While not quite the pinnacle of its genre that some people make it out to be, the first Iron Man was a ton of fun. It was further proof that comic book movies could successfully be made for both fans and those unfamiliar with the source material. Iron Man 2, while not the surprise hit that the original was, is – for the most part – on par with its predecessor.

First off, one of the primary complaints that I've heard from many people is that there is too much of a focus on S.H.I.E.L.D. members Nick Fury and Black Widow, and that their mere inclusion in the film only bog the movie down. To that, I wholeheartedly disagree. I found that there were enough hints throughout that subplot to get the audience excited about The Avengers, but not so many that the film lost sight of what its goal was. The focus of this movie is indeed on Tony Stark, and while it's true that there are a few subplots that occur throughout the film, I never felt that they interfered with the coherence of the storytelling.

Even those who absolutely loved the first Iron Man will admit that the action was somewhat lacking, particularly the battle with Iron Monger at the end of the film, and this is where Iron Man 2 outdoes its predecessor the most. Not only is there quantitatively a bit more action to be found in this sequel, but also in terms of quality, I think it's a step up. The climax of this film, especially, is exhilarating from beginning to end.

The performances and characters in Iron Man 2 are also very solid. Robert Downey Jr. is as charming and witty as he was last time around, further solidifying himself as the most spot-on comic book movie hero. The banter between him and Gwyneth Paltrow is also just as endearing, and the scenes that do focus on their relationship is time well spent. Don Cheadle is also great as Rhodey, as I bought him more as a military man than I did Terrence Howard in the first film. That being said, there is one scene involving his character that's just baffling (and you'll know it when you see it).

Mickey Rourke, surprisingly, does a fine job as Whiplash, and while I think just a bit more time could've been spent developing his character, I'm starting to believe that the Iron Man villains aren't really important to the series in the same way that the ones from most other comic book movie franchises are. It's a pretty good thing, too, considering that I found the character of Justin Hammer to be, well, awful. To me, he just came across as a cartoon character, and I never once bought him as an intelligent multibillionaire.

Iron Man 2 is a worthy successor to a great comic book film, and an excellent start to the summer movie season. Despite a few too many moments that ask the audience to suspend their disbelief, as well as one pretty pitiful villain, the film succeeds with its endearing characters, solid action, and engaging story. Also, stay after the creditsagain.