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REVIEW: IRON MAN 2

by Manny Castro | May 4, 2010 at 06:59 pm

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Scarlett Johansson As Black Widow in Iron Man 2. | Photo 03

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Two years ago, Iron Man breathed new life into the comic book genre by showcasing a charming hero who made his fight a global one. Who can forget the image of Iron Man blowing up a tank in the Middle East? Now, the character is back and as charming as ever (thanks to Robert Downey, Jr.) but the scope of the film is not as big as it should be.

In the latest installment, Tony Stark has brought peace to the world since no one can compete with him. He believes that it'll be another decade before anyone can build technology that's a fraction as good as him. Soon after he discovers how wrong he was when Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) shows up to pick a fight. Whiplash is no match since he doesn't have the resources but eventually finds one in the form of Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) a competitor of Tony Stark who'll do anything to eliminate him. Stark himself gets some back-up when War Machine (Don Cheadle), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) join the battle.

What the movie lacks in scope it makes up for in action scenes and humor. In many ways, the Iron Man franchise is the ant-Batman. The current Batman series features a level of realism and seriousness. Iron Man, on the other hand, doesn't mind being silly and over-the-top. When there's three costumed characters meeting at a donut store you know you're watching a semi-comedy. And that is what's so fun about Iron Man 2. It's a summer blockbuster at its best - but don't expect it to win any Oscars.