Iron Man 2

Spanks - 4

Director - Jon Favreau

Writers - Justin Theroux

Starring - Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson & Garry Shandling

Release Date - 7 May 2010

MPAA Rating - PG-13

Iron Man 2 is the third movie produced by Marvel Comics based on the universe they created in comic books adapted for the big screen (Thor and Captain America are in production for release next summer). The film takes place about six months after the first film and is about the repercussions of Tony Stark creating and becoming Iron Man. Tony has problems with the US military who want the suits for their soldiers. Problems running his company that is now in the business of peace instead of creating weapons. A poor disgruntled Russian man, Ivan Vanko, who wants to kill Tony because their fathers worked together and his was deported and the Stark’s got rich. And to top it all off, Tony is dying.

Robert Downey Jr. continues to portray Tony Stark perfectly. Mickey Rourke plays such a convincing Russian that you would think he was from Russia and not New York. Don Cheadle fits the role of assistant/sidekick/friend Colonel Rhoades better then Terrance Howard did in the first film. Howard was replaced because of salary issues. Cheadle looks more tough and military like then the former.

The film doesn’t one up itself from the original like some recent sequels like The Dark Knight or X2. I’m not saying it’s a bad movie, just when you compare the two the first is better. The film has less action overall then the first one, but the final action scene verses Whiplash is better then the final battle with Ironmonger. Whiplash was a much more bad ass villain too, and you can never go wrong with adding Scarlett Johansson kicking ass as the Black Widow.

Iron Man 2 is a true summer film, It is full of fun, edge of your seat excitement, things blowing up, beautiful women, laughs, and fighting. All the things needed and wanted in the opening weeks of the summer at the cinema. It is a movie that will not disappoint you.

Traitor

Spanks - 2

Director - Jeffrey Nachmanoff

Writers - Jeffrey Nachmanoff & Steve Martin

Starring - Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Saïd Taghmaoui, Neal McDonough and Jeff Daniels

Release Date - 27 August 2008

MPAA Rating - PG-13

Traitor tells the story of a fictional Islamic terrorist group plotting attacks on the United States with the help of American Samir Horn who was previously in the armed forces. Getting in Samir's way is FBI agent Roy Clayton. The film follows Samir across three continents to complete his mission with agent Clayton on his trail.

I went into this film not know what it was about or what to expect. It was very interesting and suspenseful. I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. There were a few times in the movie where I never expected what was going to happen next. It also gives you the terrorist point of view, and not the terrorist side from the good guys point of view, which doesn't happen often in Hollywood. I was expecting and hoping for an unexpected Arlington Road like ending, unfortunately that ending never came. It had the ending I didn't want to happen when the Future Mrs. Spanky suggested it.