Marvel Cinematic Universe: IRON MAN 2

In eager anticipation of Marvel Studios' AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, I'm re-watching every entry in the "Marvel Cinematic Universe" (MCU) thus far, from IRON MAN to GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, and then sharing my views on each one as a film and within the context of the MCU and movie landscape.  At the end of each essay is a list of "Easter eggs" that connect the pertinent film to other films in the wider MCU, and a "Top 5" of the best five parts (a scene, concept, actor, character, etc.) in each movie. Now for the first in the series to really throw open the doors to Marvel's grander vision, the creaking and bombastic but still modestly entertaining sequel IRON MAN 2.  [Please note, this review contains spoilers].

IRON MAN 2
Released 7 May 2010
Directed by Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, John Slattery, Garry Shandling, Paul Bettany (voice), Jon Favreau
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language.
124 minutes 
Merit: 2.5/4
With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military.  Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts and James "Rhodey" Rhodes at his side, must forge new alliances- and confront powerful new enemies.[Synopsis from "Marvel Cinematic Universe - Phase One: Avengers Assembled" Blu-ray box set]

IRON MAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK were a couple of fun summer blockbusters, one of them superb, the other a bit of dumb fun.  IRON MAN 2 revealed the grand vision that Marvel Studios had in mind, but in less than spectacular fashion, a clumsy, bombastic midway point in a narrative that emphasized the weaknesses of the planned MCU.  IRON MAN 2 is not a particularly bad movie, but it's not a good one, the result of a production that did not yet realize it was mere cog in a giant machine that no one quite knew how to operate yet.
Six months after the events in IRON MAN, Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) is a world famous superhero as Iron Man, or as he puts it, having successfully "privatized world peace".  However, while Tony only uses it as a defensive weapon, the federal government, concerned with a foreign power developing similar technology, and military contractors, interested in getting a slice of the profits, are pressuring him to turn the tech over to the public.  Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a Russian genius bearing a grudge against the Stark empire, has done just what Tony insists is years away, having developed his own arc reactor weapons technology, which he plans to use against Tony in the midst of the newly re-instituted Stark Expo in New York.  Tony has an even more pressing problem than any of this though, with the arc reactor in his chest that keeps him alive slowly killing him with palladium poisoning.

In addition to the smorgasbord of new complications in Iron Man's world, IRON MAN 2 introduces two new major players in the MCU, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Agent Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), who show up with information that Stark needs to build an entirely new synthesized element to replace the palladium core in the chest piece that his killing him.
IRON MAN 2 is serviceable entertainment enough, but feels obligatory in most respects, with conflicting visions between returning director Jon Favreau (who also returns onscreen as Stark's driver/head of security, Happy Hogan), who envisioned the Iron Man films as a trilogy story arc, and Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige, who was using IRON MAN 2 as an introduction to how each character fits into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe.  The primary antagonist, Ivan Vanko, marketed as "Whiplash", is more of a side plot with minimal consequences to the story as whole and basically serves as an excuse for an overly bombastic finale.  Fury, Romanoff and returning S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), meanwhile, are primarily there to connect the Iron Man world to the larger MCU.  In her first appearance, Johansson's Black Widow is poorly managed, a cliched, sexualized action heroine whose role is not only perfunctory, but lacking a sufficient identity.  Sam Rockwell, an early candidate for the role of Tony Stark when the first movie was in development, brings a sharp, sardonic sense of humor as a Stark wannabe, weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer, a flashy showman with a dark edge.  Again though, his place in the proceedings is a bit confused, as a secondary antagonist to a primary antagonist who feels misplaced himself.
The action is also lacking, comprised of a lot of bombast, but lacking in either impact or elegance.  The climactic action sequence in particular is disappointingly explosion and destruction driven, and while maybe not approaching the absurdly callous level of MAN OF STEEL, it feels like there would be more of a civilian body count than the movie is prepared to accept.
There are two sets of priorities to IRON MAN 2, essentially two movies; a continuation of the narrative introduced in IRON MAN, and an introduction to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe at large; and while the two interweave well tonally, the overcrowded whole neuters the effects of both.  It's a big, creaking sequel that takes the character from point A to point B, but the substance of the journey and achievement, as an individual film, is negligible.

Easter Eggs to Look For:

• Reference to CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER: Tony uses a partial Captain America shield, which appeared as an Easter Egg in the first IRON MAN, to prop up a makeshift arc reactor.
• Reference to THOR: Multiple references to THOR, released in theaters a year later, including Nick Fury telling Tony Stark, "I have bigger problems in the southwest region to deal with," (THOR is primarily set in New Mexico), and Agent Coulson being transferred to New Mexico (Coulson later plays a role in THOR).
• Reference to THOR: The post-credits stinger shows Coulson in New Mexico, standing by a crater with a large hammer, Mjolnir, at the center, alluding to events to come in THOR.
• Reference to THE INCREDIBLE HULK: When Stark meets with Nick Fury to go over Agent Romanoff's assessment of Iron Man for the Avenger's Initiative, a screen is visible showing a news report of the Hulk's battle with General Ross' troops from THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
• Foreshadowing to MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS: The Avengers Initiative for which Agent Romanoff is assessing Iron Man is a straightforward lead-in to MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS.

Top 5 of IRON MAN 2  

1.  Opening the Stark Expo- To the strains of AC/DC's "Shoot to Thrill", Iron Man skydives into the arena in spectacular fashion, before machinery removes the suit to reveal Tony Stark in a tuxedo beneath, a la James Bond, in IRON MAN 2's highest energy moment.
2.  Justin Hammer's Sales Pitch- He has an unpleasant, nasty edge at moments, but in full gear as the on-stage Justin Hammer, Sam Rockwell is hilarious, no more so than when he lays out a series of weapons for modifying the War Machine suit.  "I can tell this isn't disco enough for you..."  Love that.
3.  Samuel L. Jackson is Nick Fury- After a post-credits cameo in IRON MAN, Samuel L. Jackson returns in a supporting role as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury, and every movie should have a bit of Samuel L. Jackson in it.  Every movie. 
4. Tony Reads His "Avengers Initiative" Assessment- "Mr. Stark displays textbook...narcissism?" [pauses, looks up] "Agreed." 
5. The Ex-Wife Payoff- Facing off against Ivan Vanko/Whiplash, Rhodes/War Machine fires what he's been told is a super-charged bunker-buster grenade, the "Ex-Wife", which bounces of Whiplash and falls in a puddle with a small fart sound.  "Hammer tech?" Iron Man asks.  This would just be a stupid, cheap gag, but it's War Machine lowering his head dejectedly when says, "Yeah," which sells it.

Images via Marvel Studios