16 visit www.myvue.com for more information

re

When it comes to ‘comic book’ films, the second is often the best. Without having to spend half the film establishing who’s who and what not, the sequel can throw us straight into the action. However, this freedom to go for broke doesn’t guarantee success. With this in mind, fans of the man in the iron suit have been hoping Jon Favreau can avoid the dreaded trap of the sub-standard sequel. Don’t worry, he’s delivered – and then some!

Tony Stark (Downey Jnr.) is revelling in the global notoriety he’s generated after announcing himself as Iron Man. Thanks to him most global conflicts have ended, effectively, he’s “privatised world peace.” However, the U.S.

Government aren’t quite so accepting of the Billionaire playboy’s approach to law and order, exerting pressure on him to divulge the secrets of his technology. Stark, however, stubbornly keeps his cards close to his chest, trusting only his closest friends Pepper Pots (Paltrow) and Lt. Col James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Cheadle).

However, Stark isn’t the only inventive soul in the world. Locked away from prying eyes is Ivan Vanko (Rourke). Quietly, he has been developing both a hatred of Stark and some high-tech weaponry of his own. Once ready, Vanko, armed with a mean set of lethal ‘light whips’, heads out to cause some serious havoc as the monstrous Whiplash. Vanko’s

visit www.myvue.com for more information 17

confrontation with Stark spikes the interest of one of his main business rivals, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell). Hammer decides to help fund Vanko’s technology and soon they’ve produced a deathly robot army. Massively out gunned, Rhodey suggests that Iron Man get a little help in the form of War Machine – a badass version of Stark’s super suit, a suit Rhodey happily volunteers to jump inside. And so, the fight to keep the peace begins.

With two covert anti-terror agents from S.H.I.E.L.D: Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) thrown into the mix too, there was a fear that some of the narrative would be lost. Happily, Favreau has

avoided making this a mess and the action and throw away humour, especially from Downey Jnr, rarely let up.

See this if you liked... Iron Man, The Dark Knight, Spiderman 2

STARRING Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey RourkeDIRECTOR Jon FavreauCERTIFICATE 12A (TBC)RELEASE DATE April 30

A Closer Vue• SamRockwellwasoneoftheoriginalchoicestoplaythepartofTonyStarkinIronMan,thepartthat eventually went to Robert Downey Jnr.

• TherewassomedebateastowhetherSamuelL.Jacksonwouldreturn.Eventually,hereportedlysignedtoreprisehisroleasNickFuryinnineMarvelfilms.

• ThecharacterofVankoisacombinationofbothCrimsonDynamoandsupervillainWhiplashwhobothoriginateintheoriginalcomics.

”

FanswerehopingthatJonFavreau could avoid the dreaded trapofthesub-standardsequel.Don’tworry,he’sdelivered–andthensome!

“

IRON MAN 2re

Phot

os: ©

200

9 M

VLFF

LLC.

? &

© 2

009

Mar

vel E

nter

tain

men

t. Al

l rig

hts

rese

rved

.