Thankfully, given his somewhat chequered history with pharmacological substances, the only pills and potions Downey Jr. was using in preparation for the role were an extensive range of vitamins and nutritional supplements. When you're a 40-something actor being thrown around like a superhero 20 years your junior, it would seem essential to at least strengthen your body and be prepared for the punishment of the shoot, and Downey Jr. is again in great shape. It's his charm as Tony Stark though which audiences flocked to see, not a physical resemblance, and the New Yorker, reprising his role as the industrialist and master engineer is magnificent again. The problem lies with the ammunition he is given.
Ultimately, the film simply isn't as much fun as its predecessor. Sure, Downey Jr. still manages to exercise his comedic chops but its Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, Stark's business rival, who wins the tussle for excellent dialogue, especially in his scenes with Mickey Rourke's Ivan Vanko (Whiplash), the main antagonist. Rourke is perfect for the role as the Russian villain as both his film and real personas are completely badass already - he has the tattoos, the unwashed hair, and the acting ability already built-in. Like Jeff Bridges' performance as Obadiah Stane in Iron Man, the writers felt Rourke's appearance allowed the application of 'less is more' and this theory works. From the opening credits to his impressive action sequence at the faux Monaco Grand Prix and the final showdown with Iron Man and Don Cheadle's good-guy War Machine, you always want to see him.
Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) seemingly becomes more attractive with age and is once again solid as Stark's budding love interest and business partner. For the teenage boys however, pure eye candy comes in the form of Scarlett Johansson's Natalie Rushman. She's a welcome addition - there's something a little more natural for youths to be fantasizing about a bona fide sex symbol of the age in comparison to Paltrow's innocent yummy mummy - but she's just an unnecessary addition. It's all very well having her present as SHIELD alter-ego Black Widow, but Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury is perfectly capable as the organisation's representative.
There's just not much conflict in Tony Stark's world of luxury. Cheadle's Rhodes and Miss Potts could have quite easily defected or been captured and used for ransom (and would have been normally in a narrative of this type), but it's only really our protagonist's high blood toxicity which causes major personal problems, aside from the constant villainous onslaught. Furthermore, in between the impressive action sequences Favreau seems to let his foot off the gas. Seeing our hero sitting in a huge doughnut for example does not constitute a valid illustration of comic relief. Conversely, Stark storming around in an Audi R8, purchasing strawberries with his watch as currency, packing a model of a city through the roof, and even sipping Dom Perignon and getting plastered in his superhero suit do draw chuckles. The fine soundtrack of classic rock from AC/DC also adds a touch of classy showmanship to the Tony Stark character but Favreau doesn't make the whole enterprise adventurous enough for a sequel or as a gung-ho as its predecessor.
Release Information
Country: UK / Region: Free / Version: Triple Play / Discs: 2 BDs, 1 DVD / Distributor: Paramount
Presentation
The slight grumbles I had about the picture quality of the original Iron Man are comprehensively quashed this time. Replacing the clumpy, crispness-reducing grain I saw there is an attractively fine grain structure that brings out the most minor details of costume and sets. Colours are bold and lifelike. The DTS-HD soundtrack is a showstopper. It's incredibly loud when it wants to be but not at the expense of fidelity or precision, the satellite speakers often working overtime. Check out the Monaco Grand Prix sequence for a real system showcase, both visually and aurally. Reference quality through and through.
Extras
The set ticks all the boxes - there's a welcome Favreau commentary this time round - but, like the film, sometimes seems simply like it's going through the motions. You can't fault the quantity or depth, but it's all a little familiar. Here's a costume fitting. Oh look, some on-set improvising from Downey. And yes, some tech wizards press keyboard buttons and make VFX magic. I'm being a little harsh, as the documentary is commendably thorough (~90 mins) and is accompanied by several more featurettes. Inevitably, little is mentioned of Favreau's apparent discontent with being forced to rush this out to meet Marvel's deadlines.
The selection of deleted scenes are interesting, particularly for a funny and energising alternate opening which could (and should) have remained in the final cut alongside the opening that they ultimately chose. There are also a couple of Java-enabled features on the first disc, including the "S.H.I.E.L.D. Data Vault" - a feature where text and images pop up that link the film to Marvel's other cinematic ventures - and the option to view picture-in-picture storyboards.
Summary
Superhero sequels are often accused of succumbing to Too Many Villains Syndrome. Iron Man 2, uniquely, is guilty of the opposite - there's simply not enough threat or drama. Nevertheless, the action scenes are considerably better this time around and the film continues the enjoyably light-hearted tone and witty banter of the popular original.
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