Iron Man 2

I haven’t read any of the reviews yet, since I was avoiding them before seeing the film tonight, but the word was that the sequel to one of the best comic book movies ever made was not so hot.  

Wrong.

I think it’s twice as good as the last one.  It had every thing I liked about the first film plus the best act three in a comic book movie ever.  

First of all, it’s an amazing ensemble of actors, let alone a cast this talented for a summer superhero popcorn film.  Robert Downey Jr. continues to dazzle as Tony Stark.  It boggles the mind to think of anyone but him in the role.  Scarlett Johanson continues to the one of the sexiest women in the movies, and delvers a great performance as Black Widow.  She has a great action set piece and I look forward to her as the Marvel movie franchise expands.  No one can object to an actor as good as Don Cheadle stepping into the role, but I do wonder what Terence would have done.  Sam Rockwell brings tons of imagination to would could be a flat role as rival industrialist Hammer.  Sam Jackson is Sam Jackson.  He’s not PULP FICTION level intense, but still a pleasure to watch.  Gwyneth Paltrow is surprisingly sexy and continues her solid work from the last film.  Like Jackson, Mickey Rourke has done more intense work in dramas, but still very good.  Last but not least, Agent Carlsen is solid as a rock.  

The action is fast and imaginative, it still has cool science stuff in it, but the real discovery here is building an act with with sufficient credible threats and action levels to give the film a big finish.  

Also, better music cues in this film than the last one.

I can’t wait to see BATMAN 3.  And what Matthew Vaughan does with X MEN:  FIRST CLASS.  Because right now, IRON MAN 2 has the crown.