"Iron Man 2" (2010)

"Iron Man" set the bar high for its inevitable sequel to come. Other superhero movies have done the same before. Christopher Nolan set the bar with "Batman Begins" and then subsequently made the triumph of "The Dark Knight," which made the first one feel like a mere warm up. Sam Raimi, on the other hand, set the bar with "Spider-Man 2," what was at the time the best superhero movie ever made, and then crashed and burned with the release of "Spider-Man 3." So, now there's Jon Favreau and "Iron Man 2." How does this superhero sequel fare among the others? It unfortunately falls to the fate of the latter example by being a disappointment, plain and simple. As the first blockbuster to kick off the summer, though, it does its job just fine, and so it's not that it doesn't deliver but that it doesn't deliver on what really matters.

It really is hard to pinpoint what went wrong with "Iron Man 2," but I'm willing to place the blame on the script by Justin Theroux, the writer-actor who helped write "Tropic Thunder." The snappy and witty writing allows Robert Downey Jr., returning as the lead role of Tony Stark, to shine. His gleeful narcissism pervades the entire movie, and he adds twice the snarky attitude to Stark since last time around. But when the script isn't giving Downey his breathing room for enhanced egotism, it meanders without any forward momentum. In these slow slumps, even Downey seems desperate in figuring out what to do.

Unfocused is the word that comes to mind. It's not that the screenplay tries to fit too much in but rather that it isn't sure of what it even wants to do. There's a painfully slow and dull midsection of the movie that almost entirely ruined it for me where actors trip over each other's lines and the story simultaneously goes everywhere and nowhere. There's something about Stark's father who brought Stark Industries its success. And Stark has a failing heart from high blood toxicity after wearing the suit too long, but he drinks and parties like a teenager inflated with the excess of celebrity status. He needs to discover and create a new element to fuel him. All of this pseudo brooding doesn't add emotional depth; instead it just drags down the fun.

The movie's villain, Whiplash, is introduced in the very best scene near the beginning. It takes place at the Monaco Grand Prix where Stark decides to drive his own sponsored car. Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), the tattooed Russian, shows up on the track slicing through the cars like paper with his powerful electric whips. Rourke proves to be a fine villain delivering his lines with cold assurance. The problem is that his villain is never really put face to face with Stark for a final showdown. Rourke is accompanied by Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), another weapons developer like Stark. He wishes to exploit Vanko and create an army of iron suits to rival Stark's own Iron Man. Rockwell gives a dastardly comedic performance that complements Rourke's well. If only these characters were put to more effective use.

The cast is big with great performers all working together with a smart sense of humor. This star power feels underused, however. Gwenyth Paltrow returns as the delightful Pepper Potts as Stark's assistant, now CEO of Stark Industries, but this time she is just bickering and shoved to the sidelines. You know that scene in the trailer where she kisses the Iron Man helmet just before Stark dives out of the back of the airplane? Yeah, not in the actual movie. Don't you hate when that happens? Especially with such a scene. Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as Stark's buddy Rhodey with a role that gets beefed up but to no useful purpose except to have another metal suit blasting away at enemies in the action sequences.

The action looks great and escalates to an impressive final set piece. The movie itself looks great, too, with the Iron Man suit shining as it soars around in the night sky. There's a moment, though, where Rhodey and Stark get into a brawl while wearing the suits that is muddily motivated and comes off as a sorry excuse for just a bit more action.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury working for whatever organization it is they work for should've been saved for the next sequel because they're altogether wasted. Johansson is sexy, as is the norm with any role she's in now, and she gets one shining stunt wearing her tight, leather jumpsuit. Jackson gets only two scenes sporting that eye patch of his. These two showing up is a faint side note.

While it may think it's satisfying the requirements of a sequel, "Iron Man 2" is no "Iron Man." It's too in love with its newfangled hardware and less in love with its characters. Here's to hoping they figure this out in time for "Iron Man 3," inevitably to be shot in 3-D.

My review of the original "Iron Man"

Archive: 'The Wrestler'

Movie Review
The Wrestler (2008)


"The Wrestler" opens with showing us that back in the heavy metal 80s, Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a big deal. He was a star wrestler who got action figures and video games made after him. Now, it's 20 years later. Randy is still wrestling, but it's all for much smaller venues and only to keep him feeling good about what used to make him so great. This is the story of a man well past his glory days. Director Darren Aronofsky ("Pi," "Requiem for a Dream," "The Fountain") takes a large departure from what he's used to and here presents an affecting portrait of this man. His direction is straight and simple, containing no flourishes, showing that he is an assured filmmaker not trying to convince viewers of anything. He lets a portrait unfold before our eyes, a portrait of a man reduced to that of a battered hunk of meat, and you will end up caring about this man more than you ever expected you would.

With long hair and fading highlights that he sometimes keeps wrapped in a bun, a hearing aid in one ear, a fading artificial tan, scars and bruises all over his body, and a face that's had its fair share of beatings, this is the role Mickey Rourke was meant to play. It's astonishing, really, to observe the parallels between Rourke and Randy. Rourke fell from stardom and pissed off quite a few people. He hasn't appeared in anything noteworthy recently except 2005's "Sin City." And now he's back for real playing the role that resurrects Randy "The Ram" Robinson, and consequently, resurrects himself as an accomplished actor. He opens himself up completely, laying out all he has inside, flaws and all, for inspection. Like Rourke, Randy is definitely not perfect. He's self-pitying, and sometimes selfish and arrogant, but he also proves to be saddened and gentle. The performance feels remarkably authentic as actor and role reflect off one another.

There's a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into professional wrestling as we see Randy discussing with his opponents how they should plan out the night's fight. The contrast between the violent aggression in the ring as opposed to the kind warmth before and after the match is charming and humorous. The wrestlers find everyday items to bash their opponents with, and they all prepare to make themselves bleed in the ring. One wrestler even suggests the use of a staple gun. One match in particular is shown in full detail, and it gets shockingly brutal and gruesome. We're set to witness, especially in the case of Randy, the pain and exhaustion exerted on broken down bodies.

When not wrestling, Randy sits at home in his trailer or works his part-time job at the deli counter in a supermarket. There are two scenes of Randy working the deli counter. In one, he's embarrassed at first but quickly grows fun and flirtatious with the customers allowing his bravery and soul to shine. In another, Randy's sadness explodes into a fit of suppressed rage. Randy is a lonely and isolated man for the most part, which is why he banks his life on his wrestling alone. There are two important women in his life, though, and a good portion of the movie is dedicated to these relationships. Randy frequents a night club to visit a stripper named Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) who he enjoys getting lap dances from, but more so, who he just enjoys a nice chat with. Marisa Tomei is the only actress I know of who is never upstaged by her own nudity. Even when she's strutting around a pole baring it all, there is an awareness of her inner thoughts and emotions. She brings heart to a character who could've just as easily been a sexy centerpiece. Cassidy's real name is Pam, and a bond grows between her the wrestler because their jobs have something in common. They both put on an act when they work, and so there's an understanding with each other.

The other woman in Randy's life is his daughter, Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood). It's a damaged relationship and one Randy so desperately tries to mend. The scenes between him and his daughter are the most tender and heartbreaking scenes the film has to offer. They are phenomenal. This movie is about a man lost in his prime who forces himself to keep at what he's doing because it's what he knows how to do best. I had no clue such full-hearted sympathy would've been evoked, but that's exactly what happens. It's an honest and intimate piece of work from Aronofsky and arguably his best yet. It's endlessly enthralling, powerful, and startlingly moving. It also contains one of the best endings I've seen this year, an ending that fades into the resonant sound of the title song from Bruce Springsteen, which is already winning awards. "The Wrestler" ranks among the very best films of the year.