While Iron Man 2 is not without its drawbacks, it definitely saves itself somewhat by adding in a number of funny moments that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become increasingly known for. I cracked up when Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is given what appears to be Captain America's shield and he says something along the lines of, "This is just what I was looking for" before proceeding to use the shield to level out one of his experiments. It's moments like these that help the movie hover just slightly above average and I do mean just slightly.
In this sequel, Tony Stark is trying to keep his iron man suit out of the government's hands while also battling a crazed villain who wants nothing more than to annihilate Stark. This all leads up to one of the coolest action sequences in a Marvel movie to date. The final thirty minutes makes the other ninety-four feel a bit more tolerable.
Other moments in the film, however, cause Iron Man 2 to stretch out for what seems like no good reason at all. Almost an hour in, a fight breaks out between Stark and Colonel Rhodes (Don Cheadle) with both men clad in armored suits. It was puzzling to me, after watching Stark struggle so much to perfect the usage of the suit in the first film, how Rhodes can just throw on one of the iron suits and suddenly be a total professional. That fight should have been one-sided, but Rhodes was somehow able to hold his own against a way more experienced Stark.
Their action sequence was a bit of a mess in my opinion, but Scarlett Johansson's first appearance as Black Widow definitely picked up their slack. Part vixen/majority badass, ScarJo excels in both scenes where she's kicking butt versus multiple dudes and scenes where she plays the background in a more subtle approach. Watching her fight hand-to-hand was a treat as usual.
The movie can be a bit farfetched at times. In a rush to get Stark the Iron Man suit, Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) has to drive a car onto a racetrack right in the thick of racecars turning a corner at breakneck speeds. I know this is a superhero movie and should, therefore, be allowed some room for fabrication but I couldn't suspend my disbelief for whatever reason. There's no way in the world that car survives, not even for a split second. The entire scene seems forced as if the movie is trying to rush to make up for a slow start. Not only is it forced but also anticlimactic as the first meeting between Iron Man and villain Whiplash lasts for less than five minutes.
Iron Man 2 is not my favorite movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it's still a solid film worth watching which is more than I can say for what DC is doing these days. I give it an 81.
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