Movies Reviews

Iron Man 2 Movie Review

By Anne Brodie May 7, 2010, 20:48 GMT

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the sequel to the blockbuster film based on the legendary Marvel Super Hero “Iron Man”. Starring Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr as billionaire inventor Tony Stark/the armored Super Hero Iron Man. ...more

The sight of Mickey Rourke, black and white skanky hair snaking out of his head, in chains and clothes that just burned off him, thrashing electrified whips is a sight I won’t soon forget.  The man is just so cool he’s hot, so hot he’s cool.  He seems born to be Russian genius/ psycho Ivan Vanko/Whiplash, Iron Man’s worthy nemesis, someone who can wipe that smirk off Tony Stark’s face, and remind him he isn’t all that.  Vanko dominates the opening titles, as his father dies in the hellhole that is their Moscow home, plotting a colourful revenge.

Rourke has that appealing badboy in his DNA that he can’t hide and he lets him out of the cage in Iron Man’s second outing.  Vanko is a hygiene-challenged computer wizard, part of a dynasty of intellectuals and physicists who work for the highest bidder, regardless of the goal. 

The highest bidder this time is arms dealerJustin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) who is determined to bring down Iron Man, the world peace Iron Man created and the posse of girls that adores him.  Hammer wants his own Iron man suit (really grown up) and figures that Vanko can whip up a sophisticated and deadly one for his imaginary private army.

Gwyneth Paltrow is back as Pepper Potts but she has serious competition in Tony Stark’s board room in the shapely shape of Scarlett Johanson’s Natalie Rushman.  Both ladies are smart and sophisticated but the male writers manage to work up a cat fight.  Potts is Stark’s protective mother and Rushman the girl with dangerous curves and morals.

It’s chock full of winking casting and cameo choices, and that keeps the momentum up, not that they needed to when Rourke is onscreen.  The man is magic, through and through.

The only question mark is the man himself, Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man.  He is an enigma, a loner who loves the ladies and any and all attention.  Stark is able to seduce the entire US government with his charm and words, and get away with refusing to hand over his suit of iron.  That’s about as bad as it gets for him.  He lives a quieter life now, gets jammed up in illness, house wrecking and a couple of fights but he’s never actually in danger.  He’s more a showbiz player at this point, staging Tony Stark events and dazzling all comers.  He seems secondary in his second film. 

The action moves at a good clip, hits the right notes, adds a few, and delights the eye.  The story’s expressed in strongly visual, intellectual, and traditional ways, and its solid fun.

But let’s face it; this is Mickey Rourke’s film.  Whiplash will be the number one costume this Hallowee’en, mark my words.  That’s what I’m wearing.  Rourke is good and back, baby.

35mm science ficiton, action adventure
Written by Justin Theroux and Stan Lee
Directed by Jon Favreau
Opens: May 7
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language
Runtime: 124 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English