IRONMAN 2

ahhhhh, the much awaited sequel! You tell yourself it's going to be amazing, yet you don't want to psyche yourself up too much because you don't want to be disappointed.

well, if you haven't yet seen Ironman 2 (why???), let me tell you now that it's worth it.

The sequel continues where the first Ironman ended, showing how Tony Stark deals with the world knowing that he is Ironman. As Tony handles the media, the government and his own personal demons, a new villain is introduced; Ivan Vanko, son of soviet physicist Anton Vanko, Ivan has a vendetta against the Stark legacy and wants to avenge his family's honor.

The mood of the movie is much like the last, witty, charming and narcissistic just like it's main character. This tone is prevalent throughout the film, pushing the story along and bringing the audience along for the ride.

The brilliance of Robert Downey Jr. is impeccable as he juggles the ups and downs of being Tony Stark. His performance is all the more enhanced by the firm support of the rest of the cast. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts is the perfect foil to Tony's personality and the two make the perfect non-couple.

Those who had doubts about Don Cheadle taking up the role of Lt. Col. Rhodes/War Machine, can be rest assured that he gives a good performance, slipping seamlessly into the persona and the relationship the character has with Tony. Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow also deserves applause, though she pretty much has the same expression throughout the movie, she also gives us a majorly kick-ass action sequence. One of the best by a female lead by far.

Rounding out the cast is Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko/Whiplash. Though the character's origins and name differ from the original Marvel version, Rourke makes it work. He almost outshines Downey Jr, with his calm yet sinister portrayal of a villain that at times seem almost as intelligent as Tony.

From start to finnish, the action sequences keep the audiences' rapt attention, the many gadgets, weapons and cool moves have become a staple of the Marvel franchise. These are all the more shown off in Ironman, especially now that S.H.I.E.L.D is involved. Though the special effects are not as breath taking as in the first movie (seeing as how we've seen most of it before), some off the newer introductions are still satisfyingly gasp invoking.

It's also interesting to note that now that the Marvel universes are converging and the impending Avengers movie is slowly yet surely becoming a reality, the producer's are letting in little allusions to other Marvel character's that we've not yet seen. Make sure you stay on after the credits role to catch one of these hints.

On the whole, Ironman 2 is a worthy sequel and though it's not as fresh as it's predecessor was, the solid performances and awesome action sequences make up for a story that's only almost as-good-as the first one.

Rating : 7.7/10...minus 0.3 for not being as good as the first, which might be unavoidable but, so what. If you're a Marvel fan, you can't not watch this. If you've seen Ironman, you can't not watch the sequel. If you haven't seen either movie, where HAVE you been?