Marvel Comics Naval Rings

Marvel Comics Naval Rings

Marvel Comics Naval Rings

Robert Downey Jnr totally enjoys himself in the role of Tony Stark aka Iron Man and why not? Parading himself in public like a rock-star, claiming to have single-handedly aided towards world peace, and insulting a key member of the US Senate; are just a few things that his character gets away with and all the while he is conscious that the very technology keeping him alive is also killing him.

With the knowledge of impending death as a device to get audiences to empathize with the character, director Jon Favreau (Friends – 1997 TV show, Swingers – 1996) who cast himself in both movies as - Happy Hogan, (Stark’s chauffeur and personal assistant) loses out on quality Iron Man moments trying to get audiences to feel an emotional connection with the character. It’s a marvel action movie where the good guy wins, so seeing more outlandish action sequences would have been more entertaining than wondering if Tony Stark would eventually find a way to save himself.

More action please!

When the explosions and no nonsense comic book action, shot against an AC/DC fuelled soundtrack finally hit the screen, it is all spread out quite thin. The emphasis of the movie is jeopardy. Favreau attacks his lead character with numerous plot dynamics to ring out as much tension as possible. Stark’s former weapon’s company is in competition with Hammer Industries, a current weapons company run by Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell, Moon - 2009) who is more than a little jealous of Stark’s fame and superior technology and, when he sees Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke, Sin City – 2005. Aka Whiplash from the Marvel comic books) take on Iron Man and nearly defeat him, his interest in Vanko is peaked. Rourke is both mean and funny at the same time, a mix of nonchalance and sarcasm that make for some humorous moments in contrast to Downey Jnr’s often ostentatious performance.