Movie Review: Iron Man 2 (Warning: Spoilerish!)

In the opening act of Iron Man 2, our hero is on top of the world -- literally, as he leaps from a plane, rockets around exploding fireworks, and lands on stage at the Stark Expo amidst dancing cheerleaders and a roaring, adoring crowd of thousands. With his characteristic arrogance, Tony Stark takes credit for world peace, both before his fans and the Senate, and the scary part is, he may be right. In his quiet moments alone, though, either backstage or at the bathroom mirror, Stark is still a man divided between his roots and his destiny, and more so than any battle between armored avengers, this is the driving conflict behind the fun, cinematic masterpiece that is Iron Man 2.

Of course, I use the term "masterpiece" loosely. This isn't Hamlet, or Pride & Prejudice or even (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) -- it's a movie based on a comic book about a guy in a cool robot suit, but like the first Iron Man film, Jon Favereau puts some heart in this summer blockbuster . . . by having his lead character take out and put in his own fake heart, over and over again. Apparently, the ARC technology Tony utilized to save his life is now also a techno-cancer, killing him slowly unless he finds an alternative power source. Meanwhile, the son of his father's former, dishonored partner has recreated the ARC tech and aims to dethrone Stark, first on his own then with the resources of competitive corporate tycoon Justin Hammer. It's a multi-layered plot incorporating espionage, legacy, and redemption, not to mention good old fashioned comic book good guys versus bad guys stuff.

However, I dare say the movie drags in the middle, exploiting the subtleties that made the first Iron Man film a truly stirring character piece. Stark's morality is still in question, jeopardized now by his fledgling mortality. Couple that with the omnipresence of S.H.I.E.L.D., an inside joke turned full fledged subplot here, with the Black Widow only so much window dressing until the end . . . like anyone's gonna complain about that. Pepper Potts becomes both an icon of the modern woman and the subject of bipartisan ridicule, and James Rhodes rides the line between confidant and Judas so delicately, he may be the film's only truly uncompromised hero, standing up for absolutely everything he represents. Even Favereau gives himself a bit more screen time, thankfully as well paced comic relief, but since all of these players need their fair share of our attention, the space between explosions threatens to drag.

Fortunately, the explosions are loud and really cool, culminating to an action scene that should please fans of Iron Man's frequent "armor wars" and casual popcorn munchers alike. I was afraid Don Cheadle would look too diminutive in his War Machine armor, and in the shadow of Terrence Howard's understated performance as Rhodey in the first film. In fact, I think Cheadle's doing his best Howard impression until the middle of the film, when the character truly goes out on his own. Mickey Rourke's Russian accent is impressive, too, and his stone-faced Whiplash/Crimson Dynamo foe is one obviously at peace with his tragic lot in life, which is ironically a life of constant war. He's actually a well-centered contrast to Downey's desperate Stark, who we only really root for because we want to be him, flaws and all if it means hanging with those women, wearing that suit. Downey is simply the best casting in comic book movie history. 'Nuff said.

And, Garry Shandling steals the show. His bloated face should win Best Supporting Actor, and I mean that in the best way possible

If this sequel exploiting its original's subtleties, it also totally subdued a few of its predecessor's strengths, namely the international subplot that made Iron Man a hero with global roots. In the first film, Iron Man is born in the Middle East and returns there when he sees terrorism at its worst. This film is very Stark-centric, including the secret to his father's legacy, which is slated to change the future -- for right now, anyway, it's just changing him. We almost need one more film to put it all together -- so, okay, maybe this isn't a masterpiece. It's definitely the brush stroke of some master storytellers -- with a masterpiece in the making.

Ah, but that's the point of these Marvel movies now, isn't it? The Iron Man franchise, the Hulk, Thor, Captain America (all of whom appear ever so briefly one way or another here) -- the if the side-by-side fight with Iron Man and War Machine are any indication, a capable director should be able to handle multiple heroes on the same battlefield, each with their own strengths and talents in play. Tony Stark may be a may divided, but something tells me all of the pieces of his puzzle will come together . . . when the Avengers assemble!

Hollywood’s War Machine: Cheadle Replaces Howard for Iron Man 2

Reports that Terrence Howard didn’t know Don Cheadle was slated to replace him in Iron Man 2 has made mainstream news now, at least here in Los Angeles, of course, which means a rebuttal statement about the flexibility in his contract is sure to follow from the studios. Internet rumors aren’t always enough for studios to warrant a statement, but it’s really my fellow fans’ opinions I’ve been thinking about. Was Howard’s role in the film significant enough for fans to issue a backlash?

One of the critical surprises of Iron Man’s success was the actors’ performances, and Howard’s is no exception. His line, “Next time, baby,” was one of the best teasers and fan pleasers in the film! Now, Hollywood has twisted that line and proven him wrong -- “Next time, yes, but not for you, buddy!” Obviously, Colonel Jim Rhodes will play a larger role in Iron Man 2, at least enough to garner an A-lister like Cheadle for the part. Well, for the record, I for one am a little disappointed in the transition. When a studio is so quick to change up its cast in the shadow of success with hopes for something even greater, I wonder what else it would sacrifice from the film’s previous incarnation. Before you know it, Iron Man is fighting a big mechanical spider . . . sigh, with no mention of Alistair Smythe, okay, fellow Marvelites? You know what I mean! Though, speaking of Spider-man, where does the actress that played Betty Brant get off saying that her return in Spider-man 4 would be a favor? In these hard economic times, I’d take any work I can get! Ah, so that’s the real tragedy of Terrence Howard’s situation. He’s been outsourced! Looks like Stark Industries still hasn’t learned its lesson.

The question is, is there a lesson for Hollywood here? Changing actors for a supporting character like The Dark Knight’s Rachel Dawes, destined for death anyway, is inconsequential to the fabric of a comic-to-film’s franchise, but when Howard was cast, fans could already project him as War Machine, a rather important character to the big picture of Marvel’s new tightly inclusive cinematic universe. I mean, who hasn’t predicted a possible end to the highly anticipated Avengers film involving a jealous War Machine setting up shop with a similar set of heroes on the west coast? With everything still in development, these thoughts and questions are mostly rhetorical fanboy drivel. Nevertheless, contrary to what Iron Man would want . . . I’m up in arms.

I am Iron Man. You are Iron Man. We're ALL Iron Man! -- Iron Man DVD Release

After I saw Jon Faverau's teaser for Iron Man at the 2007 Comic Con, I told anyone that would listen to brace themselves for the next big superhero trend, the likes of which we hadn't seen since the first Spider-man film, despite the numerous superhero movies that have been released since. Something about the sheer spirit of that trailer, which managed to capture the glamor of Tony Stark's wealth, the horror of his capture and escape, then the raw recklessness and fun that comes with a brand new toy, seemed so transcendent from its comic book origins that I knew even the cool kids would clamor for an Iron Man backpack in August, an Iron Man costume for Halloween, and an Iron Man action figure for Christmas. So distracted was I by the minutia of that moment that I failed to recognize the bigger picture: Iron Man was poised to kick off one of the most fulfilling summers in geek history.

Today, Iron Man is poised again to launch a similarly fulfilling season of DVD releases -- and, post-Dark Knight fervor, is ready to reclaim its mantle as the best superhero movie ever made. Yes. I'm going on the record. Batman is by far my favorite superhero character, but Iron Man made for a much more enjoyable film. Consider the following accomplishments.

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, Jon Favereau and Robert Downey, Jr. made Iron Man a household name. Prior to the movie's release in May, Iron Man was at best a B-list superhero, just a supporting fixture in the Marvel Universe. Hear me out, here: like Obama, I'm talking about Main Street -- Mr. and Mrs. Joe Blow. Prior to May, ask the average American to name five superheroes, and chances are you'll get the same five answers: Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, and Spider-man. The Hulk and Aquaman are possible runners-up, as all seven of these characters have appeared in various broadcast incarnations. (Remember, Aquaman was a headliner in Super Friends, and I think his name has a certain mainstream resonance people fondly remember.) But Iron Man? No, that shortlived '90s cartoon doesn't count, not in the shadow of the more tenacious X-Men series. The Armored Avenger was little more than a hood ornament in the grand scheme of America's general consensus about superheroes.

Now? Well, I'm no Nostradamus, but kids are wearing Iron Man backpacks. Kids are buying Iron Man Halloween costumes. And I reckon come Christmas those Iron Man action figures are going to fly off of Target toy aisles all over again. If the film's appeal was just its special effects, I wouldn't deem it worth much further analysis -- besides, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull cornered the market for special effects for special effects' sake this summer. No, on a much more challenging level, Tony Stark gave America a Bruce Wayne it can believe in. Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne is Paris Hilton, definitely a compelling creature, but a celebrity by blood and wealth only. Without his training and "wonderful toys," Wayne is dismissive TMZ fodder. On the other hand, Robert Downey, Jr.'s Tony Stark has earned his arrogance and fame through his brilliance and ingenuity. True, the son of a successful corporate mongul, but Favereau gives us Ultimate Bill Gates in Stark, or Richard Branson sans the creepy grin. Stark is all business, but we'd love to play at being him.

Also, unlike DC's conscious disconnect from the real world, the Marvel mentality has attempted to convince its audience that their world is ours, too. Spider-man swings through the widely recognized New York skyline, in contrast to the ambiguous (and ambitious) Metropolis or Gotham City. Is any awkward teenager just a radioactive spider bite away from saving the day? On a much more grim level, is any billionaire industrialist just a tragic trip to Afghanistan away from creating the most interactive weapon ever invented? Yes, while Spidey gave us New York, and Daredevil Hell's Kitchen, Iron Man briefly but poignantly gives us the Middle freakin' East, for once making the audience subconsciously wish that the terrors of the superhero world weren't so much like ours. Now, Heath Ledger's Joker was truly frightening . . . but how far are we from the the Clown Prince of Crime compared to the Mandarin's Ten Rings terrorist circle?

Finally, Iron Man has begun to build an entire universe, effectively offering the first beloved crossover between his movie and the almost-as-awesome Incredible Hulk a month later. "The Avengers Initiative?" Please. You'd think Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury was working an erotic phone service, the way the audience geek-gasmed during that post-credits scene at the first midnight showing, then again when Stark joins Colonel Ross at the end of Hulk. Now, some superhero flicks have dared to reference their broader contexts before; Val Kilmer's Bruce Wayne mentions Metropolis in Batman Forever, and J. Jonah Jameson discounts Dr. Strange as a possible alias for Doc Ock because it's "already taken," but this . . . An Avengers film has been promoted from the stuff of Internet rumor to now eagerly anticipated reality. Remember when Marvel's properties were so widespread among film distributors that such a crossover was deemed impossible? DC's stable has always been under the Warner Brothers umbrella, and the best they've given us in a defunct Batman vs. Superman billboard in I Am Legend. But I digress.

(To be fair, DC has certainly cornered the TV market, from Batman: The Animated Series to Smallville. Still, who doesn't take our now weekly offerings of a young Superman for granted, particularly in the shadow of feature film hype? How many fans prefer that live action Justice League to the unlimited animated incarnation of yesteryear? That's another entry altogether!)

From a B-list cartoon character to a movie franchise's founding father, Iron Man certainly has come a long way this year. The question is, will he take the relatively shorter trip from the sales rack to your DVD collection? Heck, some special editions come with an Iron Man mask, asserting that devilish maxim applicable to all men's men like Tony Stark: the guys want to be him, and the girls want to be with him. Like the origin of Iron Man itself, I guess this DVD set proves that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.