Movie Review: Iron Man 2
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Reviewed by Geno McGahee
I really enjoyed the first IRON MAN and I rarely go to the movies, but because I like the metal bastard and my son has been bugging me to see it, I went to the movies and watched the second entry of this movie.
When you have a superhero, you need a super villain, and we have Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a man by his father’s side as he passes on to the other side. Vanko SR had a history with the Stark company and was partially responsible for the Stark empire. When the dad dies, Ivan intends to get revenge, focusing on Tony Stark (Robert Downey, JR). Ivan has a great scream when his dad dies. I found myself laughing. Rourke’s scream with the Russian accent sounded rather strange and was humorous to me.
Stark has another issue and it’s a major one. The device that is keeping him alive…that glowing mechanical thing in his chest, is also poisoning his blood and killing him. He is trying desperately to figure out the problem and stop the slow death. When it comes out that no earthly element will help him, he begins to act irrationally. He makes Pepper Potts (Gweneth Paltrow) the CEO of the company and donates all of the priceless art to the Boyscouts of America. Maybe looking at those will keep the scout leaders from mounting the new scouts. It’s a long shot, but it may be a good idea to donate art to the scouts if it works.
Figuring that he has very little time left, Stark continues his irrational ways, participating in a car race…one of those Nascar-like races that gives so many cowboys hard ons. During the race, Vanko shows up with these mechanical whips that he slices things in half with and he eventually slices the car driven by Stark in two. Vanko raises so much hell that Stark has no choice but to turn into Iron Man and kick his ass and he does. It was a really neat scene…lots of explosions and plenty of Iron Man action.
Vanko and his imminent death are only two of Stark’s problems. The government wants the Iron Man suit to use as a weapon but Stark refuses and his comments during the hearing are hilarious. Downey, JR., plays the role very well…very sarcastic and arrogant.
Vanko is behind bars, but a government big wig gets him out. Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) has made some Iron Man costumes but they didn’t work out too well, but now he sees potential in the criminal. When Vanko is sprung from prison, he works with Hammer to make a set of drones for the military, but Vanko has a personal plan of his own that he will reveal.
There’s a couple of new characters introduces…all part of the avengers. I’m not a comic book geek and I don’t know a lot about the Avengers. My son has a cartoon movie involving them and I know that Captain America and the Hulk are involved, and also Black Widow. Black Widow was introduced in the form of the smoking hot Scarlett Johansson. I am not sure I liked the character but they put her in this skin tight suit and I was sort of lost for a minute.
Nick Fury was also brought into play, played by Samuel L. Jackson. He does not have to hunt for work…he’s in everything. He is putting together a super duper team and wants Iron Man in his group. Stark is reluctant.
Hammer reveals his drones but they are under the control of Vanko and all turn into weapons against Stark. Iron Man now has a partner as his buddy James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) puts on a suit and becomes War Machine. Together they take on and take out the drones, but they now have to deal with super robotic Vanko with bigger whips and a mechanical suit that makes him hard to beat. The final showdown is a lot of fun.
IRON MAN 2 is a fun movie. It’s as good as the first one and introduces a lot of new characters slowly and well. I really enjoyed it.
RSR Rating: 8/10.