Posted on May 7, 2010 - by OP40

I am Iron Man….2.

What separates Iron Man from the other “superhero” movies has nothing to do with originality or any notion that it is a “better” superhero movie. Why the original garnered so much critical acclaim for originality I never understood. For me, and I think for many, “The Dark Knight” will be hailed as the best hero film of all time. And this due in part to it being very un-superhero like. If that makes any sense. But back to IM2 and what makes it special. What separates Iron Man from the other hero flicks is how the regular dude is more interesting than the hero himself. What usually brings these types of movies down is that we long to see the hero, the suit, the gadgets, CGI, etc. and grow bored while we wait. But with Iron Man the opposite is true, we want to see more Tony Stark, more Annie Potts and more token black guy who happens to be the only guy who actually steals something in the movie. However, stereotypes aside, Cheadle is OK, but we miss Terrance Howard in this role for sure.

Moving on to the rest of the cast and why it’s special/fun. This movie is a hero movie version of an ensemble flick. Similar to Ocean’s Eleven but in a world where things explode and steel clad men fly at supersonic speeds. The movie never gives you a moment without a well known, quality actor on the screen. I mean every part of the movie is populated with at least 2 of each. Not just 2 heroes, but 2 amazing heroes Downey Jr. and Cheadle, not just two villains, 2 amazing villains, Rourke and Rockwell, not just 2 hotties, 2 SMOKIN’ hotties, Paltrow and Johansson (add Kate Mara as an extra piece of eye candy as a FED in uniform and Olivia Munn as an entertainment reporter). A let us not forget the contributions of Favreau and oh yeah, Samuel L. Jackson. Whom any Director should note, that placing Jackson is a booth in any Diner setting, and letting him talk, is cinema magic every…single…time. Oh, oh, oh and how can I get out of this topic without mentioning Gary Shandling! The back and forth between his character and Stark, is worth half the admission price alone. No one can say f-u better than Shandling. Oh and John Slattery as a Disney type visionary…geez I can’t stop!!!

The movie is incredibly fast paced and never dulls for a moment. It’s a non-stop ride that doesn’t waste time with the hero’s “emotions”. Who cares. Yes, Stark’s mortality is an issue, but it is dealt with in a way that adds to the story and lets you in on an important aspect of the story without trying to compete with a Meryll Streep flick. The movie, front to back remembers what it is and what it’s trying to do. It’s there to excite and thrill…and it does just that. Very well.

On the political end, the movie is very unique in that it found a way to place prominent political voices on the screen and “shut them up” in a fun and very Bi-partisan fashion. It is refreshing, and as a Conservative playa…I am just happy whenever we aren’t portrayed as racists or backwoods sodomists. The movie did present some political arguments consistent with Conservative points of view such as issue of the private sector’s superior ability to create vs. that of the Government as well as that same Government exercising an abuse of power in attempting to control, possess and steal for the “greater good”. Health Care debate anyone? Also, the movie takes long overdue jabs at the whole “Green” movement…at one point a nutcracker suggested to Stark they create an electric jet. Coo-koo. But in the end, very enjoyable for us Neo-Cons…oh and no anti-Palin jokes. Amazing huh?

Lastly, in this log winded review, is to address the kid-friendliness of this feature. After Transformers 2 ruined summer movies for parents and kids with gratuitous sex and cursing, this movie makes it possible to take your kid to the movie without cringing and having to bring up false topics to discuss with your kid just to distract him from the half-naked teen on the screen. Favreau I think may have children, I don’t know, but short of some cursing at a Senate hearing (leave it to Washington to bring in the profanity) I don’t recall much cursing at all. And the sexual innuendos are more classic images such as sexy dancers, high heels, tight outfits and redheads in black leather. Ouch. All this no more offensive than that hottie driving the Volkswagen Taureg daddy always leers at during baseball practice. All within parameters, thx Jon.

What’s interesting about this movie is that I just enjoyed it. Even now as I write this I think to myself, “OK, what did I NOT like about it?” But I then I refrain from the exercise by reminding myself that it’s a Superhero movie, why bother? Concern myself with storylines? Plots? Sub-plots? It’s not worth it. I’ll leave that up to the basement dwelling comic book collecting dudes who know more about what it “should have been”, but for me it was exactly what I wanted, a summer fun movie with good looking people doing fun stuff on screen. It has enough stuff to keep the kids entertained while dropping enough sanitized adult humor related more to human mental frailties than a sexual innuendo joke overload. You hear me Shrek? Ugh. But in the end, get a friend, or friends, find a cool theater on a hot day and jump in and enjoy the world of Tony Stark and his marvel of private sector ingenuity.