Maggie Noodle Review - Iron Man 2

Iron Man is a rarity among superheroes. Like Batman, he does not have any special powers or abilities but relies on his inventions and inventiveness to seem like he is super-human. More critically, he is about the only superhero I know who not only does not hide his "human" identity, but instead actually revels in it.

Iron Man 2 picks up from a little after the first Iron Man movie ended. The first movie took its time getting into what makes Tony Stark tick (almost literally) and this movie takes the premise even further. Robert Downey, Jr., plays Stark, the man behind the outfit, as a fellow who laps up the attention and uses Iron Man's visibility as a deterrent to the bad guys. He has an ulterior motive for exposing a narcissistic streak but just as the movie gets interesting a curious thing happens. The attention is repeatedly taken away from RDJ and shifted elsewhere.

Ever since Independence Day ushered in the age of the big, grand, blow-em-up Hollwood summer blockbuster, big-budget Hollywood movies seem to want an explosion or two once every 10-15 minutes. It's almost as if the Hollywood executives are afraid the attention span of a teenager is so short they may fall asleep (or worse, start texting) during the movie. In order to cater to this need, Iron Man 2 introduces a second Iron Man (I know, I know...take a look at the poster and you'll know what I mean). This simply gives the director an excuse to film action sequences full of explosions and dizzying camera work. Since it is patently obvious that the two protagonists are NOT going to kill each other, it simply becomes an exercise in random violence. Opiate for the masses from the asses, suppose.

Iron Man 2 holds our attention when the actors are on-screen talking to each other (except when Samuel L. Jackson's character makes an appearance, inexplicably interrupting the storyline and killing the momentum). The director has populated the movie with a set of good actors. Too bad he did not let them do most of the talking.

The movie is a resounding economic success so Iron Man 3 is surely on its way. I just hope they do not feel the need to add another Iron Man into the mix.

P.S. If you are Iron Man and you are being chased by dozens of other Iron Men who are firing missiles at you, it would be wise to take your fight over the Atlantic Ocean where there's less likelihood of collateral damage. Flying in and out of New York City is BAD idea. It makes for a spectacular backdrop but, realistically, it is a dumb move of mind-boggling proportions.