nickdawgy

I disagree. It made me think of Stark as a normal guy even though he's filthy rich and can get any food anywhere anytime he wants.

sauce07

Harry Knowles review finally got me excited for this movie, bring it on.

riotinmyskull

seriously? that dude loves EVERYTHING....he even liked GODZILLA '98

Matthew Ackerly

Talk about hyperbole, that Knowles review is it.

Every other review I've read has said this film is an utter disappointment and completety dull.

BJacks

That's what I mean. I didn't notice a single product tie-in in the movie. Again, aside from his Audi car.

fumanstan

Is that sarcasm, or there other reviews out there that say that?

Mr. Cinema

Variety's review is up and sounds like a semi-positive review. One reader emailed Jeff Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere and said the movie reminded him most of Spiderman 3. Lots of new characters crammed into the storyline. I could see this having that bloated feel to it. But I'll still be watching it, regardless of critical reaction. But it sounds like it's not nearly as fun as the first, but still entertaining enough to see.

fumanstan

Yeah, this is one of those movies that are going to be critic proof. I'm watching it no matter what on opening day.

Groucho

Who cares what godless reviewers say? As long as it has a positive message, that's the only aspect of the film we should be discussing.

Dr Mabuse

I've had a feeling this would be a failure for a while now.

The amount of 'calculation' to this film will kill it most likely.

RichC2

Yeah, the positive reviews seem tinged with disappointment. Part of what made Iron Man so likeable was how clean and straight forward it all was.

BJacks

I was under an embargo but I just got an email saying it was lifted today, so...

I should state up front that I wasn't the hugest fan of the first one. With that said, though, I enjoyed the sequel more. Mickey Rourke chews up scenes, I loved every time he showed up. And the film seems more fun overall with Scarlett's addition and Sam Jackson getting more screentime.

My main complaint is also one I had with the first film...I don't think Favreau knows how to pull off a good action scene. There's no build up and as quick as they happen, they're finished. I don't want to spoil anything, but there's a great moment towards the end where Iron Man is surrounded by bad guys, and it just doesn't go anywhere. There is such potential in this film for great action sequences and they're just so lacklusterly handed. Everything inbetween is fine, but you need those action scenes to pull the film along and make it the balls to the wall spectacle it should be. It just wasn't that exciting to me.

So I dunno. I think it's a C+ or B-.

And for those who are curious, like with the first film there is obviously something post-credits but they weren't shown for the press screenings. I guess I'll just catch it on youtube like the last time around.

Hokeyboy

It doesn't seem to be sarcasm. Take it all with a grain of salt, as the movie will make a FORTUNE regardless.

stingermck

Any other theaters doing this? Sounds pretty cool. News from my Local comic shop

JumpCutz

Yikes. Sounds like a mess, and yeah it will obviously make a ton of coin.

Boba Fett

Yeah, I think this Iron Man 1 screening bumped the Iron Man 2 showing up to midnight. I decided to pass and watch the movie at home on Blu-Ray and catch the first showing of 2 the next day.

Doctor Gonzo

Review from The Hollywood Reporter:

Bottom Line: Now he's the Tin Man.
Updated: 3:06 p.m. ET April 27, 2010

Well, that didn't take long. Everything fun and terrific about "Iron Man," a mere two years ago, has vanished with its sequel. In its place, "Iron Man 2" has substituted noise, confusion, multiple villains, irrelevant stunts and misguided story lines.

A film series that started out with critical and commercial success will have to settle for only the latter with this sequel; Robert Downey Jr.'s return as Tony Stark/Iron Man will assure that.

For a film riding a wave of unbridled achievement from its predecessor, "Iron Man 2" begins with a curious sense of panic. Characters all talk at once. Hesitant story lines launch in all directions. The soundtrack and music clang away, but onscreen, little happens until a big set-piece at a Grand Prix race nearly 20 minutes into the movie.

Downey's Stark, the Howard Hughes-like creator of the Iron Man's software and hardware and its embodiment when he dons the flying iron suit, is suffering from megalomania and a blood-toxicity condition. These seem to be leading Stark into severe mental instability.

Other plot lines revolve around a Congressional hearing and a nasty senator (Gary Shandling), a crazed Russian inventor (Sam Rockwell), a dishy new assistant (Scarlett Johansson) as a rival to his Girl Friday (Gwyneth Paltrow), a demented Russian inventor (Mickey Rourke with tattoos splayed across his body), psychological issues involving Stark's late father, a sidekick (Don Cheadle) and the deterioration of Stark's corporation.

What is at stake here? The fate of the world? The emergence of a new superpower? No, it all seems to pivot around who will win a new Defense contract. Wow, there's an emotional grabber.

A new writer, actor Justin Theroux, must have "Cut to:" installed as a default in his screenwriting software. When in doubt, his script cuts to a new place -- Moscow, Monte Carlo, Malibu -- character or situation, not all of them credible or logical.

An actor as formidable as Samuel L. Jackson doesn't even show up until the movie feels like its winding down. He wears an eye patch and an air of uncertainty. Who's he supposed to be? Oh, he's Johansson's real boss. Meanwhile, she struts through the film in various stages of dress and undress, which might be the best thing about "Iron Man 2" for its younger male fans.

What made the original film so, well, original, was the notion of a superhero as a conflicted individual with enough complexes and mental crises that saving the planet became a sort of stress-relief valve. Now he's borderline psychotic. Not that Downey has any qualms about tackling messed-up bad boys, but the film never makes clear whether he's just being Tony or really cracking up.

The CGI fight scenes quickly become tedious, their outcomes never really in doubt and the mechanics rather clunky. The sight of metal men smashing one another about without drawing any real blood is more reminiscent of the sandbox games of a child with his play toys than any movie magic. That actually was true of the first movie as well, but one overlooked it because Tony's prickly personality so dominated the action. Here, Tony has to fight too many over-the-top characters for audience attention. He loses that battle.

Visual and CGI effects are the best and worst thing about "Iron Man 2." The film relies far too much on them. They catch one up in the action, but, unfortunately, nothing else does.

Opens: May 7 (Paramount Pictures)
Production companies: Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment in association with Fairview Entertainment present a Marvel Studios production
Rated PG-13, 124 minutes

gmanca

You mean like how the first movie was also pivoted around Stark's defense contracts?

Eric F

Aw man. I would have loved to have seen Tony Stark scarfing down a KFC double-down.

Dr. DVD

While I still intend to see this regardless, I do wish that studios and filmmakers would quit seeing surefire hits as an excuse to make a lackluster movie.

Boba Fett

For the record, that review is from a guy who liked "Clash of the Titans 3D" for the same reasons he bashed "Iron Man 2" and thought the first film was just ok.

DVD Josh

I guess WB pays more than Paramount for reviews.

Solid Snake

What do you mean? Clash is by WB.

Doctor Gonzo

Currently 76% on Rotten Tomatoes - 13 Fresh, Rotten 4

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/iron_man_2/

Eric F

Yeah, but once again only 2 are from "Top critics" (and the guy from Variety liked it).

So once again it looks like studios are continuing to roll out big budgeted movies they are unsure of to the "fanboy" reviewers first, knowing they'll get a better overall Tomato-meter up to release day.

I know most people don't care much about reviews but after the load of shit unloaded on the viewing public called Transformers 2, I'm not so willing to part on my hard earned dollars anymore and I'm more willing just to stick with the reputable reviewer's opinions.