What was great about the first Iron Man was that it actually put a focus on character and character development. It didn't just want to be a loud, shiny toy. It actually made the characters interesting and you cared about them, not just because you're supposed to, but because it was earned. And it did this by sacrificing a little action. In Iron Man 2, they can't give character the same kind of attention because there's more action this time around and there's also more characters to introduce. There are more threads going this time, and, overall, they're handled well, but a couple characters suffer for it. Namely Vanko and Pepper Potts.
Mickey Rourke insisted the character of Vanko have a bird (as well as gold teeth and Russian prison tattoos) to give the character some humanity and depth. The thing is, we don't really ever see that humanity. The bird never really comes into play for the character. When he goes to work for Justin Hammer, he insists they get his bird. They bring up the bird several times, so it should be important to the character, right? But when Hammer and his guards take the bird from Vanko, is Vanko bothered? No. He shows no concern over the bird. He's already decided what he's going to do. We could've gotten some humanity had they taken the bird and then Vanko gets upset and makes his decision. It may seem like a small, nitpicky thing, but it feels to me like a missed opportunity. A point they bring up which then doesn't really add anything to the character or story.
In the first movie, there's a real connection between Pepper and Tony Stark. You get it, you see it, you feel it. Here, the two are separated so much, you don't get that same feeling. They have so little to do with each other, their budding relationship depends on you knowing it's going to happen simply because it's supposed to rather than because we see something. This is the character and relationship hurt most by the increased action and number of characters.
Thankfully, the rest of the characters don't suffer the same fate. Stark has great depth as he faces an impending death. His blood is being poisoned by the device that is keeping his heart going. He uses the wild, daredevil personality now as a disguise to hide that anything is wrong. He's going out either way. His best friend, Rhodes, is trying to protect Tony and the Iron Man suit from the government and himself, but as Tony gets more and more reckless, that is harder and harder to do. And he has to deal with his obligations to his friend, possessor of a sought after weapon which other people and countries are now trying to replicate, and his obligations to the military.
And where the first movie had a great performance by Robert Downey Jr. (he is great here as well), I think Sam Rockwell gives a likewise wonderful performance as Justin Hammer. He is just so incredibly fun as the incompetent, Tony Stark wannabe. He oozes desperation. I dare you to not laugh uncontrollably when he does an awkward dance as he comes out on stage at the Stark Expo. It says everything there is to say about the character. He wants to be Tony Stark, he wants Stark's confidence, technological know-how, way with women, business, flair, and flash. But he's not Stark. He's not as smart or as good as Stark. At anything. And so he puts on these airs which he thinks will make people believe he is.
Scarlett Johansson is incredibly sexy here. We don't know much about her character, but that's the way it's supposed to be. We're not meant to. Garry Shandling is fun as Senator Stern, the senator leading the charge against Stark. Despite the number of characters and plots, the story is easy to keep track of and follow. It unfolds naturally, easily, and isn't forced. It's very funny. The scene between Tony, in his suit sans helmet, and Nick Fury at the donut shop is just fun. The action is great. It's not so non-stop that it numbs your mind, but is more than enough to get you giddy over guns and weapons.
It's a give-and-take: less character than the first, but more action. It wouldn't have hurt the movie if it were a few minutes longer to accommodate more character development. But it's still a pretty solid, fun, enjoyable movie.
3 ½ out of 5
