Today's News: climbing back on top of myself

Gotta love Sundays, there's usually no or little news to report on. Today proves no different, which gives me an opportunity to catch up with myself at commenting on the news of the week. Still a bit more to be posted here, but the bottom of the barrel is in sight. For now.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157592/concept_art_star_wars_episode_vii_gelekt

Oh no, this beautiful art is getting me excited, too! And I so vowed not to get drawn into the hype, especially with J.J. 'Kill Trek' Abrams on board. But I must admit there's some gorgeous pieces of conceptual art here. Especially the artwork tying into the visual imagery of the old trilogy gets me where it's aimed at. The notion of a wrecked AT-AT Walker being refurbished into a makeshift shelter is simply splendid, as is the array of Imperial and rebel designs found among the imagery of new characters and locales. Can't say I'm too stoked over the design of the new villain, but I didn't think it would ever be possible to top Darth Vader anyway. It'll be fascinating to see just what makes the final cut and what doesn't. Even though this stuff was leaked to the studio's chagrin, I doubt they would order all of these scenes redesigned. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this was an intentional leak, geared at getting up the hopes of sceptical fans (like myself), of which there are still many, but likely a few less now. In my case it's working, though I still refuse to get overexcited. Incidentally, don't ask me why my editor only posted a 'selection' (like, a third) of these concept art pictures on the site, while I actually took the time and effort to post links to all the available pics in my original message draft. Editor politics, I suppose.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157578/downey_jr_gecast_in_captain_america_3_civil_war

Another paycheck of a whopping 40 million bucks in Robert Downey Jr.'s pocket. For a role in another Avenger's movie no less. I doubt that would sit too well with Chris Evans. So no wonder Marvel is anxious to do Civil War on the big screen, it means they can start killing off some major characters and thus save money on the actors portraying them. The winds of change are set to replace the old regime with a wholly new bunch of characters, even though most of them have yet to be introduced (like Ant-Man and Doctor Strange) and thus still need to win our hearts. I'm not convinced Civil War is the best story to tackle at this point though. There seem to be a bit too few characters to mine to make it work as well as it did in the comics. Also, the necessary emotional scale simply doesn't seem present yet. These characters, nevermind their limited numbers, don't have enough history with each other to make the impact of an ideological inner conflict with deadly consequences feel as touching and as compelling as required. I think Marvel had better wait a while longer until their upcoming TV shows, which allow for ample opportunity to introduce novel characters who would take sides in this fight, are in full swing. Granted, in that scenario we would be looking at another four or five years down the road, and Marvel doesn't want to wait that long to bring this much beloved story to theaters because DC is bringing the heat down on them with their own long-term plans. I would certainly argue that when dealing with important narratives like these, set to have major ramifications for all other Marvel properties and characters for many years to come, patience is a virtue. Either way, Robert Downey Jr. is the real winner here. Seems he already turned out the great victor in the civil war going on within Marvel Studios.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157591/teaser_poster_jurassic_world

Ooh, it's all dark and brooding! Someone took a cue from the currently popular method of reigniting franchises. Glad they at least didn't tweak the familiar logo much. They just removed all colour and added a distinct layered feel, hinting at the 3D-release this movie is due. 'The park is open', the tagline ominously says. It'll be open for the tourists to gaze at the prehistoric critters, and soon they'll find it's open for the dinosaurs to eat the tourists en masse. That will be fun to watch, no doubt. This teaser poster adequately serves its purpose, but definitely doesn't get my blood pumping in joyous anticipation as its recent San Diego Comic-Con counterpart did. Too bad those go for like 500 bucks on eBay right now...

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157604/nieuwe_teaser_hunger_games_mockingkay

A short little teaser to kill some time for the fans in waiting between the trailers and the final release, I'd say. Not much new information is relayed here, other than the fact the District 13 resistance uses Katniss as a propaganda tool as much as the Capitol did, and in that regard may not be much better company in terms of morality. It's such intriguing political machinations that make The Hunger Games more than just a simple starry-eyed young adult flick, though the obligatory love triangle with its wooden acting gives a good shot at bringing the quality level down a bit. At least there's the strong performances from the more seasoned veterans (Jeffrey Wright, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland et al.) among the cast to look forward to. Jennifer Lawrence sure has some great actors to bounce dialogue off with. Philip Seymour Hoffman could have done worse for his last role on film, even though he's sadly not such a major character.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157617/scarlett_johansson_wellicht_hoofdrol_in_ghost_in_the_shell

Any excuse to show Johansson on screen is worth the effort in my mind. I'm not at all into Manga, and I'm not afraid to admit I haven't seen a notable genre entry like Ghost in the Shell. I guess the Hollywood adaptation caters just to people like me then. Since the studio seems to finally start fast-tracking this project after a few years of it laying dormant, I doubt they're gonna get Scarlett, even for a 10 million dollar salary. After all, she's already done a few action heavy big FX movies recently, and her last one dealing with the symbiosis between (wo)man and machine, Lucy, didn't turn out so great (though it sure as heck did fine at the boxoffice,much more so than most would agree it deserved). Of course, an even better reason for her turning down the project is her current pregnancy, which is likely to keep her from active duty for a year or so. Would the studio be so anxious to get her for the part as to adhere to the necessity of waiting that long? I personally doubt that. I think it's very likely Johansson will pass on Ghost in the Shell and we'll hear of another actress being cast fairly soon. One in Johanssons class seems unlikely, as she really is in a class all her own.

Today's News: still behind schedule

It's gonna take me a while longer to get back on track in regard to commenting on the bits of news I posted. As usual, time is against me:

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157503/nieuwe_character_posters_hobbit_3

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157522/meer_characters_posters_hobbit_3

Wow, those are some bland posters. Just the faces of some of the protagonists, that's all we have to work with. Rather disappointing, as this is the last Hobbit movie, if not the final Middle-Earth movie (ever?), so you would think they'd go out with as much of a bang as the movie itself (though I may be assuming a little too much here, I doubt this trilogy will end on a boring note). We already know what the characters look like, so we would have liked to have seen a bit more of the environment they inhabit. A grand and elaborate banner (think the Bayeux Tapestry, but its Tolkien equivalent) was released last month that did a far better job of promoting the movie, capturing our imagination and firing our desire to see this film than this dull posters would ever do. The advertising art for both predecessors too looked much more appealing by comparison. Guess the promotional execs think it's all a matter of the little things. Assumptions from the characters' facial expressions are all we are left with, which is a pointless guessing game for those who have read the book. Why does Gandalf look so disheveled? What's up with Galadriel's determined gaze? And is Bilbo finally going to go berserk with that little sword of his? We'll have to watch the movie to find out. But then, we were planning to do so anyway, and these posters at the very least won't discourage us from doing so.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157443/eerste_teaser_pixars_inside_out

Finally, a new Pixar movie that's not a sequel! I'm not entirely sold on the concept though. It's intriguing, but hardly novel. However, Pixar usually tends to make such outlandish premises work just fine, and I'm hoping post-Brave Pixar won't do any different. You won't get any clear indication of the story just from watching this teaser, which only hints at the overall story (not that much info on that has been released so far, anyway). Not to mention it does a solid but sentimental job referencing all the Pixar greats - and some less great, too - we remember oh so fondly. This teaser is playing mostly on the past emotions of pleasure we experienced watching all the company's classics, as well as stimulating a strong emotion not characterized in the film: curiosity. But there's also plenty of room left for doubt, make no mistake. Which begs the issue, how come there's only five emotions in the girl's head? What happened to the rest of them? A philosophical debate about the nature of emotions and the way they rule our mind seems to be in short order. Though it's likely Pixar still has some surprises left on Inside Out's plot and the questions this teaser throws in our path about the logic of it all.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157465/logo_daredevil_serie_onthuld

Well, at least they got the logo right. That's straight off the comic books' covers, that is. Though the usual subtitle 'The Man Without Fear' is absent, but this works equally well. A return to the comics' greatness (on-again/off-again, honestly) is sure in order after the Ben Affleck version, which showed little of that. Currently, New York Comic-Con is in full swing and so far the Daredevil panel was by far the most fascinating occurrence. The concept art looked pretty neat, the first released pictures gave some pretty sweet glimpses, except maybe for the titular character's costume. Though I have a sense it's not the final piece, but more like Daredevil's initial stab at a costume (á la Spider-Man's ludicrous wrestling attire in Sam Raimi's first movie). It would be a bit of a downer if this series' superhero ran around with a black handkerchief for a mask for the whole show. I guess Marvel has to find ways to cut the budget somewhere...

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157499/toch_een_iron_man_4

And one reason the studio has to do just that involves the exorbitant pay cheques demanded by its star performers these days. Robert Downey Jr. is by far the most expensive of the lot of them, as his salary for Iron Man 3 amounted to no less than 50 million (!) dollars, reportedly. So small wonder Marvel is looking for way to dodge such excessive costs on future projects. One way to get rid of Downey Jr. would be to quit making Iron Man films. The man is still contractually obliged to assume the character's mantle for two more Avengers flicks, but they could end it there by using those films to find a narrative way to replace him with another character to fill his iron shoes. It's not like that sort of thing isn't constantly happening in the source material. Remember Thor is currently a female in the comics? Which would only entice audiences more strongly to find out what the heck is going on. Of course, that would mean spectators will have to get used to an Iron Man without Tony Stark (no way they are gonna recast that character, considering how beloved Downey Jr.'s take on him is). I have no qualms with that. The Marvel Universe is so much larger than just one popular guy, and the movies have still barely scratched the surface. I'm all for a new Iron Character if it saves Marvel from bankruptcy so they can keep on making highly enjoyable superhero movies. I doubt we're going to see an Iron Man 4 with Robert Downey Jr. in the starring role again (and he himself apparently doubts it very much as well, considering his conflicted reponses to the 50 million dollar question), and if that be the case, I don't mind. There's various ways to deal with that in compelling storytelling (in fact, the matter has already been explored in both Iron Man 2 and 3), and I have confidence that the House of Ideas will pull it off once more. Iron Woman sounds like a wonderful notion, so bring it on!

Today's News: loads of it

The haul of news from the last week:

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157156/nieuwe_trailer_oorlogsfilm_fury_met_brad_pitt

Last trailer focused on the action, this one's more about the drama. Can't say it looks any better when given more substance. Rookie soldiers faced with the moral burdens of battle has been done since time immemorial. Same goes for small bands of soldiers stuck behind enemy lines on suicide missions (Saving Private Ryan is just the tip of the iceberg there, you know). Heck, even Brad Pitt has dabbled in that before with Inglourious Basterds. Big change here is that particular persona of his didn't seem to mind his hard times as much as this one, even though in terms of character there don't seem to be that many differences between Wardaddy and Lt. Aldo Raine. I really hope there's more to the movie that what the trailers are showing us. Though if we're comparing notes, that certainly was the case with Inglourious Basterds, which turned out to incorporate a whole lot more to the plot than just the bloody retributions exacted on Nazis we were promised (though that element surely was also retained, to a lesser extent). On the other thand, there's the example to the opposite, in which the trailer promised more than the actual film delivered, like on the recent forgetabble The Monuments Men. Let's just say this tank can still roll either way.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157184/23_jump_street_aangekondigd

As the end credits for 22 Jump Street revealed, there's at least twenty more scenarios for the franchise's protagonists to get involved in. Of course the studio feels like trying out at least one more considering the success of that sequel. Will it be one of the outrageous possibilities offered by those end titles? Probably not, most of them seem a little too farfetched for any "serious" comedy flick. Doesn't mean there aren't enough possibilities for infiltrations taking zany turns left. Not that I need to see them. I have learned long ago that the number of sequels to successful comedies worth our while is pretty low indeed. Blatant regurgitation is their usual motto, a point the first film, 21 Jump Street (see the numerical pattern here?), already made both hilariously and painfully clear when the angry black police captain gave his poignant and speech about law enforcement officials just recycling old ideas ad nauseam, which was the movie at its most self-aware note. And here we have the prove studio execs do the same. Like we needed any proof...

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157183/eerste_fotos_batmobile_uit_batman_v_superman

I approve of this Batmobile. Not too realistic, not too unrealistic. Not too tacky, not too slick. Fits right into Zack Snyder's new DC-verse, while containing many a nod to past works, most notable Nolan's Tumbler design from the Dark Knight movies. The bat motif is not too obvious or overt, but definitely there. This basically is exactly the badass type of vehicle an angry billionaire would patrol the streets at night with to punish the guilty and protect the innocent, rather than doing drugs, banging scores of prostitutes and not giving a damn about the rest of the world because he is loaded, like real world billionaires prefer to do instead. Of course, we have yet to see it in action and discover its various funky gadgets - does it, too, feature a built-in escape vehicle and a self-destruct option, for example? - but in terms of looks and style this is right up Gotham's alleys. Good thing Hans Zimmer is still doing the music for the epic DC movies. Just add his stormy, percussive Dark Knight theme and this car is good to go.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157209/eerste_trailer_serena

Why change a winning team, the casting director of Serena must have thought? Cooper & Lawrence together have been the stuff of Oscars so far, and this movie clearly shows Academy Award aspirations, if the trailer is any indication. However, this movie is not directed by David O'Russell. Guess we'll find out whether it was the director that got the best out of his actors on Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle both, or whether it may have been the material after all. Susanne Bier certainly isn't a stranger in terms of character, since her movies often border on character studies, which equally seems to be the case on Serena. The language barrier doesn't seem to be present, as this is hardly her first English spoken film. This trailer definitely reaffirms the third time remains the charm.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/157208/robert_downey_jr_mogelijk_in_assassins_creed

I'm starting to get a sort of 'Johnny Depp vibe' whenever Robert Downey Jr.'s latest project is mentioned. As Depp revels in playing quirky oddball types, Downey Jr. now seems to stick predominantly to playing witty, scienctifically considerate charmers (e.g. Sherlock Holmes and Tony Stark/Iron Man) when it comes to big budget Hollywood movies. He does that well, so the part of Leonardo da Vinci seems perfectly suited to him. However, as has been the case with Depp for quite a while, it's getting a routine, which may lead to typecasting (though I bet Downey Jr.'s hefty pay grade will halt such thoughts on studio execs' minds). Of course, there's many other types of characters Downey Jr. plays in smaller films in-between blockbusters (the Oscar buzzing The Judge would be a current example), but those are not the ones most audiences will get to see so they'll learn to appreciate the diversity inherent in his talent. Considering he's now the highest paid actor in Hollywood, it is interesting to see him accepting a sidekick part for a change. Unless Da Vinci is actually the assassin, which I have a hard time believing, though there is some logic to that notion. But then, I never played the games so what do I know? Don't have time for games, too busy watching and loving movies. Like those starring Downey Jr., for example.

Today's Mini-Reviews: downfall of the rich and powerful

Iron Man 3: **/*****, or 5/10

Most disappointing of the Marvel Studios movies so far. Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) took over the director's chair from Jon Favreau who did the first two installments. Maybe it's Black's tendency to go over the top a bit too far, maybe the writers and producers just got terribly lazy in the creative process after the sucess of the predecessors, but Iron Man 3 proves a dud. Tony Stark finally has found a decent equilibrium between his eccentric playboy life and his public role as the armored superhero Iron Man, but soon his world is turned upside down after he deliberately picks a fight with the vicious terrorist leader Mandarin (“played by Sir Ben Kingsley”) who wounded his former bodyguard Happy (still performed by Favreau himself at least). The Mandarin comes down hard on Tony, destroying his mansion and seemingly obliterating his various armors. With only his wit, his engineering skills, his insufferable character flaws – he was never more irritating than he is here – and the aid of some kid in a shack, he soon turns the tables and confronts his new nemesis and his silly army of exploding people, only to find out the situation is not what it appeared to be, as the Mandarin is just a fraud (way to ruin a classic bad guy, Marvel!). Another adversary, A.I.M. leader Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) is behind it all, out to revenge himself on Stark, literally for making him cry ten years earlier (now that's what I call a solid motivation for aiming to conquer the world!). During the film's climactic showdown, Tony can fortunately count on his girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) to save his ass, plus he had another 40 armors inexplicably hidden up his sleeve. Iron Man 3 pretentiously delves into semi-philosophical territory when it keeps asking whether the suit makes the man or vice versa, but the fact is we simply don't care. All we knew was that Robert Downey Jr. made Iron Man and now sloppy writing has allowed him to be unmade, for which Downey reportedly received the sum of 50 million (!) dollars, probably for looking the other way as it happened. At least Stark is basically still the same after four films, as it was clear what audiences wanted and expected from the get-go. The same can't be said for the Mandarin, whose presence was alluded to in the prevous two Iron Man films, but all of a sudden proves to be someone else entirely halfway through the film. Don't trust the trailers for this film that insinuated that we were in for a major epic villain played by Kingsley, since that's all a lie and you'll end up disappointed. Blame it on the Chinese involvement, as Iron Man 3 was co-produced with Chinese studios to cut costs (Downey's salary had to come from somewhere after all). And in such a case, you simply can't afford to have a Chinese villain claiming to be after the destruction of western civilization. Interestingly enough, the Chinese market received a slightly different cut of the film including scenes not seen in the regular version, to make it even more attractive for Chinese audiences. Iron Man 3 bodes ill for the rest of Marvel's Phase 2, but there's gotta be better upcoming movies to make up for this huge letdown. Ant-Man maybe? 

 

The Great Gatsby: ***/*****, or 7/10

Another visual feast by Baz Lurhmann (Moulin Rouge, Australia). The fifth version of the classic book by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and definitely the most extravagant, as we would have expected from Luhrmann, who always tends to lavishly overstylize his films. This is his first foray into the realm of 3D, and fortunately it's a successful one at that. From a narrative viewpoint, the movie predictably feels less intriguing. In the early Roaring Twenties, war veteran Nick Carraway (a rather dull Tobey Maguire, as is the norm) moves to Long Island, next door to a giant mansion belonging to the seemingly incredibly wealthy but enigmatic Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio, another one of his hugely rich and influential but emotionally tormented big screen souls). Drawn to the unreal world of fabulous upperclass decadence, Carraway soon gets his taste of high society as he attends one of Gatsby's unbelievably amazing parties. Gatsby soon purposefully reveals himself to Nick and recruits him to arrange a meeting between himself and Nick's attractive cousin Daisy (Carey Mulligan), a long lost love of Gatsby from before the Great War whom he lost contact with and who has since gone on to marry a rich but quite dislikeable land owner (Joel Edgerton). Hoping to respark their love thanks to Nick's involvement bridging their past, Gatsby and Daisy soon reunite and haphazardly start an affair that can only end in tragedy. But despite his attempts to basically bang a married girl, you hope Gatsby succeeds as he is a sympathetic character, once a boy who came from nothing but worked himself up to incredulous heights, while still favoring the lower class folks who live decent lives worth living, instead of engaging in the monotony of endless partying. Gatsby appears to make a stand for the poor, hard working labourers with his understanding attitude and actions, which can only lead to his downfall from the rich ruling classes and their corrupting power over everything and everyone. But what a downfall it is, shot with such dynamic vibrancy and wild colour schemes, presented in three jaw-droppingly beautiful dimensions! Nevertheless the blatant melodrama at the core is hard to be effectively sugarcoated, even in Luhrmann's elaborate ways. The Great Gatsby emulates its titular character, in the sense that it's packed with bombastic bravoura and laced with visual flair throughout, detracting you from the lack of a refined, satisfactory plot, which is notably absent if you care to see beneath the mask of its sensational appearance. Beneath the surface it's all fairly hollow, but not without a certain charm. This movie is a feast to behold as much as the parties it depicts would no doubt be a thrill to attend, but ultimately, it proves a fairly forgetful experience in the long run. And so Hollywood can keep remaking Fitzgerald's novel once every few decades to ever more spectacular results.

Today's News: final Iron Man 3 poster

No new movie list today, hope to get back to that in the weekend. But I posted this on MovieScene the other day, so as usual I just have to post it here as well:

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/144976/nieuwe_poster_iron_man_3

I don't have much to add to what I already said about the subject in the actual news flash, other than the fact I'm increasingly excited about the project. It's got the old characters we've come to love (Stark, Pepper, Rhodey, etc.) plus several new ones played by top actors like Guy Pearce and Sir Ben Kingsley. Whether the Mandarin, played by the latter and already hinted at in the first film, is gonna be an intriguing villain remains to be seen but at least there's a solid actor behind the part, which is never a bad thing (then again, Kingsley did play Thunderbirds adversary the Hood in the 2004 Hollywood adaptation, and that wasn't a particularly good thing...). This new poster certainly looks appealing, making it clear Iron Man isn't gonna go down without a decent fight despite the previous poster portraying him in a death defying skyfall (while on fire), making a good outcome on his part unlikely. Also visible on the new one-sheet is the Iron Legion, which is an element from the Marvel Universe I'm surprisingly unfamiliar with. I suspect Rhodey is involved with them, as it has been made clear he will be featured again as Iron Man's military counterpart War Machine, but other than that I have no clue. I don't mind, I can stand to be surprised for once.

Of course the big question now is; how will the flick, being the first installment in Marvel's eagerly anticipated Phase 2, tie in with other upcoming Marvel movies? It has to hint to The Avengers, that much is undeniable. But will it feature new superheroes we've been hoping to get a break on the silver screen? For that matter, will it feature previously established characters that first appeared in the previous Iron Man films, like Nick Fury or Black Widow? Time will tell, but it's obvious we've still only seen the tip of the iceberg where Marvel's cinematic shared universe is concerned. Make Mine Marvel!

Iron Man 2

Rating: ***/*****, or 7/10

Marvels reclamebureau in actie

Voor diegenen die het gemist hebben, de film Iron Man had nog een scène na de aftiteling. Hierin was te zien hoe de man achter de Ijzeren Man, Tony Stark (uitstekend vertolkt door Robert Downey Jr.), benaderd werd door een schimmig figuur met een ooglapje (Samuel L. Jackson), die hem wilde rekruteren voor het superhelden-genootschap genaamd de 'Avengers'. Men had er beter aan gedaan deze scène direct voor in plaats van direct achter de end credits te plaatsen, want het was een veelzeggende eerste stap voor het merendeel van de superheldenfilms die Marvel Studios de komende jaren voor ons in petto heeft. Althans, dat wil Marvel ons doen geloven, waardoor het verwijzen naar andere superhelden in Iron Man 2 een stuk uitvoeriger aan bod komt, soms met verwarrende gevolgen. 

Desondanks neemt Marvels uitbundige reclamewerk in de opvolger niet weg dat Iron Man 2 een prima te verteren superheldenfilm vormt, met de gebruikelijke aaneenschakeling van onderhoudende actiescènes en opnieuw prima acteerwerk, vooral van Downey Jr. als de narcistische en arrogante uitvinder Stark, die zijn voortbestaan als superheld niet alleen vanuit meerdere hoeken bedreigd ziet, maar ook meer persoonlijke crises doormaakt. De verrassing is er echter af, waardoor Iron Man 2 het niveau van de voorganger net niet haalt, maar het desondanks toch een fijne film vormt.

Zes maanden na de gebeurtenissen in de eerste film moet Tony Stark zich meten met een Senaatscommissie die het hightech stalen harnas van hem af wil nemen, want burgers horen niet met dergelijke wapens rond te lopen. Collega-industrieel Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell, met haast dezelfde hoeveelheid hufterige flair en charisma als Downey Jr.) staat al handenwrijvend klaar om Starks militaire contract over te nemen en zijn concurrent zodoende uit te rangeren. Voorts kampt Stark met toenemende bloedvergiftiging door zijn gebruik van het mechanische kostuum, waardoor hij zich immer meer labiel en asociaal gaat gedragen en van zijn naasten vervreemd: vooral zijn relatie met secretaresse annex love interest Pepper Potts (de wederom schattige Gwyneth Paltrow) lijdt hier zwaar onder. Alsof dat nog niet genoeg is duikt er een Russische schurk, genaamd Ivan Vanko (prima rol voor zwaargewicht Mickey Rourke), op, die nog een persoonlijk appeltje te schillen heeft met Stark wegens het onrecht dat diens vader door Tony's vader is aangedaan, en hem gewapend met een met zwepen getooid gevechtspak te lijf gaat, alvorens een geheim monsterverbond met Hammer te vormen en voor hem een legertje kwaadaardige gevechtsrobots te bouwen. Tenslotte heeft Stark ook nog zijn eigen vader-zooncomplex op te lossen. Het zal niemand verbazen als blijkt dat het nu verhaaltechnische overvolle Iron Man 2 meer plotlijnen moet afhandelen dan eigenlijk nodig was, waardoor niet alles even goed uit de verf komt.

 

Regisseur Jon Favreau manoeuvreert zich met de nodige humor en vaart door de meeste verhaallijnen heen, wat in het voordeel werkte van de ook door hem geregisseerde voorganger, en in het geval van dit tweede deel tenminste zorgt voor een onderhoudend geheel. Downey laat hierbij duidelijk merken zich opnieuw uitstekend te vermaken in zijn rol als de instabiele superheld, wat wederom een op alle fronten geslaagde acteerprestatie van zijn kant oplevert. Ook met de minder luchtige kanten van het verhaal kan hij goed uit de voeten, wat zorgt voor een geloofwaardig verloop van de persoonlijke narigheid die Stark doormaakt. Het is in dit opzicht het script dat tegenzit, en voor een afhandeling van zaken zorgt die hoofdzakelijk vraagtekens oplevert. Hoe het bijvoorbeeld nou precies zit met Starks vader, die zijn zoon postuum de blauwdrukken geeft voor een nieuw element blijft een raadsel, evenals de reden dat dit Tony's gezondheidsproblemen tegelijkertijd oplost. 

Het scenario maakt zich er op sommige punten te gemakzuchtig vanaf, maar dat mag de pret niet drukken. De actie blijft subliem, zowel qua vormgeving als uitvoering, en dus bekommeren we ons niet om het gerommel met Starks bloedvergiftiging als hij samen met zijn nieuwe collega blikken man War Machine (Don Cheadle) een aanval van kwaadwillende metalen monsters doorstaat. Ook het gehalte aan humor is behouden gebleven en zorgt voor de nodige glimlach, want ondanks de hoeveelheid aan serieuze thema's die de film aankaart moeten we het geheel ook weer niet al te serieus nemen. 

En tussen alle relationele crises en uitbundig wapengekletter zet Marvels reclamecampagne zich voort. Samuel L. Jackson heeft dit keer een grotere rol als de geheimzinnige Nick Fury die de zelfdestructieve Tony Stark in toom probeert te houden zodat Iron Man zich bij de Avengers kan aansluiten. Wie de slotscène van de eerste film gemist heeft zal zich slechts afvragen wie die man met dat ooglapje in vredesnaam is. Ook de rol die diens agente Natasha Romanoff (een overdreven harde Scarlett Johansson) precies speelt terwijl ze infiltreert als Starks nieuwe secretaresse, blijft goeddeels onduidelijk. Naast het zorgvuldig toewerken naar The Avengers (verwacht in 2012) bevat Iron Man 2 een hoeveelheid knipogen naar onder andere Captain America en Thor, die volgend jaar de bioscoop (on)veilig zullen maken. Iron Man 2 biedt gastoptredens van onder andere War Machine, Black Widow, Nick Fury en Whiplash, maar het grootste deel van het publiek heeft geen idee wie deze lui mogen zijn. 

De Marvel-fans onder ons zullen zodoende meer uit de voeten kunnen met bepaalde personages en namen dan de leken, die juist de nodige vraagtekens zullen plaatsen. Echter, beide groepen treffen in Iron Man 2 een geslaagde actiefilm met de juiste mix van humor en vaart, aangevuld met enkele zwaardere thema's die, hoewel niet allen even netjes afgehandeld, de film toch een meerwaarde geven over doorsnee superheldenfilms. Hoe dat nou precies zit met die Avengers zien we in 2012 wel.

En laat deel één een les voor U zijn: blijf dit keer wel zitten tot de aftiteling voorbij is...