. The film itself has all the right performances. Again RBJ is on top form, Gwyneth Paltrow works her own magic as Pepper Potts. Director Jon Favreau gave himself a larger role this time round. He also got to share in a couple of the action scenes. The second of which he has one of the best punchlines. Samuel L Jackson is also back in a larger role as Nick Fury (who if we are honest is just Samuel L Jackson with an eye patch).

Added to the cast are an impressive Scarlett Johansson, a seedy Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke in the main heavy role. Rockwell knows no bounds when it comes to his onscreen performances and at first glance, he is given the slimeball in a suit role, but he manages to make so much more of it.  Less can be said for Mickey Rourke who appears to be on autopilot. But then his role is not quite as big as you’d hope and worse still the action input is fairly minimal.

The biggest sin the film has is an unworthy Don Cheadle taking over the role of Rhodey (from Terrence Howard). I don’t know the circumstances that led to Howard leaving the franchise but he is sorely missed here. Cheadle just doesn’t work well as a bad ass, or even in the banter between his character and Tony Stark. Cheadle is generally a very good actor, but here he just doesn’t belong. Let’s hope he does something a little different in the Avengers film.

Looking at the script it is a very talky picture – but then when Downey Jr is on screen you can’t really complain about that. But there are large sections of film that need a little bit more moving on of the plot, rather than just the waiting for something to happen feel it sometimes gives.

The action as mentioned is here and there.  The set pieces start off very well but pitter out slightly towards the end.  The trouble is that Iron Man has far too many foes in robot suits. So it’s hard to get too excited about robots kicking each other’s ass. Johansson’s character though does get one very impressive display of ass-kickery towards the end though. Something we want to see more of her doing in the future.

We can’t talk too much about the extra materials as very little was on offer at the time – nor can we talk about the home entertainment quality as it was a cinema screening that was set up to promote the release. But we can list the extra materials for you here.

DVD 2 Disc Set

–       Deleted scenes with optional commentary by director Jon Favreau

–       Featurettes including:

• Creating Stark Expo – A look at how the sets and computer-generated elements combine to create the massive set piece
• Practical Meets Digital – How the “practical” props inform the “digital” work that ultimately brings our hero to life on screen.

AC/DC Music Video: Shoot To Thrill

BLU-RAY

–       Optional Commentary by Jon Favreau

–       S.H.I.E.L.D Data Vault (HD)

–       Previsualization and Animatics (HD)

–       Ultimate Iron Man: The Making of Iron Man 2 (HD)

–       Deleted Scenes (HD) with optional commentary by director Jon Favreau:

• Alternate Opening
• Coulson at the Senate
• The Sub-Orbital Jet
• Tony’s Workshop (extended)
• Natalie Wears the Gauntlet
• Flying Party Girl
• Mark II Security
• Element Rediscovered (extended)

–       Concept Art Galleries

–       Theatrical Trailers:

• Mr. Stark (HD)
• World (HD)
• IMAX Kids (HD)

–       Other Marvel Trailers:

• SEGA – Iron Man 2 Video Game (HD)
• SEGA – Iron Man 2 Video Game Prologue (HD)
• Avengers Animated Trailer (HD)

AC/DC Music Video: Shoot To Thrill (HD)

Iron Man 2 is out 25^th October