Fe-nomenal: Iron Man 2 Review

Brewing up a sequel to the blockbuster hit, Iron Man 2 was somewhat of a gamble, as is every “Part Two” to any popular film. But this second installment of billionaire-turned-super-hero Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey, Jr.) adventures was far from disappointing. Comedic veteran Jon Favreau returns as the film’s director and also co-stars as Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) well-intentioned but ninja skills-deficient chauffeur, Happy Hogan. Downey Jr. and Favreau seem a compatible pair, with the witty remarks constantly spewing from the notoriously narcissistic Stark giving the film an appropriately light-hearted side. One of his best quips is delivered as he is leaving his hearing and, turning to the cameras, shouts “I’ve privatized world peace!”

And this sequel was certainly not short of any star power. Mickey Rourke (The Rainmaker, Once Upon a Time in Mexico) is cast as Stark’s nemesis, a Russian convict Ivan Vanko who has a mind to match Stark’s and an appetite for vengeance. Rourke was a great choice to fill the enemy’s shoes as his massive, tattoo-covered frame makes him a venomous opponent who is all the more frightening with his heavy Russian accent. Gwyneth Paltrow returns as Stark’s loyal assistant, Pepper Potts, but be ready for some changes in the status of that relationship. Newcomer Scarlett Johansson shows up as Natalie Rushman (aka Natalia Romanoff), a member of the elite government hero force, The Avengers. She is undercover as a lawyer sent to work for Pepper, while simultaneously working alongside fellow Avenger, Nick Fury, (Samuel L. Jackson) to keep a watch out for Stark as he faces some very serious threats.

Stark’s weak side is revealed when he realizes that the metal chips inside his chest, which have been keeping him alive, are actually killing him. This plot twist reinforces the human side of the iron-clad hero while making viewers all the more anxious to see how he is going to defeat his enemy while concocting a cure for his condition.

The action sequences are thrilling, and might even surpass those numerous sound barrier bursts of flight in the first installment. From car races to drone-operated gun fights, the special effects live up to every expectation set in the previous film. Iron Man himself has some new moves, including a laser that is highly effective in slicing enemy drones in half. The only “Oh, come on” moment was evoked when Johansson, sporting a skintight spandex suit, starts pulling ninja moves on security guards two-and-a-half times her size (and that’s on top of her fluent Latin skills).

Overall Iron Man 2 kept up nicely with its predecessor. The scene was definitely set for a third installment, as Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell, The Green Mile), Vanko’s patron of sorts, warns Pepper that he will be making some trouble for her in the near future. So be ready to blast off with another load of iron come summer 2012!