“Iron Man 2” is one of the few non-3D movies this year to debut on IMAX screens this weekend (Friday, May 7), but the 3D will likely not be missed.
“Iron Man 2” is a lot of fun, and even bigger fun on an IMAX screen, where it is likely to continue IMAX’s unprecedented string of giant-size hits this year.
Back in fine narcissist form is Robert Downey Jr., along with his witticisms and rapid-fire banter with colleagues.
And director Jon Favreau pumps up the excitement with the perfect injection of exhilarating rock music throughout by AC/DC and The Clash, among others, all of which, along with the sound effects, is literally felt reverberating in your bones thanks to the soundtrack and theater sound system.
Samuel L. Jackson ultimately makes the appearance that was teased at the end of “Iron Man,” as Nick Fury, head of super-secret org S.H.I.E.L.D. with lots of references to Avengers, all of which will please fans of Marvel comics.
Favreau also inserts numerous fun cameos, including once again Stan Lee (mistaken for Larry King), as well as billionaire Larry Ellison, who is referenced as being an oracle (his company is Oracle), and fun supporting roles. In addition to Favreau himself in a full-blown supporting role, Garry Shandling plays the unlikely role of a nasty conservative Senator, and pulls it off convincingly.
I was really expecting not to enjoy “Iron Man 2” based on the previews that made it look like so many other sequels that substitute story and character for simply filling the screen with tons more stuff — in this case dozens more Iron Man-costumed fighters just as “Aliens” gave us hundreds of the lone alien monster we never even saw in its entirety until the very end of the original “Alien.”
While that did happen in “Iron Man 2,” I have to hand it to Favreau for holding off that element until the second half of the two-hour movie, where it does indeed bog down a bit in overdone Transformer-esque robot/machine battles, outsized CGI effects, and a blurry superhero stunt stint by the undercover Scarlett Johansson.
Although those may be the least interesting elements for some, they will be the most enjoyable for many, and probably most others.
And don’t forget to hang in there through the lengthy credits for yet another teaser to the next Marvel superhero in the mix.
— By Scott Hettrick