Iron Man 2

By mid-May, summer blockbuster fever is well under way. The first of the major big-budget films has already hit box offices to whet the palate and provide a taste of what is to come. Are the early indications positive? Are the appetizers flavorful? What is to be expected of the main course?
Iron Man 2 i the follow-up to the immensely successful original. Virtually the entire original cast returns to reprise their roles headlined by Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. Downey Jr. has once again found the perfect pitch and tone for Tony Stark, a virtual anti-hero in many ways who remains too admirable and good-intentioned to be anything less than a defender of justice. Tony Stark is perhaps the best superhero character ever adapted to the screen. The supporting cast is good – adequate to the point of being collateral damage of Downey's dominating performance. The standout has to Sam Rockwell — a scene stealer in every role — as Stark's competitor Justin Hammer. Originally one of the last choices for the role of Tony Stark, Rockwell portrays Hammer as Stark 2.0, Stark Lite, the diet Pepsi of Stark, and the Hammer Zero of Stark. His performance leaves little doubt that had he been cast as Iron Man the role would have lost very little. The story of the film is decent and follows the same blueprint as the first. Its less a story as much as a guideline. Perhaps the guideline it followed is the summer sequel blueprint that reads 'bigger and badder'. Too many new characters doing too much creating too little to enjoy. The production values are excellent as to be expected. Perhaps the greatest achievement of the film is proving that when in the hands of the right director (Jon Favreau) and showcasing the skills of the right star, a superhero summer sequel can in fact make noise outside of the box office realm.
If Iron Man 2 is any indication, perhaps this summer won't be so bad. It will likely lack substance and concede that the summer is a time where style matters. How else can audiences be convinced to go inside? For those waiting for something with more meat, the summer is not the season. Substance comes later in the year when the weather is more conducive to heading inside, the studios are more flexible and the stories are ripe.