Iron Man 2
If it’s true that superheroes and their stories are the epic tales of our time, then Iron Man (and Iron Man 2) fit the bill. With such obvious Greek elements (not to mention Greek words) as hamartia and hubris, superheroes possess some requisite characteristics suited to telling the engrossing story of a lone man on a mission, fated for greatness against all odds. Conflating these ancient measures with the Medieval distressed damsel, our heroes must also get the girl. And, if that wasn’t enough, some, at least peripheral, social commentary becomes necessary in this current epoch.
Tony Stark and his alter-ego, Iron Man, are not only suited to this type of story, they excel at it, culminating in a trilogy in the making, a story of epic proportions. The triadic structure of the epic in current filmmaking suits the comic book, as its heroes have multiple adversaries, a textured and variegated history (or back story), and a depth of character that extends beyond a two hour departure. Here, Stark is confronted with a number of opponents, not the least of which is himself. Battling Pepper, Col. Rhodes, his late father, Justin Hammer, Ivan Vanko, the government, his own body, and, naturally, his ego, he has his work cut out for him.
Amidst all the conflating plot lines, however, is Stark the man, a product of democracy, consumerism, the arms race, and the American Dream, and Jon Favreau, having directed the original film in this series, has a firm grip on this man and his story. He and Justin Theroux (who penned this one) effortlessly draw together numerous story lines into a coherent whole with surprisingly fluid dialogue, while Downey, Jr., Cheadle, Rockwell and Rourke (who might as well have stolen the show), and Paltrow perform their roles superbly (Johansson and Jackson, on the other hand, ultimately come across as a touch silly).
An ensemble cast surrounds the nucleus of the film, weaving meaningful narratives both through and without the protagonist. Strong visuals and expert CG fill out the rest in sequences of explosive and much needed eye candy. The final hoorah lacks a bit of the charge and exhilaration expected at such a crescendo, but it is certainly entertaining.
It isn’t a perfect film, but it does precisely what it aims to do. Nothing more. It sells itself as an enjoyable, action-packed joy ride in the superhero universe, and it delivers on nearly all counts. Compared to other contemporaneous films in the superhero genre, such as Batman Begins/The Dark Knight, Spiderman (1-3), and Hellboy, to name just a few, the Iron Man saga is near the top, excelling in nearly every area we’ve come to expect from these modern epics.
If Favreau and Downey can stay on board and on track, this series may ultimately pass with flying colors the test that all works of art or popular culture must withstand: time. One can only hope that the third and final installment of this series will be as entertaining, as humorous, and, above all, as engaging as the first two. Only time will tell.
Rating: 3/4 Stars