Iron Man 2 review...no major spoilers.

[MinisterofDOOM]

It was good. Not as consistently excellent as the first movie, but the high points make up for the very forgettable low points.

The high points?
Warmachine
Crimson Dynamo
The cars (Oddly, there's a Phantom in the mix with the otherwise Audi-dominated auto cast...probably because VW's Bentley sucks)
Warmachine
More intimate suited fight scenes
Scarlett Johansson's curves
Warmachine
The suits
The Iron Man-ettes

The low points?
SHIELD
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson's character
Scarlett Johansson's character
Too much s*** happening for one movie, not all of which is necessary (see above points)
Triangles look stupid
Not enough Iron Man/Warmachine co-op a**-kicking

Basically, anything related to SHIELD just drags the movie down. Every SHIELD scene throws a wrench into the pacing, and every scene with Nick Fury throws the movie's otherwise believable-for-a-superhero-movie status in the toilet. None of it really has anything to do with this movie, but it's still there. It's like watching a trailer for an upcoming movie...in the middle of Iron Man 2. The movie would be completely coherent and absolutely fine without any of the SHIELD garbage. It adds nothing of value. It also adds a lot of suck.

Fortunately, when SHIELD molasses isn't globbing awkardly all over the plot, the movie pretty much rocks. Don Cheadle does a great job as Rhodes, which was something I wasn't too sure about before seeing the movie. Robert Downey, Jr. still manages that charismatic dork/genius thing. Mickey Rourke's character is really well-acted and is barely recognizable as Rourke. Scarlett Johannson wears lots of really tight clothes that show lots of leg and cleavage.

The best thing about the movie, without any question, is Warmachine. Holy shat. Screw the shiny suits, I'll take his. And the combat scenes with Iron Man and Warmachine fighting side-by-side are epic. They fit right in with the atmosphere of the rest of the movie (and its predecessor) in that they're filled with some excellent back-and-forth banter that sounds a lot like myself and my friends do in video game voice chat.

Unfortunately, due to all the new stuff going on (Warmachine, SHIELD, other new characters, and some major happenings with existing characters) this movie kind of doesn't feel like a sequel. It still feels like it's just getting things set up. Normally, the first movie is spent getting certain basics out of the way, then the second movie is free to jump off from that point. But Iron Man 2 is laden with new character intros, major character changes, and other things that keep it stuck in the basics a little more than would be ideal. It's necessary in some areas (just not SHIELD) so it's not horrible...it's just not the step forward I was expecting.

I give it 4 out of 5 headcrabs.

[Jesda]

I was worried it would be a lot like Transformers 2 -- elaborate fight scenes for all the kids who collect happy meal toys and not enough character development or plot for the rest of the population. Fortunately, there was plenty of both.

I agree, SJ and SLJ were unnecessary. They didn't add much to the action or the story.

[simmode1]

I agree, SJ and SLJ were unnecessary. They didn't add much to the action or the story.

Nah man, I absolutely need Sam Jack there. When Tony asks if he's real, I just imagined Nick Fury answering "I'm the realest muthaphuka you know!" or "Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to get out of the muthaphukin donut...". Sam Jack makes any movie better!

I really don't like Terrace Howard, so I'm really glad Don Cheadle took ownership of the War-Machine role so well. Cheadle is far more believeable as Armed Forces personell than Howard who mumbles all the time and looks like he's about to cry at any minute... And as if to piss on any ppl who might miss Howard, I love Cheadle's first words on screen: "Yeah, it me. Get over it." Awesome Don's come a long way! From Meteor Man to Iron Man! LOLZ!

Terrific movie, but I do agree that it's not quite as charming as the first one. Needed more witty banter between Tony and Rhodey, IMO.

[G_whizz]

Nice review!

It probably felt like an ad at some points because it is...it's all leading up to the Avengers Movie.

Captain America, Iron Man and Thor. The hulk is supposed to be "the villain" in it.

Thor pic looks good so far..

[Otto.]

I was the first one and it never really interested me.

I probably wont be seeing this one.

[Dittoz7]

Major Spoiler y0!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiwFLYO1CTE

[RCA]

I haven't read any of this because I haven't watch the movie but I know Iron Man 2 has clips after the credits...

moviestinger.com posts post and pre movie goodies from any film as well as video games...

[MinisterofDOOM]

It probably felt like an ad at some points because it is...it's all leading up to the Avengers Movie.

I know. It still hurts the movie.

[sbird1]

I thought this one was better than the first one. It kept moving, had great character development, etc. The whole SHIELD thing was completely necessary. Nick Fury is awesome. Thor sounds dumb, but I know they'll make it awesome. I liked it. No critiques from me at all really. Don Cheadle doesn't make as good of a Rhodie, but he still played the part well.

[dasoupdude]

i liked the movie alot, i just couldn't help but repeat everything Don Cheadle said in Terrence Howards voice.

[Mr1der]

Nice review!

It probably felt like an ad at some points because it is...it's all leading up to the Avengers Movie.

Captain America, Iron Man and Thor. The hulk is supposed to be "the villain" in it.

Thor pic looks good so far..

I expect it to play out kinda like the first run of the Ultimates where the Avengers have the first outing fighting the hulk but there's a bigger plot at work (The Avengers were originally formed when Rick Jones sent out a signal calling for help to stop the Hulk, Cap wasn't one of the originals though...)

I hope they have the fight that Giant Man and Captain America had in I think issue 6 or 7 in the movie...was awesome.

[IBCoupe]

Have they decided who's going to play the Cap?

Edit: I'm dumb. Google is my friend, and says, "Chris Evans"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458339/

Here's hoping it's nothing like Fantastic 4.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The whole SHIELD thing was completely necessary.

No, it wasn't. Grab a dictionary and look up "necessary." If the SHIELD crap was necessary, the movie would have been broken without it. But that's definitely not the case, which was my point; the movie would have been absolutely fine without any of that. None of it actually had anything to do with the plot of this movie, aside from suddenly "claiming" some of the roles. Leave SHIELD out and it all still works.

Think about it:
If you just removed every scene with Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson the plot would still be completely coherent. The only spot that would need any tweaking would be the part where Nick Fury helps Tony figure stuff out, and that would actually have worked BETTER if it were revised to simply having Tony figure it out on his own.

Every single bit of SHIELD plot felt like it was forcibly crammed into the existing Iron Man plot. It's all completely expendable and exactly the opposite of necessary.

[simmode1]

The whole SHIELD thing was completely necessary.

Think about it:
If you just removed every scene with Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson the plot would still be completely coherent. The only spot that would need any tweaking would be the part where Nick Fury helps Tony figure stuff out, and that would actually have worked BETTER if it were revised to simply having Tony figure it out on his own.

That's a big "IF" IMO. Tony had virtually given up at that point. He wasn't trying to figure anything out. The SHIELD intervention was just in the Nick of time... But yeah, ScarJo was pretty pointless except for eyecandy.

[Alfador]

I gotta say, I liked damn near everything about IM2. Even the shield stuff.

The one point where I said "ok this is too much" was when SJ was "infiltrating" hammer, and doing the whole "striking and holding ridiculous poses in between beatdowns" thing. It seemed more "Dragonball Z" than Stan Lee.

Changing out Terrence Howard for Don Cheadle was IMO the single best design decision in the entire movie. Much much better war machine, more characterization, and better chemistry with RDJ. I'll admit part of it was the writing, but Howard's Rhodey came off as a whiny prepubescent girl whenever he tried to be straight with Stark, but Cheadle's character was a lot tighter.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

Point of order: I'd say Rorke's character was more Whiplash than Crimson Dynamo. Especially the 3rd or 4th Whiplash. Admittedly written to be very much like the movie's

Pretty good flick.

[simmode1]

Point of order: I'd say Rorke's character was more Whiplash than Crimson Dynamo. Especially the 3rd or 4th Whiplash. Admittedly written to be very much like the movie's

Pretty good flick.

Oh! I didn't even realize that that's what they were going for there! Kind of a combination of the Whiplash and Crimson Dynamo's characters! Duh! I know Whiplash went through a few versions over the years, ending with him in a super-suit, but the final version of him in the movie was very Crimson Dynamo-ish (plus the whole being Russian thing).

I remember my gf saying the final fight felt a little anti-climatic and I agreed. But such a quick azz-kicking was perfectly inline with what would really happen to an idiot like Whiplash in the comics... Very faithful ending, IMO... lol

[Jesda]

Crimson what?

Christ, this whole genre. What the hell is going on here

[MinisterofDOOM]

If you want stupid villain names, go play a Hideo Kojima game. Revolver Ocelot? WTF? Stupid MGS.

[Alfador]

Crimson what?

Christ, this whole genre. What the hell is going on here

I hear comic book Iron Man IS his own suit now.

[TroubleBound]

Damn MOD that was a perfect review.
Nick fury really ruined the movie for me, and Scarlett Johanssen was so f*cking sexy, but her character pissed me off too. She had a ridiculously easy time fighting everything off, it looked kind of cheesy. She should have been a new secretary he banged and that should have been the end of her part.
***SPOILER ALERT***


Oh and the last fight was wayyy too short. The part with the Iron Man-ettes was sweet, but i mean the fight with Ivan. Couple punches, whips their necks, hand blast him away. It was like 30 seconds long. I think Ivan would have planned for the hand blasters considering that it is the main weapon of Iron Mans suit....dunno..just MO

[MinisterofDOOM]

Actually, when I said Iron Man-ettes, I meant the dancers at the beginning, not the drones. Though I did think the drones were awesome.

Spoilers, in response to the above. Highlight below this line to read:
I've heard a few people say they felt the final fight was too short. I actually felt it suited the villain particularly well. Ivan Venko is sort of just a nobody a$$ who appeared out of nowhere to ruin Tony Stark's life. I liked the fact that Stark gave him absolutely no more attention or indulgence than necessary. It felt to me correct as far as both how Tony would treat the guy, and as far as the best way to defeat the character. Giving him more of a personal fight would have been indulging him. I liked that really it came down to Venko seeking his moment with Stark and Stark denying that to Venko. Even when Stark visited him in prison, he absolutely refused to give the guy even an inch, up until the comment about dying slowly, which he still managed to brush off.
I also liked the added believability that short fight added. Superhero movies and action movies often take too many liberties with suspension of disbelief. I'm usually screaming "just kill the dude and be done with it!" inside my head long before most climactic fights end. I thought the pacing of both the Drone and Vanko fights were perfect. Enough action to be fun, but also feeling like a sensible way to resolve what could easily spiral out of control if it isn't ended quickly.
As far as planning for the hand blasters, the result of two being fired at each other was something that took even Tony by surprise. Iron Man was the only suit until after Vanko appeared, so there's no reason he should have anticipated it being used in that way.

Spoilers are done now.

[TroubleBound]

Lol yeah now that you put it that way it makes more sense.

You should make a movie MOD i would love to go see it!

[ProudNissanFreak]

If you want stupid villain names, go play a Hideo Kojima game. Revolver Ocelot? WTF? Stupid MGS.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!