Iron Man 2 (movie poster)

With big stars, big effects, big action and a big soundtrack by AC/DC, Iron Man 2 really is a rock star movie. As one of the most anticipated films of the year, it will not disappoint fans of the original and lovers of the Marvel comic series on which it is based. The original was the surprise hit of 2008 and heralded the comeback of its star Robert Downey Jr, who is once again in fine form as the wise-cracking, playboy, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark.

The film kicks off six months after Stark revealed his true identity as the superhero Iron Man and despite claiming to have “privatised world peace” he is facing pressure from the government and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with his love interest Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and best friend James `Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle), must forge new alliances in order to confront powerful new enemies such as tycoon Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) (below) and Russian villain Whiplash (Mickey Rourke). Backing up Stark on his mission is the leader of superhero team The Avengers, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and his agent Natasha Romanoff aka super spy Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). There is also a somewhat sad cameo from Adam Goldstein aka DJ AM and the film is dedicated to his memory.

The first Iron Man was an action-packed, hilarious and clever twist on the traditional superhero movie and to follow up the brilliance of the original is no easy task. For the most part, director and producer Jon Favreau succeeds. Favreau, who also plays a supporting role in the film, has assembled a stellar cast of Hollywood A-listers to create the array of complex characters which are the films main source of depth and conflict. Notably, the always-impressive Rockwell oozes charisma and charm as Stark’s corporate rival and Johansson (below) makes a formidable and sexy transition into the role of `action babe’. The press notes say she trained for months to be able to pull off most of the her own stunts and make them look believable, and boy, right down to the spandex clad body suit and thigh-strangling moves does it look believable. Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard for the role of `Rhodey’ and frankly, does a better job at it adding more attitude and street cred. Looking somewhat like a cross between Jack Sparrow and Randy 'The Ram' Johnson, Rourke too is commendable, despite the fact he has more screen interaction with a Cockatoo than any of the other actors.

But essentially this is Downey Jr’s film and he reprises his role as Stark with the swagger and sophistication that has made him one of the best actors of his generation, personal problems aside. Where Batman is dark and mysterious, Iron Man is flashy and indulgent, with Downey Jr complimenting the character perfectly. Kind of like the Hugh Hefner of the superhero world.

Favreau has maintained the witty banter and satire that made the original standout from other films in the genre and, if possible, the script is sharper and timelier than its predecessor. There are some sheer genius throwaway lines and the best ones roll of the tongues of Downey Jr, Rockwell and Jackson every few minutes. Truly, there are too many to mention. However, what the sequel lacks is the rollicking pace that had audiences on the edge of their seats in Iron Man. It starts promisingly and ends with a bang, but somewhere in the middle the film slows down and loses its hold on the illusion. Of course, the sharp dialogue, expertly choreographed action scenes and incredible special-effects somewhat make up for that.

But the question all sequels have to answer is: was it better than the original? No, but is still a worthy entrant into the growing Iron Man franchise and a fantastic two hours of entertainment. Iron Man 2 once again proves more money, more stars and more fans are not the key to a brilliant sequel, just a decent one.

Iron Man 2 opens in cinemas worldwide on Thursday, April 29.

NOTE: For those fans of you hoping for an Easter egg at the end of the credits like last time, don’t bother. I was one of the three critics who stayed and waited right until the end hoping for an added scene like last time with Nick Fury busting in and asking Stark to join The Avengers. But alas, nothing. On a related note, Fury does get plenty of screen time in the film and Jackson takes on an almost Jules-esque persona when he says “Sir, I’m gonna have to ask you to exit the donut.” Those hoping for more superhero mash-ups a la the first film or Downey Jr’s cameo in The Incredible Hulk can rest assured, Fury and Black Widow allude to the up and coming The Avengers film more aggressively. There’s even a tongue-in-cheek scene where one of the assistants finds an old S.H.I.E.L.D logo and Stark unknowingly uses it to balance an invention. Alright sure, Stark turns them down by saying “I already told you, I don’t want to join your super secret boy band” but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter because you know it happens and they all kick ass anyway (like a hyperactive Brady Bunch).

P.S. Fans of Kick-Ass and comic book brilliance in general, keep an eye out for the `special thanks to’ segment of the credits where the filmmakers thank John Romita Jr and John Romita Sr. Stan Lee also has a brief cameo as himself, just like he does in all superhero films adapted from his work.