Iron Man 2: Grading, Review, Discussion **SPOILERS**

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

^WHAT?? Johanssen was totally hot. It's true they didn't show her in her sexiest light, but that's because she was more of a bad-ass than a sex-pot. Still, she showed plenty of curves in all the right places.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

I thought I knew you.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

QFT

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

I agree it was boring. Not much action, not much humor, this movie looks and sounds like a downgrade version of the first one, which I went to watch 2 days later to check if I was dreaming or not. No, I wasn't.

The trailer pretty summed up the good parts of the movie. What's worse, the Potts & Stark scene on the plane didn't even make it in the final cut, a shame.

I liked the acting, Rourke did a pretty good job with what was given to him, but it was still not enough to save the movie.

Also I was disappointed they showed the suitcase in the trailer, they shouldn't have (or did they want to avoid geekgasms in the theaters?)

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

Abso-frappin-lutely! That would've been the best surprise!

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

Comments like this show, to me, that people just don't get it.

The scene with Potts and Stark on the plane was the introduction of Stark into the movie. There's a huge difference between Potts and Stark amiably joking with each other before he takes a dive, and seeing Iron Man from behind, full metal gear, take a dive and not seeing Tony until he removes the armor at the expo.

One sets Tony up exactly as he was in the first film. The other shows Tony as a changed man, even more narcissistic and with even bigger delusions of grandeur than before.

It was the right move to change the scene, and shows that Favreau knows what his film was about. The "you complete me" scene is funny, yes...but an inappropriate introduction to the character for the story they were telling.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

Well, I think keeping the scene in would've worked nicely to instantly introduce the audience (who may have not seen the first movie) or re-introduce the audience (who may not have seen the first movie in a while) to the Pepper/Tony relationship and interaction. That scene in about a minute instantly tells you that Tony is a narcissistic tool and that Pepper is the woman who loves with him so she puts up with it. I think the scene would've done a great job of instantly setting their characters up and showing their relationship. Plus it was just a damn funny, cute, scene.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

It was also shown in the film, not much later, that Pepper did not approve of Stark Expo and thought it was a waste of time and resources. Her disapproval was integral to showing the state of Stark's and Pott's relationship, as well as showing that Tony was going off on wild tangents that many did not approve of.

It would be curious to have Pepper all smiley and jokey with Stark, kissing the helmet and saying "go get 'em, Boss" with a huge grin on her face, when 10 minutes later in the film she's chastising him for what a waste Stark Expo is.

It was a wise change.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

I voted "above average." I loved the first one, and I agree that this movie isn't on par with it, but it was very enjoyable, none the less.

BTW, I loved the suitcase armor! Why the hell didn't they show more of it?

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

B+ (Above average)

Better than the first in all categories except Don Cheadle as Rhodes. He wasn't having fun and at times seemed to be an outright zombie in the role.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

@Harvey I have to disagree with you...I thought Cheadle was terrific as Rhodey who has quite a different vibe to him in this film than in the original. It's a more serious role and I think that Cheadle pulled it off nicely.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

Could't agree more. However when Johanssen was undressing in the car she was looking mighty fine...

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

I agree. Cheadle was a much-needed pocket of sanity for Downey's loose-canon portrayal of Stark. Definitely a likeable guy, probably more likeable than Stark.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

The Rhodey storyline was my favorite aspect of the story. Cheadle did a good job and is a much better actor than Terrance Howard. I do think they could have done a little more with him and Downey in the beginning though. That's where switching actors hurt a little bit. Howard already had that chemistry with Downey in the first one. Cheadle needed a little more time with Downey to establish that.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

Uhm.. yes, because they were seated right in the row in front of us and two of them actually commented the movie was a waste of their money. After a few mins of their group whispering stuff they stood up and walked out. Why can't some fans grasp the fact this wasn't such a good movie for casual viewers? Even one of the producers came out and said the movie might not be as enjoyable as the first one.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

Don Cheadle was a little lifeless in the role. I wasn't hugely fond of Terrence Howard's portrayal, but at least you believed he could be Tony Stark's best friend. With Cheadle, I had a more difficult time believing Cheadle would put up with Stark like the way he does.

However, opposites do attract, and my best friend is the polar opposite of myself, so perhaps that was the inspiration they drew from for Cheadle's take on the character and his dynamic with Stark.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

I thought Cheadle did an okay job considering he was a replacement actor, but the relationship between him and Stark felt a lot less natural than when Howard did it.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

Well BoxOfficeMojo is reporting an estimated $53million to lead over Robin Hood in its second weekend. Beyond the first page my BOM link has problems but that should put Iron Man 2 around the neighborhood of $210-ish Million US domestic after 10 days.

Can someone get a good number? Curse my connection, ARGH!!!

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

From what I have read, Iron Man 2 has been very financially successful but is pretty much doing the figures of the first movie, if not slightly higher. I think Marvel was expecting the film to open with more. So, at the end of the day, it will definitely be a success for Marvel and Paramount, and make a profit, but it won't be a marked financial improvement over the first, or break any records like I'm sure Marvel/Paramount was hoping it would.

Still, the fact that it toppled Robin Hood is a good sign, even though I had pretty much zero interest to see that movie and based on the box office numbers so did plenty of other people. I think lukewarm critical reaction and mediocre to bad word-of-mouth will prevent Robin Hood from being the blockbuster it was intended to be. I can see it being trampled on by Shrek Forever After, Prince of Persia and Sex and the City 2.

It looks like Iron Man 2 will remain #1 until either of those aforementioned movies come out.

 

Re: Iron Man 2 - Grading & Discussion Thread (spoilers guaranteed)

I have to agree that the film did lack abit in different scenes and it could have had more action by the characters in the film.

Also l was expecting more from Mickey Roarke he was not that good in his role as the villian he could have done much more.

But htey kept switching back and forth to other characters and there was so much talking in the film.

I think Robert Downey JR could have taken part in more action scenes too.