The Summer Blockbuster is known for a few things; a high budget, big name actors, an expected killing at the box office, lots of cool special effects, and usually, being really disappointing. Iron Man 2 is the first big summer blockbuster of 2010, and while it fits into 90% of the blockbuster mold, it manages to be exactly what you expect it to be.
Iron Man 2 takes place six months after Tony Stark’s press conference in the first Iron Man. The first act of the film shows Stark (played excellently by Robert Downey Jr.) living the rock star life as the result of announcing that he is, in fact, Iron Man. Men want to be him, women want to be with him. His ego has never been higher. But like all rock stars, he crashes, following an incident with Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) that threatens the supposed invincibility that Iron Man (and Tony Stark, for that matter) has. The plot becomes a bit tangled from this point; it has to balance Stark having to deal with villains (Vanko and Justin Hammer, who is played very well by Sam Rockwell), the public’s view of him, and his own immortality (in more ways than one).
While the film does a fairly good job at balancing the different mini-plots, it forgets to develop any characters in any way. The only attempted development is with Stark and his attempt to get over himself. He learns some new information about his father (and thus, himself, of course), but his resolve comes quickly. His alcoholism seems a little cliche, but it does fit in with the whole rock star theme. The last issue the writing seemed to have was writing any remotely intriguing lines for Rourke to deliver. There was no emotional attachment nor detestation for the character. He was just there to wreck shit – which he does a good job of – but besides that, nothing. On that note, all of Downey’s dialogue is hilarious and pompous.
As expected, the special effects are very impressive. The battle scenes are some of the best you will come across, and the weapons are impressive as well (although not as impressive as District 9). Jon Favreau‘s directing is solid (his acting is decent as well), but there is one scene that was a standout: a conversation that Stark has with Vanko after Vanko is arrested, in which the lighting and filters portray a thick, swampy, green air. It not only does a good job of creating a unique atmosphere, but also plays on the whole ‘tension in the air’ sentiment between the two.
What would Iron Man 2 have been without its cast? As previously mentioned, Robert Downey Jr. is very impressive, as always – he is able to play a self-centred egomaniac with ease. Mickey Rourke is decent as well, even though he isn’t given much to work with. Gwyneth Paltrow is compassionately bitchy, and Scarlett Johansson does a good job of doing double duty and makes her fight scenes convincing. Samuel L. Jackson brings laughs wherever he goes, but helps set up a future Avengers movie (along with the bonus, post-credits scene that everyone seemed to know was coming). Surprisingly, Don Cheadle is the weakest of the bunch. He delivers his lines like a cardboard cutout of himself – stiff, and with no emotion. There is no shortage of talent for the film to work with, and for the most part, they all deliver.
Decent acting, great visuals, and an up-and-down script – what else did you expect Iron Man 2 to be? It delivers on all fronts, and is a highly enjoyable (and not to mention, hilarious) blockbuster that needs to be seen on the big screen.
(7.5/10)
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