Everyone will be talking about “Iron Man 2” this weekend. Bullz-Eye.com’s Jason Zingale gives it 3.5 stars out of 5.
It’s the next logical step in the “Iron Man” story, but it feels like Favreau and screenwriter Justin Theroux might have bitten off a little more than they could chew. There are so many subplots weaving in and out of the film that it’s difficult to discern between the ones that are important and those that could have been left on the cutting room floor. That’s because they’re all important in some respect, although some (namely anything concerning Samuel L. Jackson or Scarlett Johansson’s characters) feel more like setup to the upcoming “Avengers” film than a necessary addition to the story. Perhaps Marvel is getting a bit ahead of themselves when it comes to laying the groundwork for their future movies, because “Iron Man 2” could have done without all the clutter.
Favreau does a commendable job of connecting all the pieces into a coherent narrative, but it only works because of his incredible cast. Downey Jr. continues to shine as the wildly charismatic shellhead, while Gwyneth Paltrow gets plenty of room to grow as Stark’s closest confidant. The controversy surrounding the recasting of Don Cheadle as Rhodey (which is comically addressed in his first line: “It’s me, I’m here, deal with it and let’s move on.”) appears to have been for naught since you forget about Terrence Howard almost instantly, but Cheadle is still relegated to the background for most of the film. The same can be said of Rourke, who, despite a memorable introduction in the opening act, is never quite as dangerous as Vanko is made out to be. Sam Rockwell fares a little better as Hammer, a man whose bark is bigger than his bite, but that’s because the role presents him with the chance to be both funny and menacing.
The reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are pretty good as well.
Here’s the trailer to get you ready.
Also, check out this feature about seven Robert Downey Jr. roles you might have missed.
