Iron Man 2
May. 2nd, 2010 11:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bennet_7Everyone on my flist who has so far seen Iron Man 2 has been so great about not giving even the slightest hint of spoilers in their posts - no 'I'm so happy' nor 'I'm so disappointed' - and I'm going to do the same.
Behind the cut, though, I'm spoiling to hell and back. So don't click if you haven't seen it yet. Instead, go watch Tim Gunn give his considered opinions on comic book super hero fashion through the ages (here and here). That man is a delight. I totally want there to be a 'design a super hero costume' on Project Runway.
Iron Man 2 was pretty awesome. I don't have the same rush that I had coming out of the cinema after the first film, but then, I didn't expect that movie to be as awesome as it was. This time around expectations were much higher and I feel that Favreau and Co. largely met them.
- The plot was a bit more dense this time around, what with the new characters. We spent a fair amount of time away from Tony and with Hammer and Vanko, but I never felt the movie was too laggy without Tony on screen. There were a couple of plot holes that I felt could have used extra work, particularly Rhodey being able to fly the Mark 2 so well, apparently for the first time. They could have easily handwaved that away with a line about how Tony let him use the suit before. Still, overall I felt that the plot was just complicated enough: there wasn't too much packed in like The Dark Knight but nor was it stupid, confusing, or meant for children. It felt grown-up, if you know what I mean (and I hope you do).
- And where there were deficiencies with the plot it didn't matter because it was so. damn. entertaining. It was fun and enjoyable and the dialogue was sharp and funny, and the characters were excellent, and the SFX were great and etc.
- To talk a little more about the dialogue and to usher in an odd comparison, one of the trailers before the film was for Robin Hood (which is apparently the 'untold story'. Snerk.) which was filled with these big lines that are meant to be grand and meaningful and full of pathos but are actually kind of cheesy and pompous and stupid because nobody actually talks like that. Stuff like: "Are you ready to be who you are?" and "Rise and rise again until lambs become lions" and "They can take our lives but they can never take our freedom!" (ok, that last one was from Braveheart but the line was something like that. Blerg)
In Iron Man 2 the dialogue was much more realistic. Characters talked over each other all the time. Big epic moments didn't have quietly inspiring sage wisdom or huge inspirational speeches (Tony doesn't have his version of "With great power comes great responsibility" to say to himself when times are tough) but would have characters bickering or joking around. I approve of this.
- I was worried there would be too many characters. I was proved wrong. Everyone gets an appropriate amount of screen time for their character and I didn't feel like anybody got shunted to the side. I would have like to know a little more about ScarJo's character but as she was supposed to be distant and hard to read, that kind of made sense for her.
- So. Tony. Tony, Tony, Tony. Is awesome. And self-destructive. And charming and sexy and smart and funny. But yes, self-destructive needs to be repeated and if they're building up to do 'Demon in the Bottle' I think they're on the right track.
- I didn't think that Pepper could get more amazing but guess what? SHE DID. She was super competent at her job (both running the company and looking after Tony) and she got to give as good as she got (if not better) in her scenes with Tony. I also loved loved loved that while Tony and Rhodey took out Vanko, it was Pepper who took care of Hammer by simply calling the cops. Ha! No buildings demolished, no lives lost, not a single bullet expended.
- Tony/Pepper. They were such an old married couple for all of the movie. Bickering, bantering, getting all up in each others' personal space. And then, a kiss at the end and Tony saying they were actually in a relationship. Tony, you've been in a relationship with that woman for 10 years. The only difference now is that there's sex (right?).
- I loved them fighting over the art collection and her saying that it's hers. Nice callback to the first movie and the Pollock they bought.
- Totally made sense for her to quit. That's what any sensible woman would do and Pepper Potts is absolutely a woman with sense. My guess is that this is also a way to possibly write Gwyneth out but I really hope that she's back for the next movie. It left it pretty open.
- Tony not telling Pepper about the Palladium poisoning slightly bothered me. I can understand him both wanting to figure it out on his own and not wanting to worry her, but I kind of wanted to see them more acting like a team (well, more than they already did).
- Pepper got saved at the end but I don't think she qualifies as a damsel in distress. Her being rescued wasn't the point of the climax and she wasn't in that position for long. This is unlike both Spiderman and The Dark Knight where rescuing the love interest was a big part of the ending. Overall, I am pleased with Pepper's agency.
- I liked that they didn't really try to manufacture a love triangle with ScarJo. That one scene in his bedroom with the watch ended up seeming a little out of place to me. But maybe, instead of trying to seduce him, she was just mocking him. Hmmm.
I'm super tired so that's all I can really think to comment on now. I sort of want to write fic about him taking 3 hours to make her an omelette. Maybe tomorrow.
Behind the cut, though, I'm spoiling to hell and back. So don't click if you haven't seen it yet. Instead, go watch Tim Gunn give his considered opinions on comic book super hero fashion through the ages (here and here). That man is a delight. I totally want there to be a 'design a super hero costume' on Project Runway.
Iron Man 2 was pretty awesome. I don't have the same rush that I had coming out of the cinema after the first film, but then, I didn't expect that movie to be as awesome as it was. This time around expectations were much higher and I feel that Favreau and Co. largely met them.
- The plot was a bit more dense this time around, what with the new characters. We spent a fair amount of time away from Tony and with Hammer and Vanko, but I never felt the movie was too laggy without Tony on screen. There were a couple of plot holes that I felt could have used extra work, particularly Rhodey being able to fly the Mark 2 so well, apparently for the first time. They could have easily handwaved that away with a line about how Tony let him use the suit before. Still, overall I felt that the plot was just complicated enough: there wasn't too much packed in like The Dark Knight but nor was it stupid, confusing, or meant for children. It felt grown-up, if you know what I mean (and I hope you do).
- And where there were deficiencies with the plot it didn't matter because it was so. damn. entertaining. It was fun and enjoyable and the dialogue was sharp and funny, and the characters were excellent, and the SFX were great and etc.
- To talk a little more about the dialogue and to usher in an odd comparison, one of the trailers before the film was for Robin Hood (which is apparently the 'untold story'. Snerk.) which was filled with these big lines that are meant to be grand and meaningful and full of pathos but are actually kind of cheesy and pompous and stupid because nobody actually talks like that. Stuff like: "Are you ready to be who you are?" and "Rise and rise again until lambs become lions" and "They can take our lives but they can never take our freedom!" (ok, that last one was from Braveheart but the line was something like that. Blerg)
In Iron Man 2 the dialogue was much more realistic. Characters talked over each other all the time. Big epic moments didn't have quietly inspiring sage wisdom or huge inspirational speeches (Tony doesn't have his version of "With great power comes great responsibility" to say to himself when times are tough) but would have characters bickering or joking around. I approve of this.
- I was worried there would be too many characters. I was proved wrong. Everyone gets an appropriate amount of screen time for their character and I didn't feel like anybody got shunted to the side. I would have like to know a little more about ScarJo's character but as she was supposed to be distant and hard to read, that kind of made sense for her.
- So. Tony. Tony, Tony, Tony. Is awesome. And self-destructive. And charming and sexy and smart and funny. But yes, self-destructive needs to be repeated and if they're building up to do 'Demon in the Bottle' I think they're on the right track.
- I didn't think that Pepper could get more amazing but guess what? SHE DID. She was super competent at her job (both running the company and looking after Tony) and she got to give as good as she got (if not better) in her scenes with Tony. I also loved loved loved that while Tony and Rhodey took out Vanko, it was Pepper who took care of Hammer by simply calling the cops. Ha! No buildings demolished, no lives lost, not a single bullet expended.
- Tony/Pepper. They were such an old married couple for all of the movie. Bickering, bantering, getting all up in each others' personal space. And then, a kiss at the end and Tony saying they were actually in a relationship. Tony, you've been in a relationship with that woman for 10 years. The only difference now is that there's sex (right?).
- I loved them fighting over the art collection and her saying that it's hers. Nice callback to the first movie and the Pollock they bought.
- Totally made sense for her to quit. That's what any sensible woman would do and Pepper Potts is absolutely a woman with sense. My guess is that this is also a way to possibly write Gwyneth out but I really hope that she's back for the next movie. It left it pretty open.
- Tony not telling Pepper about the Palladium poisoning slightly bothered me. I can understand him both wanting to figure it out on his own and not wanting to worry her, but I kind of wanted to see them more acting like a team (well, more than they already did).
- Pepper got saved at the end but I don't think she qualifies as a damsel in distress. Her being rescued wasn't the point of the climax and she wasn't in that position for long. This is unlike both Spiderman and The Dark Knight where rescuing the love interest was a big part of the ending. Overall, I am pleased with Pepper's agency.
- I liked that they didn't really try to manufacture a love triangle with ScarJo. That one scene in his bedroom with the watch ended up seeming a little out of place to me. But maybe, instead of trying to seduce him, she was just mocking him. Hmmm.
I'm super tired so that's all I can really think to comment on now. I sort of want to write fic about him taking 3 hours to make her an omelette. Maybe tomorrow.
