Iron Man 2 seems to consistently be at the bottom whenever I see a ranking of Marvel movies, including CinemaBlend’s list. I just don’t think that is fair. I recently rewatched the 2010 release with my Disney+ subscription, and I truly don’t believe it gets enough respect. There are a bunch of reasons why, too.
Iron Man 2 is really the first time we, as an audience, are introduced to the MCU. It was the first time we saw two Avengers in the same place, at the same time. While the villain, Whiplash (played by Mickey Rourke), isn’t perfect, he is a great comic book villain. The cast is great, and there are some fun cameos. Finally, the movie does everything I want in a superhero movie, including things the MCU has lost since. So, let’s get into why I think the third MCU movie shouldn’t be shunned like it is.
Creating The Most Successful Movie Franchise Of All Time
The idea of the MCU and the Avengers obviously goes back all the way to the first MCU movie, Iron Man, when Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr) meets Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in the first post-credits scene in the franchise. It really wasn’t until the third movie, Iron Man 2, that we got our first real taste of what was to come. Not only do we get more of the late, great Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Nick Fury, but the first interaction between two future Avengers, Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson.
To be sure, James Rhodey, played by Don Cheadle here, was introduced in the first Iron Man (then played by Terrence Howard), but he wasn’t one of the original Avengers in the first team-up movie in 2012. Romanoff was, and so the seeds of the team were truly born in that diner where Tony meets with her and Fury.
Not The Best Villain, But A Really Fun One
Whiplash is a really fun villain, and it’s true that Mickey Rourke’s accent is a little dicey, but it’s a fantastic performance otherwise. Based on the third comic version of the villain, Ivan Vanko, Whiplash is one of Iron Man’s oldest foes and a great addition to the MCU. Iron Man and Whiplash first doing battle on the streets of Monaco during the legendary Monaco Grand Prix is one of my favorite fight scenes in the franchise. The special effects hold up well, and as a fan of Formula One, it’s a really fun setting for the fight.
Of course, I can’t leave out Vanko’s benefactor, Justin Hammer. He has also been a long-time rival of Tony Stark in the comics, and Sam Rockwell brings such a classic, snarky villain vibe to the character that I wish we had seen more of him in other MCU movies. Who knows, maybe Rockwell will be a surprise member of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, but I sadly doubt it.
Great Cast With Some Fun Cameos
Speaking of casts, Iron Man 2 has a great one. In addition to Johannson appearing in the MCU for the first time, alongside Downey, Jackson, Cheadle, and Gregg, we get Gwyneth Paltrow and Jon Favreau (who also directed the movie), reprising their roles as Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan, respectively. Mad Men’s John Slattery plays Howard Stark, and the late Garry Shandling stars as a senator out to take down Tony. Paul Bettany returns as the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S., and Leslie Bibb returns as a reporter, this time interviewing Hammer in the movie.
Then there are also the super fun cameos. Naturally Stan Lee gets his moment, though he is mistaken in the movie for Larry King. Tech entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Larry Ellison pop in for quick shots. Kate Mara plays a U.S. Marshal serving Tony a subpoena to appear in front of the Senate, and the late DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) spins some bangers at Tony’s birthday party. The MCU was growing quickly, and this cast reflects that.
The Biggest Reason Why Iron Man 2 Is Great Is That It’s Human-Sized
Finally, we come to why I really like Iron Man 2 and not only why I think it’s underrated, but why I think the MCU could learn from it. I’ve written about this before, but I think the MCU has gotten too big and too out of control. This film looks quaint in comparison to what the franchise looks like today, with aliens who have the power to wipe out planets and galaxies, and endless timelines and universes. That worked really well through Avengers: Endgame as the franchise steadily grew, but since then, it’s just continued to grow and grow.
The MCU should’ve taken it down a notch or 12 after Endgame. Bringing it back to a human scale (by superhero standards) would have gone a long way towards rebuilding the franchise after the massive success of Endgame. Instead, it’s just gotten bigger, both in terms of plots and the sheer amount of content. Keeping up with the MCU often feels more like homework than entertainment, but Iron Man 2 has everything that makes the early MCU great and fits right into that initial idea of creating a universe one superhero at a time.
Iron Man 2 Isn’t The Best Movie In The Canon, But It’s In The Top Half
I’m not going to try to sell anyone on the idea that this is the best MCU movie in the series. It’s not even the best Iron Man movie (that goes to the original), but it doesn’t belong anywhere near the bottom alongside Black Widow, Thor: The Dark World, or Eternals. The latter is an especially rocky entry, and it is nowhere near as fun as any of the early movies. Next time you sit down and can’t decide which Marvel movie to watch on Disney+, consider Iron Man 2, especially if you haven’t seen it in a while. And seriously, let’s bring back Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer!
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
