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

[JRS]

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

I saw the film yesterday It was great and really kicked some serious ass
Heres some random commentary about the film by me:

• First of all, the casting and acting was great. I was happy to see so many faces from returning from the first film. Im glad they gave the role of Rhodes to Don Cheadle. He was much better in the role.
• There some great and witty dialogue, to all of the characters.
• Almost everything was bigger, better and louder than in the first film.
• Humour worked very well, and the jokes where well written and the humour didint seem forced nor stupid (Makers of Transformers 2, take notes!)
• Action was wonderful and joy to watch...I mean in this film they kicked some serious ass. The special effects where mostly very well done and where there to support the action, rather than to rule the whole movie.
• Im glad they gave Pepper some more screentime. The character nicely balances the Starks..er...eccentric tendencies. Other female roles wherent so memorable. Mainly hot babes A, B, C, D..and so on.
• Scarlett was fine in her role, though she didint have much to do in the first half of the film, except to look good in tight skirts and dresses and play an assistant. But when her character went to the kick-ass mode, that was a sight to see..plus very cool. I hope the character gets the spin-off film they talked about at some point, or feature her in the third Iron Man, because her character needs to fleshed out more.
• Villains where fine, though Vanko was bit one dimensional and his motives of revenge where bit too simple..albeit common in the comic book world. Rourke did good job in the role.
• The music was fine, though I liked the score of the first film more. The songs featured however where well chosen.

In Overall the film was great, entertainin and fun comic book action movie. Its not maybe the best film ever made but its much better than, for exsample the Spider-Man trilogy.
So, I recommend you all go and see it

 

[Trekker4747]

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

Jon Favreau: Ok everyone, in this movie I'm going to bring back Happy Hogan and will reprise the roll.

Everyone: Yay!

Jon: So, in one of my first scenes, Scarlett, you're going to kick my ass in a boxing ring.

Scarlett: Is that really necessairy?

Jon: Yes. Yes it is.

 

[JacksonArcher]

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

Jon Favreau: Ok everyone, in this movie I'm going to bring back Happy Hogan and will reprise the roll.

Everyone: Yay!

Jon: So, in one of my first scenes, Scarlett, you're going to kick my ass in a boxing ring.

Scarlett: Is that really necessairy?

Jon: Yes. Yes it is.

That's not even half of what Scarlett gets to "show" Favreau in the film.

 

[Captaindemotion]

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

I voted 'Above Average' but it was just above average. Quite disappointing.

The original was funny, witty, punchy and fast moving. This one started well but lost its way soon after Rourke escaped from prison, not picking up again until very near the end. Justin Theroux's screenplay was all over the place; who thought that the scene were Tony and Rhodey destroyed Tony's house was actually funny? Not me.

Samuel L Jackson was playing Sam Jackson, not Nick Fury; he was playing for laughs, not as a badass. And Sam Rockwell gave perhaps the first performance of his career that didn't have me wondering why he isn't a bigger star. IM was sidelined for much of the movie and Mickey Rourke spent most of his time soldering and tinkering. I was heartily sick of the Stark Expo by the end and Danko was disposed of much too quickly in the end.

And what happened to the AC/DC soundtrack? Two f*cking songs?!

This felt more like the typical muddled 3rd movie (X3, Spider-man 3, Blade Trinity) than the usual triumphant 2nd one (X2, The Dark Knight, Spider-man 2, Blade 2 etc). Some highlights made up for it, such as the IM-War Machine-Drones showdown, Scarlett in that outfit and the fight at Monaco, but all in all, not what I was hoping for.

 

[JacksonArcher]

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

I have to agree with Captaindemotion. Iron Man 2 felt like it was trying to coast on what made the first film successful but without any of the panache or narrative drive, and thusly as a result felt listless, unoriginal and borderline unmemorable.

Seriously, compared to The Dark Knight, X2, etc., Iron Man 2 was a serious disappointment and honestly didn't even really feel like it belonged, or had any reasoning to exist, besides the fact that there just HAD to be a sequel.

I mean, don't get me wrong, the film has a lot of redeeming qualities, which makes it so frustrating because there are a lot of exciting, interesting elements at play, but while they work individually they hardly make up a satisfying whole.

 

[Captaindemotion]

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

^ Yeah. I just can't believe that the people who made the first one work so well, sat down, read Theroux's script and said 'Yes, this works, this moves our story along, these sequences compare well with the original.' Didn't any of them think while they were making it that this movie just plodded along for almost half its duration?

 

[SilentP]

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

who thought that the scene were Tony and Rhodey destroyed Tony's house was actually funny? Not me.

That was meant to be played for laughs?

 

[Hermiod]

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

Saw this at the IMAX last week. The sheer visual spectacle might have swayed my opinion but I'll give it an Above Average.

 

[MNM]

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

who thought that the scene were Tony and Rhodey destroyed Tony's house was actually funny? Not me.

That was meant to be played for laughs?

No. It was one of many scenes that showed Tony spiralling into depression because he was dieing.

Why anyone would think it was meant to be played for laughs I dont know.

 

[Roshi]

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

Samuel L Jackson was playing Sam Jackson, not Nick Fury; he was playing for laughs, not as a badass.

To be honest, Marvel used his likeness to portray Fury as Sam Jackson.

I was heartily sick of the Stark Expo by the end and Danko was disposed of much too quickly in the end.

Ahem, Ivan Danko is... someone else!

And what happened to the AC/DC soundtrack? Two f*cking songs?!

Amen, brother!

 

[Hermiod]

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

To be honest, Marvel used his likeness to portray Fury as Sam Jackson.

With his expressed, written permission too.

 

[SilentP]

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

who thought that the scene were Tony and Rhodey destroyed Tony's house was actually funny? Not me.

That was meant to be played for laughs?

No. It was one of many scenes that showed Tony spiralling into depression because he was dieing.

Why anyone would think it was meant to be played for laughs I dont know.

Righto, not just me that thought that was scene was meant to be serious, and not as 'humour'.

 

[captcalhoun]

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

the only part of that scene that made me laugh was Stark telling Goldstein to play a 'phat beat' to kick his buddy's ass to (or whatever it was, something like that)

 

[Hermiod]

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

That whole scene was very uncomfortable. You can't just brush past Tony's alcoholism like that.

 

[Captaindemotion]

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

I thought it had to have been intended to be funny - while not actually being so - because of the general context. The 'phat beat' bit, the semi-naked girls and the general slapstick of the house being blown away. I accept that it did turn into a sort of 'look at yourself!' scene, but it was hardly a serious exploration of alcoholism - if that's how it was intended, it failed miserably. I think it was just misjudged tonally all round.

Hermiod, I cant believe you haven't been complaining about how Scarlett Johanssen kicked the collective ass of a load of bigger, heavier security guards!

 

[Hermiod]

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

Hermiod, I cant believe you haven't been complaining about how Scarlett Johanssen kicked the collective ass of a load of bigger, heavier security guards!

Actually, my recollection of it was that she generally avoided getting hit and used various gadgets to beat them.

But then, I didn't think it was worth mentioning. Natasha's been doing that for years in the comics, I'm used to it.

Sorry to disappoint you all.

 

[Captaindemotion]

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

^ Just messing with ya!

 

[Hermiod]

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

My only issue with Natasha in this movie was the fact that she didn't drop the American accent when her true identity was revealed.

I hope this wasn't some attempt to prevent the audience from being confused, what with the film having a Russian villain.

 

[Captaindemotion]

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

^I'd say it probably was. People unfamiliar with the comics would probably have assumed that there was some connection between the two and wondered why it wasn't explained.

 

[Turtletrekker]

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

Or maybe Scarlett can't do a convincing Russian accent. If that's the case, then keeping the American accent would be preferable to some of the terrible fake accents that have made it to the screen.