Well, if it wasn't broke, don't fix it. With the MCU reeling after it's less than spectacular showing for The Incredible Hulk, they saw the need to bring back a weary audience with a fan favorite. Similar to the way Michael Keaton and Christopher Reeve had personified both Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent on screen, Robert Downey Jr. had pretty much mastered the enigma that is Tony Stark in this universe. Yep, Iron Man is back in his own sequel, Iron Man 2. We're introduced to another character who will fit in among the rest of the MCU characters, while also delving deeper into the story that revolves around Stark, his suit of wonder and devastation, and ultimately his place among the future team of Earth's mightiest heroes. Plot: Tony Stark begins to come to the realization that the Arc Reactor in his chest is going to eventually kill him. Therefore, he begins to delegate CEO assignments to his friend and budding love interest Pepper Potts and continually relies on the aid from his assistant, Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson). After being attacked by a relentless Russian copycat named Ivan Vanko, who manages to prove to the world that Iron Man is not invincible, Vanko is recruited by Stark's rival, Justin Hammer, to build an army of suits to destroy Iron Man. In order to restrain a drunken Stark, Stark's friend James Rhodes ultimately confiscates one of Stark's suits for the US Air Force.
The suit's theft draws the attention from S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury, who confronts Stark alongside Rushman, who reveals herself to be Agent Natasha Romanov (Black Widow). The two chastise Stark for allowing his suit to get out of his reach and warn him of the danger Vanko represents to the people of New York. Following the blueprints his father drew up, Stark manages to create a new element his suit can run on, ultimately preventing his early death.
At the Stark Expo in Flushing, NY, Hammer unveils his new suits for the use of the US Military. With the suits under the control of Vanko, Vanko unleashes the suits on Stark, including Rhodes to destroy Iron Man. But Natasha is able to return control of Rhodes's suit to himself and the duo fight to defend the people of New York from this terrible danger, winning the day out when Vanko seemingly commits suicide by blowing up his own suit. Fury reports that Stark is no longer being considered a part of "The Avengers Initiative" and will only be used as a consultant.
In an end credits scene, Agent Phil Coulson reports that a large hammer has appeared in the deserts in New Mexico...
What's Bad?: One thing that this film lacks that is not well established is the villain. While Vanko and Hammer are pretty big jerks in the movie, they don't have the intimidating presence a supervillain is supposed to have. Obadiah Stane at least had the gravitance of having a great villainous quality about him. We knew what he wanted and how eager he was to make sure his plan was seen through to completion. I just don't see that in these guys. They just seem to want to take Iron Man down, and not for any major rhyme or reason other than jealousy.
What's Good?: Though I've always been hesitant about her acting abilities, I thought Scarlett Johansson was absolutely brilliant as the emotionless and calculating Natasha Romanov. I'm not entirely sure how to personify the Black Widow since she hasn't had much development outside of a few scenes in The Avengers, but from all that I've been able to draw from Scarlett's performance, she is an efficient manipulator who pretty much has to only bat her eyelashes to get what she wants from anyone, but is also capable in combat situations. This movie only pumped me up more for their upcoming alliance with the rest of Marvel's universe.
Overall: Iron Man 2 is by no means a masterful followup to Iron Man 2. It's fairly clunky in spots, it lacks the originality of Downey Jr's performance from the original, yet it's still a successful superhero movie. It has all the action and explosions and sets up The Avengers really well. And that end credit scene made me very curious about Thor, so I can't really complain. Good, not great.
Final Grade: B
Next: Thor
Then: Captain America: The First Avenger
Later: The Avengers
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