Jon Favreau proved with the first Iron Man that he was more than capable behind the lens of a comic book adaptation. In 2008 the whole world was forced to realize that comic book movies can be taken seriously due not only to the gargantuan Dark Knight, but also Marvel Comics’ equally-worthy Iron Man. The sequel promises even more action, comedy and acting credentials beyond what action films are known for. Mickey Rourke steps in as the nefarious Whiplash, Scarlett Johansson portrays… the lethal Black Widow and Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as Jim Rhodes a.k.a. War Machine. Word on the street is that Terrence Howard wanted a bigger paycheck than even Downey, thus causing him to seek employment elsewhere. I hope Terrence has a hard time sleeping at night!
In this installment, Tony Stark once again faces resistance from terrorists and the always combative government. After revealing his secret identity (shortly after eating product-placed Whoppers) at the end of the first movie, Tony is now loved by the public, but is hated by the military brass for stealing their thunder. But just when they start to revel in the new-found peace that Iron Man has brought, out comes Ivan Vanko and his electric whips. How could you not love seeing Mickey Rourke as tatted-up Russian thug who shreds racecars like they’re string cheese?! Johansson’s character enters Tony’s world as a legal worker at Stark Industries, but as to be expected in any comic book-based world, there is much more to her than he is led to believe! Samuel L. Jackson chews the scenery in his returning role as S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Nick Fury, guiding Tony in his darkest hour and doing his best to recruit him for the Avengers.
Beyond being a sequel, Iron Man 2 serves as an important step in the direction of what Marvel Comics has in store for film-goers these next couple years. In the Summer of 2011 alone, Marvel will be releasing films based on other iconic comic book mainstays/ Avengers- Thor and Captain America (my personal favorite), with an Avengers film reportedly coming down the pipeline in 2012. If you’re a comic book fan in even the slightest, it is truly a great time to be alive! To avoid giving away too much about the film’s plotline or continuing to geek out about the Avengers, I will bring this review to a close. Whether you love Iron Man or if you’re just someone who loves having fun at the movies, Iron Man 2 won’t let you down! I strongly recommend staying glued to your seats to see what follows the credits, it’s worth the wait!