Iron Man Cometh Again

“Tony Stark,
Makes you feel,
He's a cool exec,
With a heart of steel.
As Iron Man,
All jets ablaze,
He fights and smites…
With repulsor rays!
A blaze of power!
That’s Iron Man!
Amazing armor!
That’s Iron Man!”
--from the 1968 Marvel Superheroes “Iron Man” theme song.

Iron Man II was great. I would argue that the first one was better, possibly because of the “newness” of it all, but the second film was still great. Tony Stark is flamboyant and a jerk, Rhoadie is still official, the emergence of Happy Hogan (who in the comics marries and then divorces Pepper Potts) was good to see, and Pepper Potts is, well honestly, the weakest point of the film. Her characterization is the stuff of Hollywood, not the stuff of comics. Still if her presence brings in some Hollywood credibility and some fans in the seats, I will not be too begrudging.

I will not try to give away too much of the plot, but the idea of Whiplash being a Russian built on revenge of the Stark Industry because his father was screwed over by Stark’s father, left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Added on to this is the lack of mentioning the Mandarin, Iron Man’s greatest villain who was introduced in the last film. Sorry, but it is the comic geek in me that points this out. Special effects are nothing short of incredible and in the end, it is a very satisfying film. On an equally positive note, Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury is perfect. I love the tie-in with the Marvel Ultimate’s series, and this idea does not disappoint.

The acting by Mickey Rourke as Whiplash was not as I would have hoped and Don Cheadle was not half as convincing as Terrance Howard’s version of Rhoadie from the first film. I miss Howard’s characterization, as he looked like Rhoadie and played the character perfectly. Jen agreed with me that Cheadle, a good actor, could not pull off the military-minded, yet playful “big guy” that is Rhoadie.

Gary Shandling as the Congressional Senator that gives Stark some grief is another example of fine acting. Though only on the screen for a short time, the playful exchange between Shandling and Downey is terrific. The final scene with Downey vs. Shandling's characters is among the best in the film.

Marvel Comics does such a fine job with their films, Fantastic Four and the first Hulk film are exceptions (and I liked Daredevil and Ghost Rider--so back off folks--I swear, people are so vicious about those two movies), and it was a smart move to bring in War Machine as a more controlled image of Iron Man and as a "weapon" to be used by the government. Oh, and to give a spoiler away herein, nice to see Captain America’s Shield as well. I love the comic book tie-ins that are so subtle, and I actually watch for them. That in mind, folks, stick around after the credits for a clue as to the next film.

As Jen and I watched the last scene after the credits, an older woman shouted out in the theater, “I don’t get it. What was the point of that?” I went up and explained it to her and she seemed politely satisfied. Jen looked over to me and smiled as she said, “You are such a geek. That’s one of the things I love about you.”

Do I need more proof as to why I am marrying this beautiful woman?