Billionaire Tony Stark’s revelation that he was Iron Man made him into a world celebrity and rock star. His stance is that he has successfully privatized peace. But now he must contend with those who want of piece of his technology. The government wants him to hand it over because to them it’s a weapon, competing businesses who want to build their own line, and a deranged ex-con Russian physicist who hates Stark for personal reasons. Stark’s biggest enemy besides his ego is the technology that is keeping him alive is also killing him.
A government sub-committee led by Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) is also after him to turn over his Iron Man technology for the sake of the country. Stark refuses and in the process shames rival Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell in his smarmiest character yet) by pointing out his company is also trying to create a competing Iron Man without success.
Stark (Robert Downey Jr) wanting to continue is father’s legacy, opens the Stark Expo, a massive theme park to celebrate technology and peace. His wild narcissism is a cover for the fear that his arc reactor is slowly poisoning him. He turns his company over to his long time assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltro) while he indulges in participating in the Monaco speed car race.
Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) was jailed for selling weapons technology. When he gets out his father is dying. Anton Vanko had collaborated with Tony’s father while they were developing the original arc reactor. Ivan begins to build his own to exact revenge as he blames the Stark’s for his family’s demise. Palladium powered Ivan stops the race while using electric laser whips that can slice a moving race car in half, hence his villain name of “Whiplash”. Iron Man eventually defeats him but Ivan has sown the seeds of challenging the public’s confidence in his ability to save the world. Hammer manages to extract Vanko from jail, fake his death and put him to work on his Iron Man solider prototype. Unfortunately Vanko is still following his own agenda and using Hammer’s resources for the ultimate confrontation with Iron Man.
The Avengers Initiative leader Fury (Samuel Jackson) hints to Stark there is a way to repair his arc reactor in plans that his father left to him. Stark realizes after all these years his emotionally distant father actually loved him and left him the answer to his dilemma. Fury had also assigned Stark an evaluator to see if he’s suitable for S.H.I.E.L.D. Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson) who is working for Stark Industries also rocks a skin tight cat suit in some great fight sequences.
He is also betrayed by his best friend Rhodey Rhodes (played this time around by Don Cheadle) who is worried about Stark’s erratic behavior. He dons an extra Iron Man armor and delivers it to his commanding officers. He realizes his error when he Hammer takes possession of it, which in turn is given to Vanko to develop into an amry of Iron Man soldiers.
Jon Favreau who directed the first one, uses lots of explosions and battle sequences in the final conflict. Although it has ably accomplished action with some Iron Man angst, it lacks the excitement and humor of the first movie. It will obviously bring a ton of movie goers to the theater opening weekend, so even though it’s not as good as the first is a moot point.
(Review by Reesa)
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