Today’s Prayer Focus
Oscar® Nominee for Best Visual EffectsMOVIE REVIEW
Iron Man 2
also known as “Iron Man 2: The IMAX Experience,” “Iron Man II,” “Dzelzs virs 2—Latvia,” “Gelezinis zmogus 2,” “Homem de Ferro 2,” “Raudmees 2,” “Vasember 2,” “Железный человек 2”
MPA Rating:
for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language.
for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language.
Reviewed by: Daniel Thompson
CONTRIBUTOR
| Moral Rating: | Offensive |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Teens Adults |
| Genre: | Sci-Fi Superhero Action Drama Fantasy IMAX Sequel |
| Length: | 2 hr. 4 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2010 |
| USA Release: |
May 7, 2010 (wide—4,000+ theaters) DVD: September 28, 2010 |
Relevant Issues
How did Jesus greatly humble himself for us? Answer
Drunkenness in the Bible
DEPRESSION—Are there biblical examples of depression and how to deal with it? Answer
What should a Christian do if overwhelmed with depression? Answer
REVENGE—Love replaces hatred—former israeli soldier and an ex-PLO fighter prove peace is possible-but only with Jesus
Anger in the Bible
Armor in the Bible
Death in the Bible
Should I save sex for marriage? Answer
A single man or woman can help change the world. Read about some who did with faith and God’s help…
Jesus Christ, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and David
| Featuring |
Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark / Iron Man) Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow) Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) Mickey Rourke (Ivan Vanko / Whiplash) Paul Bettany (Jarvis—voice) Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) Sam Rockwell (Justin Hammer) Kate Mara (Bethany Cabe) Olivia Munn (Melina Vostokoff / Iron Maiden) Jon Favreau (Hogan) Don Cheadle (Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes / War Machine) Leslie Bibb (Christine Everhart) Helena Mattsson (Rebecca) Stan Lee (Larry King) Clark Gregg (Agent Phil Coulson) John Slattery (Howard Stark) Gina Cantrell (Ironette) Tim Guinee (Major Allen) Jack White (Jack!) Natalina Maggio (Model) Garry Shandling (Senator Stern) See all » |
| Director |
Jon Favreau |
| Producer | Paramount Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Studios, Fairview Entertainment, Victoria Alonso, Louis D'Esposito, Susan Downey, Jon Favreau, Kevin Feige, Alan Fine, Eric Heffron, Jeremy Latcham, Stan Lee, David Maisel, Denis L. Stewart |
| Distributor |
 Paramount Pictures Corporation, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS |
Sequel to “Iron Man” (2008)
In 2008, Paramount Pictures had an unknown commodity in the “Iron Man” franchise. Sure, the time was right for superhero movies, but “Iron Man” wasn’t nearly as well known as “Batman,”, “Spider Man,” or “X-Men.” With Robert Downey Jr. as the star and a director whose only big budget film was “Elf,” the film was a risk. Its success was unthinkable, as the movie earned over $300 million just in the US. There was good reason for its success. “Iron Man” was an excellent superhero movie with a great redemptive tale told with wonderful acting, effects, and humor. The question now became: could this success be replicated? For most fans, the answer to that question will be a resounding ‘yes,’ as “Iron Man 2,” while lacking some originality of the first one, mostly delivers on the promise of the 2008 smash hit.
When we last left our hero, he had done something that superheroes generally don’t do: reveal his secret identity at a live press conference. This does several things. It sends shockwaves throughout the world, starting millions into production trying to create their own Iron Man weapon (without much success). It leads to the US government demanding the technology used by Stark be turned over to the authorities. It also feeds Stark’s ego, the ego of a man who can already fly and shoot lasers out of his hands.
There can’t help but be problems, beginning with Russian physicist Ivan Vanko whose father was deported by Stark’s father years ago. Vanko has successfully developed his own weapon based on Stark’s work and has come to America to avenge his father’s death by killing Tony. Add to that Justin Hammer, head of a weapons manufacturer that is continually embarrassed by Stark. Hammer wants nothing more than to show Stark up, and he recruits the villainous Vanko to help him achieve his goal. With Tony drunk with power and no longer listening to his trusted friends Pepper Potts and Colonel Rhodes, things aren’t looking too good.
While all of this sounds a lot darker than the first “Iron Man,” the filmmakers manage to keep the same fun, lighthearted tone that made the original film so memorable. With enough comic touches and dry wit, the palate established for the series isn’t altered.
The main detriment of “Iron Man 2” is an ailment that plagues most sequels. Because of the success of the original, filmmakers feel the need to make the sequel with more of everything. More characters, more plotlines, more explosions. The problem is that bigger doesn’t always mean better. The plot of “Iron Man 2” is overstuffed with multiple villains, as well as a side story that is nothing more than a long preview for “The Avengers” film coming out in 2012. While this portion of the plot featuring SHIELD leader Nick Fury will make serious comic book fans drool, it doesn’t deserve this much screen time in a movie that’s supposed to be about Iron Man. Because of this, the story suffers in places, and the pacing isn’t quite as quick or breezy as the first.
The good news is that when they overstuffed this sequel they did so with an all-star cast. Joining the returning cast are the likes of Don Cheadle as Colonel Rhodes (replacing Terrance Howard from the first film), Samuel L. Jackson as SHIELD director Nick Fury, Scarlett Johansson as the mysterious Natalie Rushman, Sam Rockwell as weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer, and Academy Award nominee Mickey Rourke as the menacing Russian villain Ivan Vanko. The performances are uniformly great, but the star of the show is Downey Jr. It’s possible that he plays the part of Tony Stark so well because it reflects a lot of his own life. A talented actor who once was a slave to his addictions was given a second chance and has taken full advantage of it. Regardless of the reason, Downey’s mannerisms and line deliveries make him ideal for the role.
Similar to the first “Iron Man”, there are some positive redemptive themes in the sequel. What’s great about the character of Tony Stark, in comparison to other superheroes, is that his powers aren’t given to him through a spider bite or the planet Krypton. but through his own machinations. Because of this, his struggles with identity are more in line with how an actual human being would handle them. He is overtaken with pride and arrogance, as he ascends to national and worldwide prominence. He doesn’t struggle with the weight or responsibility of his powers; he struggles with humility, narcissism and selfishness. Just because he had a serious turning point in the first film doesn’t mean our hero is perfect. He needs to be held accountable by his friends, just like the rest of us. He needs forgiveness.
Fortunately, “Iron Man 2” doesn’t pile on objectionable content in its sequel. The foul language is kept to a minimum, with the worst coming in the form of two “bleeped” out profanities during a congressional hearing that’s being aired on C-Span. Violence is prevalent throughout, but it’s almost completely bloodless and portrayed in classic comic book style. There are no sex scenes or sexual situations, but there are plenty of scenes with women in somewhat revealing attire, as well as the occasional sexual innuendo. Its content is mild, comparatively, for a PG-13 rating and is consistent with the content of the first film, if not an improvement.
While it doesn’t quite meet the standard set by its predecessor, “Iron Man 2” is fun and entertaining and will no doubt please diehard fans of the comic as well as the first film. For good escapist fun, “Iron Man 2” gets the summer started off right.
See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
Positive
Positive—As a sequel it contained almost everything one could hope for—new tech/armor, new enemies both super-powered (Whiplash) and in business (Hammer) and the continued teasing interplay between Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. Missed was the easy going banter that Tony Stark had with his best friend Jim Rhodes from the first film (played then by the exceptional Terrence Howard). This was unfortunately made necessary by the fact that the studio replaced actors for this sequel.
The best theme in my opinion was the one of redemption and the subsequent changing of “heart” that Tony undergoes. This is not unlike what the Word of God promises to us as his children when the prophet says: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).
The apostle Paul clarifies and emphasizes this even more for Christians when he states: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Our use of language is one of those changes that the Holy Spirit will enable in us and so the language in “Iron Man 2” should therefore give us pause. Though regular movie goers may miss an occasional curse, and they were indeed less prevalent than in other PG-13 films, they were nonetheless present in the form of several S*** words (two less pronounced during film footage, once heavily emphasized by Whiplash) and multiple uses of A** and both God and Jesus thrown in without regard to the sanctity of our Lord’s name.
The next best theme had to be that of Tony Stark and his father. While difficult to expand much on their relationship in a movie there were clues that it was a strained one but he discovers that the love his father had for him was real, he just didn’t realize it. In fact, Howard Stark had his future in mind and unknowingly planned for his salvation. An unintentional allusion to our own perfect Father in heaven who affirms his providential love by his Word: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
“Iron Man 2” is an exciting summer blockbuster film sure to please fans and continue the franchise. The film has some positive themes but unfortunately falls short in being appropriate to many of its younger fans whose parents won’t make them wait for a TV edited version.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
The best theme in my opinion was the one of redemption and the subsequent changing of “heart” that Tony undergoes. This is not unlike what the Word of God promises to us as his children when the prophet says: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).
The apostle Paul clarifies and emphasizes this even more for Christians when he states: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Our use of language is one of those changes that the Holy Spirit will enable in us and so the language in “Iron Man 2” should therefore give us pause. Though regular movie goers may miss an occasional curse, and they were indeed less prevalent than in other PG-13 films, they were nonetheless present in the form of several S*** words (two less pronounced during film footage, once heavily emphasized by Whiplash) and multiple uses of A** and both God and Jesus thrown in without regard to the sanctity of our Lord’s name.
The next best theme had to be that of Tony Stark and his father. While difficult to expand much on their relationship in a movie there were clues that it was a strained one but he discovers that the love his father had for him was real, he just didn’t realize it. In fact, Howard Stark had his future in mind and unknowingly planned for his salvation. An unintentional allusion to our own perfect Father in heaven who affirms his providential love by his Word: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
“Iron Man 2” is an exciting summer blockbuster film sure to please fans and continue the franchise. The film has some positive themes but unfortunately falls short in being appropriate to many of its younger fans whose parents won’t make them wait for a TV edited version.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Raphael Vera, age 40 (USA)
Positive—I saw this movie so I could preview it for my 3 oldest children 12, 9 and 8 but I am also a fan of the first Iron Man. I was sure that “Iron Man 2” would turn to language, sex and nudity in this installment but I was very wrong and was very happy with the movie over all. The director Jon Favreau has kept “Iron Man 2” a fun, exciting, light-hearted good time, and I think he has been thoughtful to keep very little foul language and no nudity and sex. He seems to know his audience and unlike almost all superhero movies has really kept it family friendly.
This is a movie I will take my kids to, however, there is a rating, and I think it is fair, as there are some scary scenes for younger children. My youngest is a boy, and while only 8, he will love this movie, and it is really made for him. The only offensive content I found was scantily clad women in a couple of parts, but nothing I couldn’t deal with in terms of my boy. I would recommend this movie; it has a great redemption theme throughout and is a fun superhero movie. Good job to the director!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
This is a movie I will take my kids to, however, there is a rating, and I think it is fair, as there are some scary scenes for younger children. My youngest is a boy, and while only 8, he will love this movie, and it is really made for him. The only offensive content I found was scantily clad women in a couple of parts, but nothing I couldn’t deal with in terms of my boy. I would recommend this movie; it has a great redemption theme throughout and is a fun superhero movie. Good job to the director!
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Barb, age 40 (Canada)
Positive—“Iron Man 2” was a good movie. It lived up to its predecessor, “Iron Man.” There was definitely a lot more violence. The profanity was minimal. The word a** was used on and off during the movie and some other profane words were mentioned but they were minimal to say the least, which is good considering this movie was given a PG-13 rating and that language is sometimes a major problem for movies with this rating. The sexual content, as the reviewer stated, was minimal with one sexual term being mentioned, some questionable outfits from some of the female characters, and one kissing scene at the end of the film.
The acting was very well done. Robert Downey Jr. is the only man who can play Iron Man. He gives new depth to his character in this second movie. Underneath the suit we see that he is just a human being, just like the rest of us, and that even he can be overcome with pride and fame. The rest of the all star cast did a job well done. The plot itself was hard to understand from time to time but becomes clearer as the movie progresses.
The moral of this story? Sometimes fame and fortune can get the best of us if we’re not careful. That’s why, we as Christians, have to make the effort when all is well to give thanks to God for the blessings he has bestowed on us. It’s not always easy but we still have to make the effort nonetheless. So, do I recommend the movie. Yes. However, this movie in my opinion is suitable for children ages 15 and older. It is not geared towards children.
Overall, it’s a good movie, and there’s not much to be offended by. Keep it up Hollywood.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
The acting was very well done. Robert Downey Jr. is the only man who can play Iron Man. He gives new depth to his character in this second movie. Underneath the suit we see that he is just a human being, just like the rest of us, and that even he can be overcome with pride and fame. The rest of the all star cast did a job well done. The plot itself was hard to understand from time to time but becomes clearer as the movie progresses.
The moral of this story? Sometimes fame and fortune can get the best of us if we’re not careful. That’s why, we as Christians, have to make the effort when all is well to give thanks to God for the blessings he has bestowed on us. It’s not always easy but we still have to make the effort nonetheless. So, do I recommend the movie. Yes. However, this movie in my opinion is suitable for children ages 15 and older. It is not geared towards children.
Overall, it’s a good movie, and there’s not much to be offended by. Keep it up Hollywood.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Alexander Malsan, age 20 (USA)
Positive—I had the privilege of seeing this movie with the reviewer and found the entire experience truly delightful. Mr. Thompson’s insight into the film industry is second to none, and his reviews are typically spot on. Furthermore, he gets his reviews up before anyone else (which I definitely appreciate on bigger name films). Whatever you are paying this guy, you should double it (or triple it, or quadruple it if it won’t cost anything extra).
Unfortunately, Mr. Thompson and I went to the midnight showing of this film on the IMAX (an experience that was well worth the money), so we did not have much time to digest the film’s philosophical implications. The viewers of the film, particularly parents, would benefit from discussions centering around the idea of peace at a cost, the commercialism of war, and the difference between government and corporate control of war and peace.
Although this movie is a summer blockbuster, like most comics, deeper questions lie just below the fun, action-packed, glossy surface. These questions are great for Christians to wrestle with, and, after wrestling with them, to lead their own teens in discussions that will cause them to think through such weighty issues. Doing so will create stronger, more competent youth, which is something we could all benefit from.
Overall, I agree with Mr. Thompson’s assessment that this film has more of everything, and the only reason that it does not come off as over-the-top is because of the all-star cast. This is true, but Mr. Thompson submits that the “star of the show is Downey Jr.” I would also like to contend that Mickey Rourke uses this film to prove that he is not just another Eminem (an individual who can play a character based upon his own life but has little additional acting ability). He plays a phenomenal villain. Not quite Heath Ledger/Joker epic, but perhaps on par with Phillip Seymour Hoffman/Owen Davian in Mission Impossible III.
Lastly, I will add that, for viewers who might appreciate, “the long preview for “the Avengers” film,” you should stay through the credits as you will get a sneak peak at what is next.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Unfortunately, Mr. Thompson and I went to the midnight showing of this film on the IMAX (an experience that was well worth the money), so we did not have much time to digest the film’s philosophical implications. The viewers of the film, particularly parents, would benefit from discussions centering around the idea of peace at a cost, the commercialism of war, and the difference between government and corporate control of war and peace.
Although this movie is a summer blockbuster, like most comics, deeper questions lie just below the fun, action-packed, glossy surface. These questions are great for Christians to wrestle with, and, after wrestling with them, to lead their own teens in discussions that will cause them to think through such weighty issues. Doing so will create stronger, more competent youth, which is something we could all benefit from.
Overall, I agree with Mr. Thompson’s assessment that this film has more of everything, and the only reason that it does not come off as over-the-top is because of the all-star cast. This is true, but Mr. Thompson submits that the “star of the show is Downey Jr.” I would also like to contend that Mickey Rourke uses this film to prove that he is not just another Eminem (an individual who can play a character based upon his own life but has little additional acting ability). He plays a phenomenal villain. Not quite Heath Ledger/Joker epic, but perhaps on par with Phillip Seymour Hoffman/Owen Davian in Mission Impossible III.
Lastly, I will add that, for viewers who might appreciate, “the long preview for “the Avengers” film,” you should stay through the credits as you will get a sneak peak at what is next.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Steven J. Halbert, age 27 (USA)
Positive—I am a bit of a comic book nerd. Not a fanatic, but definitely a fan. I have seen every comic movie that has been made, even the campy Batman from the 60s. So, I wasn’t going to miss out on seeing “Iron Man 2” in spite of some of the bad reviews it received from pre-release showings.
Overall, I enjoyed the movie. I felt a bit uncomfortable with the sexual content of the film, but it definitely could have been worse (one of my disappointments with The Punisher). The inappropriate sexual content consisted of an overly long highly sexualized dance routine performed by a several women in skimpy Iron Man themed outfits, several shots in a party scene of women in bikinis and a shot of Scarlett Johansson in lingerie. While I felt uncomfortable with the content, I feel that it was part of Tony Stark’s narcissism and over-the-top selfishness.
Some of the critics were confused by Stark’s narcissism, but the reason is well explained in the movie. While there is never a real reason for selfishness, it is hard, as sinful human beings, to overcome selfish feelings when we are suffering.
WARNING: ***Spoiler alert*** I saw this movie as another commentary on Robert Downey Jr.’s life. Again, we see a character that has ridden a rocket to fame and is having some trouble handling it. Further, the very thing that has prolonged his life is also killing him. Very early in the movie, we see that Tony Stark is slowly dying. He is being poisoned by Paladium, the fuel for his mini-ARC reactor. While there was a whirlwind of story lines, they weren’t hard to follow. The pace definitely did slow down, but I found that it was necessary for the development of Tony Stark’s character and our understanding of the strained relationship he had with his father, Howard Stark. Interestingly, because of this, there are two redemptive themes in the movie--Tony Stark reconciling his feelings about his father with the realization that Howard Stark loved him and Tony Stark sacrificing his selfish desires for the good of others.
There was one line in the movie that I felt would be an interesting conversation starter. It is delivered by the villain, Ivan Vanko. After Tony Stark is attacked by Vanko, Stark visits him to find out what his motives are. After telling Stark a little about the history between their fathers, Vanko says explains why he attacked Stark. He said, “If you can make God bleed, people will stop believing in Him.” I reacted to this by telling my son, “God did bleed and that is exactly the reason why I DO believe in him.”
Nobody is winning any Oscars for this movie, but the performances were very good. I do think that Don Cheadle is one of the most talented while undervalued actors in Hollywood and I am surprised that he hasn’t been in more A-list movies. The action was great. My wife described it as awesome, and that is pretty high praise from her.
The special effects were honestly not as good as the first movie. Jon Favreau likes his movies to be more organic, and he has stated in the past that he prefers props and live special effects to computer animation, but I think he had to rely on it heavily in this movie in order to tell his story. The problems with the special effects weren’t distracting, but they seemed more noticeable than they should have been.
Finally, if you are an avid movie-goer and/or a comic book fan, just remember that not all movies are over when the credits start to roll. If you are a Marvel fan, then you must stay until the end of the credits.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Overall, I enjoyed the movie. I felt a bit uncomfortable with the sexual content of the film, but it definitely could have been worse (one of my disappointments with The Punisher). The inappropriate sexual content consisted of an overly long highly sexualized dance routine performed by a several women in skimpy Iron Man themed outfits, several shots in a party scene of women in bikinis and a shot of Scarlett Johansson in lingerie. While I felt uncomfortable with the content, I feel that it was part of Tony Stark’s narcissism and over-the-top selfishness.
Some of the critics were confused by Stark’s narcissism, but the reason is well explained in the movie. While there is never a real reason for selfishness, it is hard, as sinful human beings, to overcome selfish feelings when we are suffering.
WARNING: ***Spoiler alert*** I saw this movie as another commentary on Robert Downey Jr.’s life. Again, we see a character that has ridden a rocket to fame and is having some trouble handling it. Further, the very thing that has prolonged his life is also killing him. Very early in the movie, we see that Tony Stark is slowly dying. He is being poisoned by Paladium, the fuel for his mini-ARC reactor. While there was a whirlwind of story lines, they weren’t hard to follow. The pace definitely did slow down, but I found that it was necessary for the development of Tony Stark’s character and our understanding of the strained relationship he had with his father, Howard Stark. Interestingly, because of this, there are two redemptive themes in the movie--Tony Stark reconciling his feelings about his father with the realization that Howard Stark loved him and Tony Stark sacrificing his selfish desires for the good of others.
There was one line in the movie that I felt would be an interesting conversation starter. It is delivered by the villain, Ivan Vanko. After Tony Stark is attacked by Vanko, Stark visits him to find out what his motives are. After telling Stark a little about the history between their fathers, Vanko says explains why he attacked Stark. He said, “If you can make God bleed, people will stop believing in Him.” I reacted to this by telling my son, “God did bleed and that is exactly the reason why I DO believe in him.”
Nobody is winning any Oscars for this movie, but the performances were very good. I do think that Don Cheadle is one of the most talented while undervalued actors in Hollywood and I am surprised that he hasn’t been in more A-list movies. The action was great. My wife described it as awesome, and that is pretty high praise from her.
The special effects were honestly not as good as the first movie. Jon Favreau likes his movies to be more organic, and he has stated in the past that he prefers props and live special effects to computer animation, but I think he had to rely on it heavily in this movie in order to tell his story. The problems with the special effects weren’t distracting, but they seemed more noticeable than they should have been.
Finally, if you are an avid movie-goer and/or a comic book fan, just remember that not all movies are over when the credits start to roll. If you are a Marvel fan, then you must stay until the end of the credits.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Robert Dietrich, age 38 (USA)
Positive—Overall, a fine sequel. The first had a superior raw edge about it that this one lacked, there were some slower parts, however the general pace was managable. As others have stated, there was minimal objectionable material for an action film in this rating category. Pretty typical hollywood style of today’s PG-13 films, maybe a tad on the better than average side. One objection I had was the over usage of AC/DC music. Not a big fan. I really was hoping for the use of the Black Sabbath song “Ironman” from 1971 album Paranoid (as it is used partially in the trailer) the ending song at credits was “Highway to Hell,” a song that has been horribly overplayed the last 30 years, and doesn’t fit the film AT ALL!! Again Ironman from Black sabbath would have been a way more approriate credits song. Maybe the band rejected the offer, who knows.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Mike, age 47 (USA)
Positive—“Iron Man 2” is short on plot and long on action. It thus relies on spectacle for its appeal; Aristotle would passionately disapprove of this movie. There is little dramatic tension, and as one critic already mentioned, the plot boils down to an industrial race between two arms dealers.
It is not the plot or script that rescues this film, but the actors. Robert Downey Jr. is playing the role he was born to play, with excellent support from Gwyneth Paltrow and Sam Rockwell. Mickey Rourke is menacing as Whiplash, the main villain.
Be warned that there is considerable violence, and enough sensuality to be of concern. There are cheerleaders at the beginning, who are dressed in very scanty outfits—I recommend shutting your eyes through that scene if you are easily tempted. The biggest concern was Mickey Rourke’s character, whose father, Anton Vanko, was unjustly exiled from the United States for alleged espionage. Vanko indeed helped Howard Stark build an arc reactor, and was not duly given credit for his discovery. Although Nick Fury later claims that the father wanted to sell the reactor to evil powers, such a claim is dubious since the Vanko already had the reactor plan to begin with, and could have sold it during his years in exile. Thus, all the violence in this movie may have been averted had Howard Stark shared credit.
As Asimov said, “violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” Yet this reflects more of a lack coherent plot than anything else. The screenwriters were probably rushed to create an “Iron Man 2” sequel under a tight time-frame, and resorted to formulaic, ill-thought cliches. Go see “Iron Man 2,” but only for the entertainment.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3
It is not the plot or script that rescues this film, but the actors. Robert Downey Jr. is playing the role he was born to play, with excellent support from Gwyneth Paltrow and Sam Rockwell. Mickey Rourke is menacing as Whiplash, the main villain.
Be warned that there is considerable violence, and enough sensuality to be of concern. There are cheerleaders at the beginning, who are dressed in very scanty outfits—I recommend shutting your eyes through that scene if you are easily tempted. The biggest concern was Mickey Rourke’s character, whose father, Anton Vanko, was unjustly exiled from the United States for alleged espionage. Vanko indeed helped Howard Stark build an arc reactor, and was not duly given credit for his discovery. Although Nick Fury later claims that the father wanted to sell the reactor to evil powers, such a claim is dubious since the Vanko already had the reactor plan to begin with, and could have sold it during his years in exile. Thus, all the violence in this movie may have been averted had Howard Stark shared credit.
As Asimov said, “violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” Yet this reflects more of a lack coherent plot than anything else. The screenwriters were probably rushed to create an “Iron Man 2” sequel under a tight time-frame, and resorted to formulaic, ill-thought cliches. Go see “Iron Man 2,” but only for the entertainment.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3
Cornelius, age 22 (Canada)
Positive—I was surfing the web looking for Christian based movie sites when I came across this one. Frankly, I found the negative comments against this movie to be inaccurate in many ways. As a Christian youth minister, and a comic book fan (Yes, there is such a thing), I found “Iron Man 2” to be an excellent movie. The character of Tony Stark is not meant to be liked all the time. If you have time check out the Iron Man graphic novel “Demon in a Bottle,” a comic that was largely drawn on for the scenes in which Stark was abusing alcohol and the Iron Man suit. The alcohol abuse was generated by the fact that he was being poisoned by the ARC reactor in his chest, sending him into a deep depression. The scene where he is in the suit messing around is not meant to be funny, but terrifying.
Flawed heroes are the driving force of the comic book industry. No one wants to read WW2 propaganda comics of superman anymore where he goes off to do good, then comes back, theres no depth in that! The movie as a whole reflects on how we as people are capable of becoming lost in our own problems. Stark is a classic example of a person who shuts out loved ones out of a selfish and self-destructive nature brought on by personal demons. In the end he is only redeemed because of his willingness to take back control, and be inspired by his friends.
There is nothing wrong with two strong female characters, or either roll played by Sam Jackson and Don Cheadle. I wouldn’t read too far into it anyways as a whole movie. Sam Rockwell’s portrayal of Justin Hammer was amazing and clever, a shifty weapons dealer, the sort of Anti-Stark of the film interested in destruction over preservation. Rourke played a terrifying villain based solely on revenge.
Overall, I think we shelter ourselves too much from the world of film. There are times of sexual innuendo in the film, but thats just the pace of the film and the characters in it. Remember, Spiderman isn’t a better a better hero than Iron Man in a matter of speaking, he doesn’t head up peace talks like the ones mentioned in Iron Man 2 or get medals for a job well done. He does however, hit his girlfriend in Spiderman 3 during a baroom scuffle while under the influence of the symbiote suit. So just remember beer can be just as influence as an alien life form :)
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Flawed heroes are the driving force of the comic book industry. No one wants to read WW2 propaganda comics of superman anymore where he goes off to do good, then comes back, theres no depth in that! The movie as a whole reflects on how we as people are capable of becoming lost in our own problems. Stark is a classic example of a person who shuts out loved ones out of a selfish and self-destructive nature brought on by personal demons. In the end he is only redeemed because of his willingness to take back control, and be inspired by his friends.
There is nothing wrong with two strong female characters, or either roll played by Sam Jackson and Don Cheadle. I wouldn’t read too far into it anyways as a whole movie. Sam Rockwell’s portrayal of Justin Hammer was amazing and clever, a shifty weapons dealer, the sort of Anti-Stark of the film interested in destruction over preservation. Rourke played a terrifying villain based solely on revenge.
Overall, I think we shelter ourselves too much from the world of film. There are times of sexual innuendo in the film, but thats just the pace of the film and the characters in it. Remember, Spiderman isn’t a better a better hero than Iron Man in a matter of speaking, he doesn’t head up peace talks like the ones mentioned in Iron Man 2 or get medals for a job well done. He does however, hit his girlfriend in Spiderman 3 during a baroom scuffle while under the influence of the symbiote suit. So just remember beer can be just as influence as an alien life form :)
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 5
Tim, age 27 (USA)
Positive—I just want to comment on a few things the reviewer and other people have commented on. “Iron Man” in the comic book struggled with alcoholism, and it is obvious this series is going to touch on it. One person in particular seemed highly offended that Justin Hammer smuggled a Russian villain into the country to work for him. Well, duh! Most villains tend to do, you know, evil villainous stuff. If you want a story without an antagonist then I suggest “Veggie Tales.”
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Brad Goodman [agnostic], age 32 (Canada)
Positive—Most of the reviews here are spot on. I just wanted to add a little side note to mull over. Marvel’s heroes are known for their “flaws” or human struggles. Some rise above, some do not, but their flaws are an inherent part of their character, which set them apart from DC and others years ago (and many of these comic books are now trying to catch up) with “pure” characters like Superman and old-school Batman (now, Batman is a dark and emotionally unbalanced billionaire, which is why I prefer Tony—isn’t Bruce rich enough to hire a shrink??).
Taking this into account, I always wondered if Tony Stark would make it to the big screen, since his character typically was not a shining example of morality. This makes the characters easier to relate to for the reader, and you will usually find certain types of people (especially young readers) will gravitate to a hero because they can identify with him. Many teenage boys will pick up on Spidey because Parker is a middle/lower class orphan in high school with a sickly aunt complete with bully and girl problems and they can relate to some degree. Hulk is popular, because many people struggle with the Jekyll/Hyde monster inside. Power Pack appeals to young kids because, well, they are young kids (with powers).
Some of the hero flaws are sins (Tony making the wrong decisions even though he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth), some are victims of circumstance (Spiderman making the right decisions even though things never go right for him). I could not relate to Tony when I was in high school, and subsequently never got into the comics. However, I realized his place in the “Marvel Universe of Human Flaws,” and was actually a little surprised there wasn’t more alcohol in the first movie. Tony Stark’s #1 arch enemy is his addiction to alcohol, which ends up being the reason for so much turmoil in his life (which is more evident to the comic book reader).
Now, some may argue that the subject is too heavy for a comic book or super hero movie. I think it might be an opportunity to make him a true hero, and show that (with much difficulty), he can rise above it to some degree, and so can someone else struggling with that.
From a Christian perspective, I don’t think my kids need exposure to Tony Stark and his adult lifestyle, since it shouldn’t be an option for a person who wants to be a “hero”. There are definite adult themes here. Hence, they may not see the films for quite some time, if ever. However, that doesn’t stop my young son from reading the “Power Pack meets Iron Man” comics for kids, since Tony is not out of his armor living his adult life in those comics. This may be why Avengers has so much appeal, since the private life of the man behind the iron mask was kept to a minimum.
Also might be why the Iron Man CGI/Cartoon series had him as a teenager, before he fell into the deadly addictions of a wealthy man’s life. As an old comic book fan, I knew what to expect going in, and enjoyed the film. It will be interesting to see how they bring in other characters who have more questionable flaws (like they did with Wolverine).
It will be interesting to read the reviews here of Dr. Strange or Cloak & Dagger if they ever make it the big screen (occult and drug abuse respectively). Thankfully, for now, Marvel is sticking to the relatively safer Captain America and Thor films.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Taking this into account, I always wondered if Tony Stark would make it to the big screen, since his character typically was not a shining example of morality. This makes the characters easier to relate to for the reader, and you will usually find certain types of people (especially young readers) will gravitate to a hero because they can identify with him. Many teenage boys will pick up on Spidey because Parker is a middle/lower class orphan in high school with a sickly aunt complete with bully and girl problems and they can relate to some degree. Hulk is popular, because many people struggle with the Jekyll/Hyde monster inside. Power Pack appeals to young kids because, well, they are young kids (with powers).
Some of the hero flaws are sins (Tony making the wrong decisions even though he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth), some are victims of circumstance (Spiderman making the right decisions even though things never go right for him). I could not relate to Tony when I was in high school, and subsequently never got into the comics. However, I realized his place in the “Marvel Universe of Human Flaws,” and was actually a little surprised there wasn’t more alcohol in the first movie. Tony Stark’s #1 arch enemy is his addiction to alcohol, which ends up being the reason for so much turmoil in his life (which is more evident to the comic book reader).
Now, some may argue that the subject is too heavy for a comic book or super hero movie. I think it might be an opportunity to make him a true hero, and show that (with much difficulty), he can rise above it to some degree, and so can someone else struggling with that.
From a Christian perspective, I don’t think my kids need exposure to Tony Stark and his adult lifestyle, since it shouldn’t be an option for a person who wants to be a “hero”. There are definite adult themes here. Hence, they may not see the films for quite some time, if ever. However, that doesn’t stop my young son from reading the “Power Pack meets Iron Man” comics for kids, since Tony is not out of his armor living his adult life in those comics. This may be why Avengers has so much appeal, since the private life of the man behind the iron mask was kept to a minimum.
Also might be why the Iron Man CGI/Cartoon series had him as a teenager, before he fell into the deadly addictions of a wealthy man’s life. As an old comic book fan, I knew what to expect going in, and enjoyed the film. It will be interesting to see how they bring in other characters who have more questionable flaws (like they did with Wolverine).
It will be interesting to read the reviews here of Dr. Strange or Cloak & Dagger if they ever make it the big screen (occult and drug abuse respectively). Thankfully, for now, Marvel is sticking to the relatively safer Captain America and Thor films.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Mike D., age 36 (USA)
Neutral—As a self-proclamed comic book officianato, my neutral rating is basically due to an extreme diversion from the comic book hero we knew a long time ago. I did not specifically like the personification of Tony Stark and his arrogance and self-absorbtion is just way over the top to be enjoyable.
At one point you want to rally for the bad guys just to take him down a notch. As usual, there is sexual innuendo throughout the movie but I’ll have to give it a thumbs up on action. There is plenty of action and the story line is fairly well easy to follow. Tony Stark is a rich playboy and lives up to his name in that respect.
The offensive rating is… well… average for our time and there were more references to sex than actual scenes about it. Overall, it’s a guy movie with action, explosions, and weapons. What more can I say.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
At one point you want to rally for the bad guys just to take him down a notch. As usual, there is sexual innuendo throughout the movie but I’ll have to give it a thumbs up on action. There is plenty of action and the story line is fairly well easy to follow. Tony Stark is a rich playboy and lives up to his name in that respect.
The offensive rating is… well… average for our time and there were more references to sex than actual scenes about it. Overall, it’s a guy movie with action, explosions, and weapons. What more can I say.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Terry, age 45 (USA)
Positive—People, the reason that Tony Stark was more of a drunk, irresponsible person was because he was DYING. He only had a few weeks left so he decided to have, what he thinks is, fun. If you notice when he gets cured he stays sober for the rest of the movie. Overall, I think that the movie was pretty cool. It had a good story line if you actually paid attention, it had more and better action scenes, and it was funny. There are some things that they could’ve worked on, but I’m not going to type them because I voted Positive on this one.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Bob (USA)
Positive—True to form, “Iron Man 2” returns to its roots as the sequel to the blockbuster hit Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. returns as Tony Stark, the self made billionaire turned superhero. Most of the actors return as their actors except for Don Cheadle (much better, I might add) taking over the role James Rhodes. The story goes, Iron Man has brought about world peace, but there are forces that wish to learn of his power. The US government, the international community, and rival businessman Justin Hammer.
However, Tony Stark learns the very thing that is keeping him from dying, is also killing him. Much worse, a mysterious villain has stolen his technology and is using it to take vengeance on the Stark legacy. All of this make for an awesome film! Morally, the movie has a few cuss words, a scene where Tony is drunk, he flirts with his new assistant (Pepper Pots becoming the CEO of Stark Industries), and in the end becomes very selfish. There is a great deal of violence in the film, but it is not gory. Please note, this is not a kid’s movie.
I highly recommend this film for older teens and adults. I went and saw it opening day and then saw it again! Remember to stay till after the credits.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
However, Tony Stark learns the very thing that is keeping him from dying, is also killing him. Much worse, a mysterious villain has stolen his technology and is using it to take vengeance on the Stark legacy. All of this make for an awesome film! Morally, the movie has a few cuss words, a scene where Tony is drunk, he flirts with his new assistant (Pepper Pots becoming the CEO of Stark Industries), and in the end becomes very selfish. There is a great deal of violence in the film, but it is not gory. Please note, this is not a kid’s movie.
I highly recommend this film for older teens and adults. I went and saw it opening day and then saw it again! Remember to stay till after the credits.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Jacob Airey, age 21 (USA)
Neutral
Neutral—My husband and I went to see “Iron Man 2” last night. I think we should have waited to see the reviews. It was disappointing. Robert Downing was an arrogant, self-centered womanizer. The first movie, he had a humbling, which resulted in a story line that made the movie redeeming. This one did not.
There is no swearing, no sex, however, much sexual innuendos and lots of cleavage, tight low clothes, and dresses. I felt like we should have left after the first 10 minutes. However, that was probably the worst part of the movie. There was much action, shooting, revenge and interesting machinations. I felt like there was very little story line and redeeming factors for this movie, except for entertainment. And this is truly what our culture is all about. We probably should have waited for the DVD to come out.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
There is no swearing, no sex, however, much sexual innuendos and lots of cleavage, tight low clothes, and dresses. I felt like we should have left after the first 10 minutes. However, that was probably the worst part of the movie. There was much action, shooting, revenge and interesting machinations. I felt like there was very little story line and redeeming factors for this movie, except for entertainment. And this is truly what our culture is all about. We probably should have waited for the DVD to come out.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Laurie, age 54 (USA)
Neutral—If the first “Iron Man” film was about justification, the second was about sanctification. We find Stark, the changed man, 6 months later with a high attitude of himself. It reminds me of how some believers take credit for things God does through them. The coolest part about this film was how Stark’s changed heart was wrought within him. When he got the element changed, HE was changed. The practical application is that after we’re regenerated, what regenerates us again? The continual cleansing of our sins by the blood of Christ! Forgiveness of unconfessed sins regenerates the regenerate!
Not for nothing, Scarlett Johannson is absolutely gorgeous. However, two scenes had me looking at my feet; she’s hot, we get it. Our society makes a big deal of aesthetics; I hope people remember her performance in relation to her physical prowess! Did you see those huracanranas?!
Not as good as the first, BUT palatable enough to look forward for a third.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Not for nothing, Scarlett Johannson is absolutely gorgeous. However, two scenes had me looking at my feet; she’s hot, we get it. Our society makes a big deal of aesthetics; I hope people remember her performance in relation to her physical prowess! Did you see those huracanranas?!
Not as good as the first, BUT palatable enough to look forward for a third.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Andrew, age 23 (USA)
Neutral—…I went to see this film with a my brother and two friends. We are all college students at a secular school, so nothing really shocks me as far as content can go. The theater that I watched this film in confirms the point that I’m about to make. “Iron Man 2” is filled with a variety of innuendoes. There are underwear scenes by Scarlett Johanssen’s character, and excessive partying and alcoholic use by Downey Jr.'s character, Tony Starks. The whole first half of the film is about a man who is about to die, so he parties his heart out. The first scene opens with some immodest dancers. The movies ends much better than it begins, but still, I would say that as a Christian who cares more about my walk with the Lord than enjoying a rocker, party hearty entertaining film.
The theater that I watched the film was filled with teens from the local area. Every time an innuendo was used, half the audience would respond with laughter. Every time a provocative scene was shown (underwear shots, the dancers, etc.) a lot of the guys in the theater would respond with da*&#m and “I wanna git me somma dat” or other like comments. … It does have a decent ending, but if you do venture out to see it, protect your eyes and heart. Don’t let little kids see it, there’s enough sex in our culture as it is, don’t be the one who exposes them to it.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2½
The theater that I watched the film was filled with teens from the local area. Every time an innuendo was used, half the audience would respond with laughter. Every time a provocative scene was shown (underwear shots, the dancers, etc.) a lot of the guys in the theater would respond with da*&#m and “I wanna git me somma dat” or other like comments. … It does have a decent ending, but if you do venture out to see it, protect your eyes and heart. Don’t let little kids see it, there’s enough sex in our culture as it is, don’t be the one who exposes them to it.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2½
Joe Smith, age 20 (USA)
Neutral—It was okay. Nothing to talk about, really. I didn’t find much offensive, but they couldn’t done better. They didn’t need to show Scarlett Johansson getting dressed in the car. I found the first “Iron Man” more entertaining, minus the “scene”.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Jessica, age 21 (USA)
Negative
Negative—I am amazed at how many people liked this movie, we are getting so de-sensitized as a culture. I am sure people will think me judgmental on my post, but I feel I must warn other parents that this is NOT a good movie for children. In this movie, the Ironman SUIT is a hero, but the man is NOT a hero. He is a spoiled-brat alcoholic womanizer, who has to be rescued by 2 strong capable women. Not a hero, and not a good relationship role-model for kids—boys or girls!
1) Stark drinks excessively to the point of endangerment while driving drunk in a Monte Carlo race—and spends most of the movie drowning his sorrows in alcohol for no apparent reason, since he is a brilliant gifted inventor who seemingly has everything to live for.
2) He does not have control over his desires (lust) although he does not actually sleep with anyone in this movie. But at one point he moans to his faithful girlfriend/CEO Gwyneth Paltrow about the Scarlett Johanssen character saying, “Booboo I want one, can I have one?” which is really so wrong! I had a teenage boy watching this movie! bad message!
3) Stark’s new rival is a twirp named Hammer—this is another spoiled brat rich-kid character with unbridled temper and selfish ambitions—doing shady business deals with the US ARMY!—and even SMUGGLING A RUSSIAN CRIMINAL OUT OF A US PRISON just so that he could get the criminal to work on a project for him! So that he could triumph over Stark at the International Arms Expo! Bad message for kids in so many ways.
I would advise against spending your money on the movie, I wish we would have left early and gotten our $$ back. I regret taking my 2 boys to see this movie on opening weekend, I should have waited for the reviews. We had to have a long de-briefing talk over dinner about the lack of CHARACTER in the characters. On a personal note, like I said I am amazed at how many people liked this movie. We are becoming so de-sensitized as a culture—we cheer for the special effects, and yawn through the bad morality.
As parents I believe we need to look deeper, and rate our movies by worldview standards—i.e., “cusswords and cleavage” are not as damaging to our children’s tender hearts as the other dastardly messages in this movie (and many of today’s American movies): Pride, selfish ambition, drinking to escape your problems, women as objects, greed for power, shady business deals via arms trading with criminals, crooked guards in the US prison system and the US Government!, womanizing, taking true and loyal friends for granted, etc.—to me, these concepts are more offensive than an occasional 4-letter word that they have probably heard before anyway.
I give this movie a thumbs-down for so many reasons. Spiderman is a better superhero. At least in his movies, there is some distinction between the Good Guys and the Bad Guys.
Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
1) Stark drinks excessively to the point of endangerment while driving drunk in a Monte Carlo race—and spends most of the movie drowning his sorrows in alcohol for no apparent reason, since he is a brilliant gifted inventor who seemingly has everything to live for.
2) He does not have control over his desires (lust) although he does not actually sleep with anyone in this movie. But at one point he moans to his faithful girlfriend/CEO Gwyneth Paltrow about the Scarlett Johanssen character saying, “Booboo I want one, can I have one?” which is really so wrong! I had a teenage boy watching this movie! bad message!
3) Stark’s new rival is a twirp named Hammer—this is another spoiled brat rich-kid character with unbridled temper and selfish ambitions—doing shady business deals with the US ARMY!—and even SMUGGLING A RUSSIAN CRIMINAL OUT OF A US PRISON just so that he could get the criminal to work on a project for him! So that he could triumph over Stark at the International Arms Expo! Bad message for kids in so many ways.
I would advise against spending your money on the movie, I wish we would have left early and gotten our $$ back. I regret taking my 2 boys to see this movie on opening weekend, I should have waited for the reviews. We had to have a long de-briefing talk over dinner about the lack of CHARACTER in the characters. On a personal note, like I said I am amazed at how many people liked this movie. We are becoming so de-sensitized as a culture—we cheer for the special effects, and yawn through the bad morality.
As parents I believe we need to look deeper, and rate our movies by worldview standards—i.e., “cusswords and cleavage” are not as damaging to our children’s tender hearts as the other dastardly messages in this movie (and many of today’s American movies): Pride, selfish ambition, drinking to escape your problems, women as objects, greed for power, shady business deals via arms trading with criminals, crooked guards in the US prison system and the US Government!, womanizing, taking true and loyal friends for granted, etc.—to me, these concepts are more offensive than an occasional 4-letter word that they have probably heard before anyway.
I give this movie a thumbs-down for so many reasons. Spiderman is a better superhero. At least in his movies, there is some distinction between the Good Guys and the Bad Guys.
Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Vickie, age 45 (USA)
Negative—Save your money and wait for a video copy. It was just plain awful. Too loud, silly dialogue, no redeeming quality whatsoever. Very disappointing.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Roy, age 48 (USA)
Comments from young people
Positive—I found this film neither uplifting nor offensive. First, the positive. This movie has a type of action-adventure type feel to it and it was fun to watch, even during the slow parts. It was a decent film and worth the money, but I found little in the ways of a positive moral, or any moral at all though. ***MINOR SPOILER*** One plus was that in the end, Stark found that there was good in pursuing a (kind of) wholesome relationship instead of just flipping from girl to girl.
***END SPOILER***
The special effects were well done and swearing was kept to a minimum. Now, for some of the negative. This movie portrayed sex in a casual light (less so than the first one, but still) as well as drinking to get drunk as perfectly fine. In summary, this movie was well done in film making, but it lacks in Christian values. (But then again, so do most Hollywood films.)
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
***END SPOILER***
The special effects were well done and swearing was kept to a minimum. Now, for some of the negative. This movie portrayed sex in a casual light (less so than the first one, but still) as well as drinking to get drunk as perfectly fine. In summary, this movie was well done in film making, but it lacks in Christian values. (But then again, so do most Hollywood films.)
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Hayden, age 14 (USA)
Neutral—I feel that I would probably have enjoyed the movie a lot… if I hadn’t sat soo close up in the theater. DO NOT SIT TOO CLOSE UP!!!… Now the movie was pretty entertaining—not as much as the first—but a little offensive towards Christians. The rating is good (PG-13.)
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Nathan, age 16 (USA)
Positive—I really liked the first “Iron Man” and was excited for the sequel. Robert Downey Jr. and Mickey Rourke are the best part. I was a little skeptical if Don Cheadle could replace Terrance Howard, but does a good job. Surprisingly, the language is minimal for the type of movie. If your worried about content, the violence is heavy, but mostly action oriented.
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Michael, age 17 (USA)
Neutral—I liked this movie a lot. It was not as good as the first one, but it was still very enjoyable. There were a few women in immodest dress. There are a several swears, also.
I would go to the theatre to see this to get the full effect! Overall, it was very interesting, and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
I would go to the theatre to see this to get the full effect! Overall, it was very interesting, and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Brianna, age 13 (USA)
Positive—I thought that this was a great movie. I laughed at several of the lines… and really enjoyed how they changed it up a bit from the first movie.
I dislike the scene in this movie with the scantily clad woman dancers, as well as the scene with the woman disrobing in the back of the car (nothing explicit is scene). These two scenes should not have been added and weren’t necessary.
However, I really enjoyed this film, including the awesome action scenes. There are some ideas that seem to be suggested about Iron Man being the “master of the world” and unbeatable. However, I recommend this movie to all mature teens and adults.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
I dislike the scene in this movie with the scantily clad woman dancers, as well as the scene with the woman disrobing in the back of the car (nothing explicit is scene). These two scenes should not have been added and weren’t necessary.
However, I really enjoyed this film, including the awesome action scenes. There are some ideas that seem to be suggested about Iron Man being the “master of the world” and unbeatable. However, I recommend this movie to all mature teens and adults.
Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Nathan Schuster, age 17 (USA)
Positive—I just got back from seeing this movie, and it was pretty good. From a moviemaking perspective, it wasn’t all that bad. The acting wasn’t bad, the CG was amazing, and the story was ok. Some of the sub-plots were kind of annoying at times, but this was a set up movie for “Avengers” anyway.
Walking out of the movie I kind of felt cheated, like the movie was getting so built up but the end didn’t live up to the hype. But it was good and I would see it again.
Now from a Christian stand-point. It was fairly decent as far as morals go. I’m glad they got rid of the trash that they had in the first movie. Yes, there were some girls wearing questionable outfits and one scene where a girl is changing outfits in the car but nothing to bad. Basically you could look at your feet for a few seconds then it would be over. All I could remember of the language was the few little bleeped words at the press conference. I’m sure there was more but that all I can remember.
As far as violence goes it was it wasn’t that bad. It was basically people fighting robots. There was a scene were the bad guy get hit by a car a few times and blood comes out of his mouth but there is not much blood after that.
All in all, if your looking for a good popcorn flick, go see it. It fun and and action-packed.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Walking out of the movie I kind of felt cheated, like the movie was getting so built up but the end didn’t live up to the hype. But it was good and I would see it again.
Now from a Christian stand-point. It was fairly decent as far as morals go. I’m glad they got rid of the trash that they had in the first movie. Yes, there were some girls wearing questionable outfits and one scene where a girl is changing outfits in the car but nothing to bad. Basically you could look at your feet for a few seconds then it would be over. All I could remember of the language was the few little bleeped words at the press conference. I’m sure there was more but that all I can remember.
As far as violence goes it was it wasn’t that bad. It was basically people fighting robots. There was a scene were the bad guy get hit by a car a few times and blood comes out of his mouth but there is not much blood after that.
All in all, if your looking for a good popcorn flick, go see it. It fun and and action-packed.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Joe, age 16 (USA)
Positive—When I went to see Iron Man 2, I was expecting it to fall short of the first movie. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Iron Man 2 is as good if not better than the original Iron Man. There was hardly any objectional content other than the violence and a few cuss words. My opinion is that anyone 9 and older can see this movie.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Caleb, age 12 (USA)
—I found this movie to be extremely vain and with no substance. There are scenes in “Iron Man 2” that please the flesh, and, at first, seem harmless, but when compared to Biblical truth and God’s standards, are disgusting to God’s eyes, and should be avoided. Other than the prevalent drinking and very immoral lifestyle of the main male lead, female leads wear revealing clothing and act sensually (Natalie Rushman especially).
As far as the movie quality, the acting is frankly horrible from Robert Dowding Jr., while others actors did better. The plot is very shallow and only gets interesting near the end. Iron Man hero titles himself in the movie as the good guy, but viewers only see him squander time, throw party after party, squander money, and mistreat his team and his friend in the mission.
From a Biblical standpoint, this is Satan’s deception in order to gratify our flesh, while the Spirit mourns. Do not recommend this movie… there are other superhero movies out there, that showcase better content and better filming.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
As far as the movie quality, the acting is frankly horrible from Robert Dowding Jr., while others actors did better. The plot is very shallow and only gets interesting near the end. Iron Man hero titles himself in the movie as the good guy, but viewers only see him squander time, throw party after party, squander money, and mistreat his team and his friend in the mission.
From a Biblical standpoint, this is Satan’s deception in order to gratify our flesh, while the Spirit mourns. Do not recommend this movie… there are other superhero movies out there, that showcase better content and better filming.
Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Juan Balcazar, age 16 (USA)
Positive—…not offensive at all. Great story. Great special effects. …There was a fair amount of violence and very mild language. That is it. Great movie and great acting. I am excited to see him back on the screen in The Avengers in 2012. See this movie. This is a great sequel.
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Tyler, age 12 (USA)
Comments from non-viewers
Negative—I was under whelmed by this movie. We have Iron Man getting drunk and blowing out walls and ceilings of his home, while targeting champagne bottles tossed in the air by guests, whom are amused by this. The actions are policed by a minority government agent, that borrows an extra Iron man suit. He knows better than Iron man about this behavior, and wants to correct our so called hero—so a rivalry developes between these 2 characters.
At issue is also that Iron man suits aren’t regulated enough by the gvt. I guess this is why we don’t have real Iron men flying around today. In the mean time a Russian bad guy also gets access to pirated Iron Man suits and intends harm to the planet, so the 2 US Iron men can join forces to squelch this threat, while maintaining a personal rivalry.
Didn’t watch the whole movie, since at this point I lost interest and my stomach was full of popcorn and soda, so I took a snooze. I woke up occasionaly to see synopsis didn’t change much. For what it’s worth…
At issue is also that Iron man suits aren’t regulated enough by the gvt. I guess this is why we don’t have real Iron men flying around today. In the mean time a Russian bad guy also gets access to pirated Iron Man suits and intends harm to the planet, so the 2 US Iron men can join forces to squelch this threat, while maintaining a personal rivalry.
Didn’t watch the whole movie, since at this point I lost interest and my stomach was full of popcorn and soda, so I took a snooze. I woke up occasionaly to see synopsis didn’t change much. For what it’s worth…
Dennis A, age 56 (USA)
Neutral—There is no Iron in this man, just his suit. Where is the “Iron” Man? This modern hero is a spoiled rotten drunkard man who faces no apparent consequences for his behavior. The only positive thing I see in this movie is a possible educational experience for kids, to show them what makes a person a not-hero. I’ve seen 1 hr. of it.
Steven, age 25 (USA)
Overall, it was ok. If you are a very conservative family who is nervous about PG-13 rated movies, I would read a few more reviews before taking the kids. Our 13-year-old son enjoyed the action and the filmmaking, but was bothered by the drunkenness and heavy sensuality.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4