14 DAY TRIAL // Coming on all theaters screens across the world starting May 7, “Iron Man 2” is definitely one of the most hyped releases of this year – and this includes any and all productions that might come out this summer. Part of the hype is due to the immense success the first film had, which clearly came as a surprise even for the movie studio. Part of it is due to the impressive cast, while a good chunk of it is thanks to good old traditional word of mouth online.
Whether “Iron Man 2” will actually live to the hype is an entirely different matter altogether, but most reviewers agree that it won’t. The film, now running in select theaters in certain territories around the world, is getting mixed to very negative reviews, with some even going as far as to say that the promo campaign was a smokescreen for how bad the movie turned out. Most notably, not one single reviewer says “2” is better or at least as good as “1,” as Collider can confirm, having summed up most reviews from major publications.
The Hollywood Reporter, for one, sees “Iron Man 2” as money down the drain, a project that had plenty of potential that it threw away because of a very bad script (Justin Theroux), bad editing and too many special effects. The plots are too many and Jon Favreau can’t seem to be bothered about them, while the actors seem lost in a nausea-inducing frenzy that appears to revolve not around the fate of mankind, as expected, but around a “new Defense contract.”
“Well, that didn’t take long. Everything fun and terrific about ‘Iron Man,’ a mere two years ago, has vanished with its sequel. In its place, ‘Iron Man 2’ has substituted noise, confusion, multiple villains, irrelevant stunts and misguided story lines. A film series that started out with critical and commercial success will have to settle for only the latter with this sequel; Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Tony Stark/Iron Man will assure that. […] Visual and CGI effects are the best and worst thing about ‘Iron Man 2.’ The film relies far too much on them. They catch one up in the action, but, unfortunately, nothing else does,” THR writes in a scathing piece on the film.
Variety too agrees, though in a milder tone, stressing that “2” will also turn out to be a commercial hit no matter what. “‘Iron Man 2’ isn’t as much fun as its predecessor, but by the time the smoke clears, it’ll do. Much like ‘The Dark Knight,’ this Paramount release brings an enormous stash of goodwill to the party, thanks to a well-crafted origin tale whose popularity fueled anticipation for a follow-up. Yet while the first go-round for this lesser-known Marvel hero benefited from its freshness and visual flair, the beats here are more familiar, the pacing more uneven. Given the demand, though, that will hardly matter, and this armored adventure promises to be a money-making machine that clicks on all cylinders,” the prestigious publication writes.
If “Iron Man 2” turns out to be a commercial hit – which it most likely will – this will mean fans loved it. On the same note, if fans love it, perhaps what critics say doesn’t even matter that much. For more reviews, please refer here.