Iron Man 2: Two Thumbs Up; Dow Jones: Not So Much

I can't leave you guys alone for five minutes.

I ducked out during market hours yesterday to catch a private screening of Iron Man 2, hoping to come back and let you know whether or not it's worth seeing (short answer: see it). When I got back I found that I missed all the real explosions, like the Dow tanking 1,000 points thanks to what looks like a trading error.

Does anyone else see how fragile this 13-month, 74%+ rally is? I mean, that's the thing that struck me the most. It almost looks like the market is looking for an excuse to crash, and any excuse will do. Those who buy into Elliot Wave theory know that the market is at a triple-fagliachi no-holds-barred double-down super-duper top, the likes of which have never before been witnessed. So that can't be good. But can anyone show me a fundamental reason for the market to almost double in a little over a year? Didn't think so.

Strap in kids, it's gonna be a long way down from here (in my humble opinion).

Now on to more important matters. Marvel is certainly hell bent on justifying their $4 billion dollar price tag. Iron Man 2 was nothing short of fantastic, and a very worthy successor to the original. Complex characters, great storyline, and mind-blowing special effects all virtually guarantee that this will be a new summer classic. And Marvel laid the ground work for at least 4 new movies within this one, without being obvious or obnoxious about it.

The story finds Tony Stark (Iron Man) facing some unique challenges. Set six months after the original, Iron Man has been a resounding success and has brought about world peace through deterrence. But Stark is facing inner demons (narcissism, alcoholism), and some not-so-inner demons (the contraption in his chest is poisoning his blood, the Iron Man suit has spawned a global arms race, etc...). He's lost interest in Stark Industries and is being hounded Hank Rearden-style by the government.

The movie's two principal villains are Ivan Vanko (played by a sinister Mickey Rourke) and Justin Hammer (a Stark rival played to comic perfection by Sam Rockwell). We see the introduction of War Machine (Col. Rhodes played by Don Cheadle) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), as well as Natasha Romanoff (Scarlet Johansson is absolutely slammin' in this movie. Gwyneth Paltrow should fire her agent for ever letting her agree to appear on screen next to Scarlett Johansson. It's just no contest).

The action comes a mile a minute and the storyline doesn't disappoint. With what it costs to go to the movies these days, this one is definitely worth the money. I rate it 4 Guinness beers and 2 Jager Bombs up (mostly because that's what I had at the bar after). Great flick.

Enjoy the weekend kids. That is, if we don't get slaughtered in the market an hour from now.

 
Best Response

Iron Man was a disappointment. Don't get me wrong, everyone is going to see it and the action was decent, but it was missing that spark (possible the Tony Stark darkness) that we saw in the first one. The real action does not start until the last 20 minutes or so, and before that it is really only small stuff (nothing like when he took out the village in the first one). Rourke's character was interesting, but his most memorable lines from the trailer were delivered without a punch...When I heard them, I was like THAT's when he says the line. Also, Jon Favreau (Director, and Tony's driver) is practically a main character and is a lot of he movie....which is an example of how the movie lost its seriousness.

Overall, I suggest seeing it, but be warned that it is a popcorn movie rather than the Iron Man I think many of us were expecting. As a sequel, Iron Man is closer to Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest (although not as bad) than Terminator 2.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 
Edmundo Braverman:
LOL. Yeah, I thought Favreau was taking a little directorial license when he portrayed himself kicking a giant thug's ass. But Scarlett Johansson was as hot as two rats fucking in a wool sock. Worth the price of admission right there.

I think the directional license was in taking the part at all. In the comic book series, Favreau's character, Happy Hogan, is a professional boxer who serves as Stark's assistant.

(Just outed myself as a nerd.)

"If you can count your money, you don't have a billion dollars." - J. Paul Getty
 

^^ Agreed, but I would argue that she was not in the movie enough. Most of the time she played the helpless assistant, rather than the trained killer.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 

IMAX worthy-----IMHO probably not.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 

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