Review: Iron Man 2

Balance.

Balance is the reason this jam packed Superhero sequel succeeds where others have failed.

By and large a sequel's job is to outdo the original in anyway it can. The easiest and most obvious way to do this often seems to be the "more is more" approach, whereby studios throw as much as they can at the screen often not realising what made the previous film so successful. Some times it tries to cram numerous new characters in, sometimes it's just action overload, but in most cases this strategy backfires. When you can't quite manage the characters you've added into a coherent narrative you get Spider-Man 3, if you eschew any notion of plot in favour of upping the 'splosions and sparks you get Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. But if you can find the balance, that sweet spot in the middle, that beautiful alchemic reaction, you get Iron Man 2.

Six months after revealing to the world that he is Iron Man, Tony Stark's ego has inflated beyond all proportion. He has declared himself a "nuclear deterrent" and the world's protector having "privatised world peace". Naturally the U.S. government is unimpressed and demand that he turn the weapon over to the American people lest it fall into the wrong hands. Stark's response is that his suit is so advanced that it would take at least twenty years for the world to catch up, "America is safe". What Stark isn't telling anyone is that the Iron Man suit and the technology that is keeping him alive may also be killing him, and what Stark doesn't know is that he may be overestimating how far behind his competitors are.

I'm probably not the best person to review this film. I am this movie's target demographic; steeped (if I do say so myself) in comic book lore, massively fond of action adventure and with an almost worrying Man-Crush on it's lead, I am predisposed to love it, and love it I did. Director Jon Favreau once again proves that with care and attention you can successfully adapt a property without compromising the source material. There is a love and knowledge of the comics that bleeds through the screen. What's interesting is that Favreau also pushes the more "comic booky" elements to the forefront. While nobody believed that Iron Man was literally feasible in the real world, the first film did go out of it's way to remain as realistic possible. Here we take a dive straight into hard science fiction, and it works. We believe the unbelievable because, just like last time we believe the characters. In a world where Christopher Nolan is bending over backwards to make Batman as realistic and real life as possible, it's refreshing and deeply satisfying to see a film hold it's comic book origins aloft with pride.

The film is jam packed with nods and winks for the fans, some overt (a certain iconic weapon is present) some more direct (a subplot sees a mysterious government agency called SHIELD attempt to enlist Stark). It's far more prominent than in the first film but for the most part it doesn't distract from the story. Just like its predecessor Iron Man 2 works as a treat for the fans and as a hugely enjoyable mainstream blockbuster.

That's not to say it's perfect. In fact the film is overlong, suffering from some fairly serious pacing issues in the middle. After a blistering first act which sees Stark attacked at the Monaco Grand Prix, the film settles down to address it's numerous plots. It's here where the film sags and it becomes apparent that in their enthusiasm, Favreau and new screenwriter Justin Theroux weren't willing to trim away any of the subplots. As well as having to deal with his deteriorating condition and the threat of a deranged would be assassin joining forces with his business rival, the script throws in the aforementioned SHIELD subplot and a mystery regarding Stark's father. To their credit the balance which I was singing about earlier is maintained and Favreau manages to keep the story coherent. Individually these elements work wonderfully but at times it can feel like too much and the film threatens to lose focus. The first film was lean and streamlined and a tweak of this script or even some further editing could have produced a similarly paced movie. It's a minor quibble and fortunately, the film's main attraction is on hand to make you forget all about it, but we'll talk about him later.

The most noticeable improvement is just how much better the action is this time around. One of the main issues people had the first film was the slightly stunted action. In the best way possible Favreau has over compensated here. The two main setpieces, the Monaco Grand Prix and the final all out slugfest are stunning. Animation legend Genndy Tartakovsky helped storyboard the action sequences and the collaboration works. There is a dizzying, frenetic energy to the action which absolutely eclipses anything in the first. It's actually impressive how unique and original the sequences are when they basically boil down to men in robot suits fighting robots.

As entertaining as those setpieces are though, the action plays second fiddle to the characters. Once again Favreau has assembled an astonishing cast and everybody brings their A game. The biggest addition to the roster is Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko. Vanko is a lunatic harbouring a grudge. The son of disgraced scientist Anton Vanko, he blames the Stark family for his father's descent and is out for revenge. Rourke is positively terrifying, his attempt on Stark's life, aided by a pair a powerful electrical whips, is ferocious. Vanko comes at Stark like a man possessed, and Rourke brings the fire.

Sam Rockwell brings a delightfully ridiculous take to rival arms dealer Justin Hammer. A Stark wannabe in every way, Hammer is jealous of every aspect of Tony's life. Rockwell plays him as a slimy, almost pathetic pretender to the throne but plays it with enough anger to make him a credible threat. There is a great comic interplay between him and Rourke as the two conspire to take Stark down.

But once again though, the film is utterly dominated by Robert Downey Jnr. Playing Stark like the love child of Steve Jobs and Mick Jagger he is even more confident in the role this time. Having Stark go public at the end of the last film gives him a brand new dynamic and a whole new set of problems. The real genius is that Downey Jnr makes you love Stark in spite of his lengthy list of character defects. On paper Stark is arrogant, pretentious and irritating, but brought to life he is a rock star. Just like in the comics Stark is infinitely more interesting than Iron Man. The rest of the cast is good but Downey Jnr carries the film on his shoulders. In fact those moments that threaten to bog the film down are carried by the sheer force of his charisma, there is a very real chance that without him that midsection could have sunk the film.

Like I said, Iron Man 2 isn't perfect, but it is the most fun I have had in the cinema in a long time. Jon Favreau and his team know how to make these films work. It's funny, exciting, dynamic and AC/DC provided the soundtrack.

What more could you want?