Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) contemplates life as a superhero in "Iron Man 2."
Slick, sexy sequel “Iron Man 2” is just as fun as the original
If “Iron Man” was a plucky prototype, “Iron Man 2” is the refined, polished floor model.
An entertaining romp from subdued start to explosive finish, “Iron Man 2.0” represents a sterling sophomore effort for director Jon Favreau and company, packed with all the impressive action, stylish special effects and smirking humor of the original — plus a bit more firepower.
The movie starts almost precisely where “Iron Man” left off, with smart, sexy billionaire playboy Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) revealing his true identity to the world.
“I’m Iron Man.”
That’s right, folks. Stark — sporting a super-suit powered by the glowing whatsit planted in his chest — is a flying, fighting “army of one.”
But not everyone is thrilled about the prospect of privatized world peace.
Stark’s friends — personal assistant/love interest Virginia “Pepper” Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), best bud Lt. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes” (Don Cheadle) and S.H.I.E.D. agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) — are worried about the strain that crime-fighting is putting on their hard-partying pal.
His arch rival, government arms dealer Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), resents Stark for having creating a bigger, better mousetrap. And the U.S. military isn’t exactly overjoyed that the most powerful American weapon since the atom bomb is in civilian hands.
Meanwhile, in chilly Siberia, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) — the son of Howard Starks’ one-time Soviet collaborator — is working on a device to rival the most awesome Iron Man duds. He seeks vengeance for a long-forgotten crime.
If the above summary sounds like a recipe for disaster, it is. And “Iron Man 2” delivers — serving up a series of white-knuckle dust-ups that range from a pulse-pounding fight at the Monaco Grand Prix to an explosive big-boss battle at the lavish Stark Expo.
The action is earth-shaking. The special effects are breathtaking. And, unlike other, more serious forays into the superhero genre, “Iron Man 2” never loses its sense of fun.
The movie seethes with sight gags, in-jokes, clever bon mots and corny one-liners, all calculated to tease a chuckle out of already dazzled audience members.
If “Iron Man 2” has a flaw, it’s that it lacks the zesty novelty of the original film.
Granted, there’s no way to recapture the sensation of discovering such a delightful property for the first time, but it’s safe to say here that the bloom is off the rose.
We know who Tony Stark is. We know who Iron Man is. And we can make some pretty good guesses about the faux pas and fumbles about to be committed by that selfsame Mr. Stark.
Thankfully, the all-star cast injects fresh life into the franchise.
Robert Downey Jr. is predictably perfect as Tony Stark, whose smug self-confidence constantly threatens to outpace his self-control. His enormous ego is rivaled only by that of Justin Hammer, played by Sam Rockwell as a whining wannabe.
As Lt. Rhodes, Don Cheadle imbues his stick-in-the-mud straight man persona with a hint of humor, winking perhaps at Terence Howard’s more rigid, resolute “good soldier.”
And Mickey Rourke, aka Whiplash? He’s a hoot and a half.
Dead serious at some points and delightfully cock-eyed as others, he seems to take delight in every aspect of his heavily tattooed, heavily accented character — whether he’s cleaving race cars in half with his electrically charged whips or pouring his cockatoo a shot of vodka. (Yes, Whiplash has a pet cockatoo. Deal with it.)
The girls get less screen time, but they’re just as good.
Gwyneth Paltrow serves as the sweet, sensible yin to her boss’ yang. And Scarlett Johansson, a smokin’ hot siren in low-cut business suits and skin-tight jumpsuits alike, provides the sex appeal.
Forget “Iron Man 2.” This is “Iron Man 2.0.”
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Image courtesy of MovieWeb.com.
She Likes to Watch 
I thought Letterman was going to give up on his top ten lists years ago, but they’re actually still funny. Like this one — Top Ten Things You Don’t Want to Hear From a Guy Dressed Like Iron Man:
http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/video/?pid=EMxkdtEbG7hUjUu3TrrtFA_USbDUJ_Si&vs=Default&play=true
“Hoot and half?” What is this 1920?