Iron Man II

If it is entertainment you seek, seek no further. Seriously, this movie is all about fun, and it spares no expense in bringing it to you. Surprisingly, it doesn’t cheat its audience out of the character development and decent script that its predecessor offered, instead presenting a sound combination of style and substance that one doesn’t often find in a sequel.

Robert Downey Jr. has solidified his “comeback” and is now just a great actor at work. His charisma carries the film through any of the low points of mediocre one-liners and plot excessiveness. Scarlett Johansson is decent, but it is Gwyneth Paltrow who really shines opposite the hero, continuing to play a great foil. Iron Man II is nothing if not a conventional action movie, but it succeeds because it does its job with the right amount of flair–special effects rarely impress us anymore, but this movie packs some exciting punch, especially in the penultimate battle that pits Downey Jr. and Cheadle (also good) against a swarm of awesomely bad drones.

The comic relief is still entertaining and the leads are good, allowing the film to offer enough substance to sustain all the gusto. It isn’t without the occasional over-the-top pitfall, but Iron Man II knows what it wants to do, and executes according to plan.