Hi there! Welcome to an all new episode of Gamer Reel Reviews. The video series where I discuss movies with video game themes.
and I’m your host, the owner of Video Gamers Oasis, The Meek Geek.
Due to the fact, that there are increasingly more Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Comic-Book Movies simutaneously being made into video games,
I thought it appropriate to discuss these as well.
In this episode I will be discussing Iron Man 2, Jon Favreau’s sequel to his Super Successful IRON MAN.
Six months after revealing his identity as Iron Man, Stark Industries CEO Tony Stark has helped maintain world peace.
He re-institutes the Stark Expo in Flushing, New York, to continue his father’s legacy. He’s played by Robert Downey, Jr.
He is perfect for this role as the brilliant, cocky yet vulnerable billionaire playboy inventer and alter-ego of IRON MAN.
Since the first Iron Man movie, the actor has risen bigger and better than ever, from the flames of past personal problems,
just like the hero of the story.
A United States Senate committee, led by Senator Stern, played by award winning comedian, actor and writer Garry Shandling,
demands Stark release the technology for military application. Stark refuses, claiming his competitors are years away
from successfully recreating the technology. I found it very funny to see him hack into the video presentation screen
and show various countries attempting (very terribly) to create their own Iron Man battle armor. I found myself chuckling
while Stark hams it up and struts his stuff in front of his audience as if to say, ‘Can’t touch this!’
Unfortunatly, we discover that Stark is being slowly poisoned by the palladium in the arc reactor of his chest,
and attempts to find a substitute element have failed. Growing increasingly despondent and thrill-seeking as a
consequence of what he believes to be his impending death, he appoints his former personal assistant Pepper Potts
played by Gwyneth Paltrow CEO of Stark Industries. Gwyneth does well as the no-nonsense rock of gerbralter in Tony’s life.
She acts almost like a motherly figure in Stark’s business and private life, giving him stern lectures often.
Natalie Rushman becomes the new personal assistant played by the stunningly beautiful, and talented actress, Scarlett Johansson.
I found it amusingo watch her wrestle the Director of the movie, Jon Favreau — who plays Tony’s bodyguard, Happy Hogan, in a boxing ring.
While racing in Monaco, Stark is attacked by Ivan Vanko, played masterfully by Mickey Rourke. He has constructed an arc reactor of his own,
Aftar a thrilling battle scene where he defeats Vanko, Stark discovers that Vanko is the son of his father’s old partner Anton Vanko,
who collaborated on the first arc reactor and has passed the technology on following his death. Anton was deported back to the Soviet Union
and died in poverty. Ivan blames Tony and Howard Stark for his father’s fate. A friend of mine commented after his performance that he would
make a perfect Klingon in the next Star Trek Movie — I feel that would be cool to see — since the scene where he mourns over his father’s death
reminds me of how Klingons react to the death of their loved ones.
Rival weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer, played with weasel perfection, by Sam Rockwell, has Vanko broken out of jail, and fakes his death.
He recruits Vanko to perfect a line of armored combat units that he will use to upstage Stark at his own Expo.
With knowledge that arc reactor technology is in the hands of someone else, the government is pressuring Tony even harder.
Tony throws what he believes will be his last birthday party and gets drunk while wearing the Iron Man armor, in a very funny,
yet very sad scene. He becomes a danger to himself and others. His friend Lt. Colonel James Rhodes played by Don Cheadle
takes the silver Mark II armor and fights Tony. They fire a simultaneous blast of their repulsor rays, which hits each other,
causing an explosion. Lt. Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) delivers the armor to the military afterward. (By the way,
from his witty opening lines to this point, you will accept him gladly as Rhodes)
Stark is approached by Nick Fury played by very cool Samuel L. Jackson, director of S.H.I.E.L.D, who helps to temporarily reverse
the effects of his blood poisoning and reveals to him that Natalie is an undercover agent. We, of course, know as The Black Widow.
He also provides Tony with a case of his father’s old artifacts, which can hopefully be used to find a cure for his palladium poisoning.
In addition, Fury informs Stark that his father was one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D. Stark realizes his father has left him a
hidden message in the original diorama of the 1974 Stark Expo; the model is also a diagram of the atomic structure of an unknown element.
Tony builds a particle accelerator in his home with the aid of his computer J.A.R.V.I.S. (voiced by Paul Bettany).
Stark successfully creates the new element and loads it into a modified chest piece which cures his palladium poisoning.
Afterward, Ivan contacts Stark, revealing that he is still alive and set on revenge.
At the Expo, Hammer unveils his new military drones captained by Rhodes in a heavily-weaponized version of the confiscated
Mark II armor. Stark arrives as Iron Man to warn Rhodes, but Vanko, due to his extensive computer hacking knowledge, takes control
of both the drones and Rhodes’s new armor, setting them to attack Iron Man. Meanwhile, Potts has Hammer arrested,
and Stark’s bodyguard Happy Hogan and Natalie race to Hammer’s Queens facility to stop Vanko. It is very impressive to see
The Black Widow kick male security guard ars left right and centre, while Happy Hogan is struggling with just one!
By the time they arrive, Vanko has already gone, but Natalie is able to give Rhodes control of his armor again so that he and Stark can
fight together.
After that point, there is a smashing climax with the two cybernetic armored knight-like warriors battling the many robots, and finally Vanko
dressed in his own, inpenetrable armor and fighting with new electrical cables. This, besides the race track scene, in my opinion, is the highlight
of the film.
I found Iron Man 2 enjoyable, though not as thrilling as the prequel. Perhaps it was the fact there were too many characters crammed in the alotted
time, or there were quite a few talky moments, that slowed the pace of the movie.
Overlooking these flaws, Iron Man 2 is a good Popcorn movie for Comic Book Geeks and regular movie-goers alike.
But especially Comic Book Geeks, like myself, who appreciated the various Marvel Comic Book references.
Oh! Make sure to wait till the end of the credits! You patience will be rewarded. Hint: The Avenger’s team is slowly growing…
I’m giving this movie a modest, Thumb of Approval.
Remember, the balcony may be closed, but the Arcade is always open!
I’m the owner of Video Gamers Oasis, The Meek Geek, signing off till next time.
