Can you imagine, almost two years went by in between MCU releases. And the studios decided to double down on Iron Man. Probably the right call.

This movie had a lot of good ideas and intentions. I just found the execution to be lacking.

The positives:
Addressing real world issues.
1. How the arc reactor was physically affecting Tony Stark
2. How the government would react to a superhero/weapon
3. How attempts at creating Iron Men would pop up around the world, much like nuclear weapons
4. How life as Iron Man would change Tony Stark (ie handing over CEO to Pepper)

Even though Iron Man is based upon fictional technology, I have always felt like it was the most grounded MCU character in reality. Much like DC’s Batman. A ultra rich tech dude. Not a Norse God, a Jekyll/Hyde scientist, a frozen super soldier. I like how they address real world problems and events and reactions in the Iron Man movies.

Here is were I felt they came up short:
1. New characters. I feel like they wasted the use of two great actors in Mickey Rourke and especially Sam Rockwell. Just another set of one dimensional villains that had potential to be much more. Again the classic case of a villain pulling off in hours what Tony Stark took days, weeks, months to do. Yeah the Russian physicist could probably replicate the arc reactor with the plans and all. But then computer program defense grade military drones?! Etc etc etc. It should have been a much more colaberated effort between him and Hammer, each doing what they do best. Also, don’t make Hammer look like a fool. He can’t turn off a TV without unplugging it? Just a waste of two actors....

The race scene was awful. Just bad physics all around for a cheap action set piece.

And why would Howard Stark think his son would need a different metal for the reactor inside his chest powering the electromagnet keeping shards of metal from entering his heart? That is some kind of precognition, maybe he’s the real super hero. That whole plot device was dumb. And that blood toxicity meter was right out of the 80’s. Definitely felt out of place compared to all the other tech in the movie.

We do get the addition of Black Widow and more Nick Fury, as well as the Avengers initiative info. And of course in the post credits, we get the Hammer of Thor (first time I saw this, I had no idea Thor was even a super hero, so I had no idea what the Hammer was for)

Overall I’d give this a 6 out of 10. Good intentions, but the final work didn’t live up to them. Nothing really memorable about this film sticks out to me. Better than The Incredible Hulk, but no where near the first Iron Man

Current MCU rankings:
1. Iron Man
2. Iron Man 2
3. The Incredible Hulk

Next up, Thor (2011)