Comic book lovers, superhero nerds and regular citizens who secretly dream of possessing superpowers have been preparing for the premiere of “Iron Man 2” since the release of “Iron Man” in 2008.
Embracing his bad boy reputation, Robert Downey Jr. played Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy, perfectly. Of course, when it came time to save the world — as often happens in superhero films — Downey suited up as Iron Man. Armed with wit, determination and a host of high-tech arsenals, this superhero won the girl and saved the day through scientific brilliance rather than mysterious powers.
In “Iron Man 2,” the public is aware of Tony Stark’s dual life as Iron Man. Though the government, the public and the press are after him to share the genius suit with the military, Stark refuses to be separated from it. And good thing he does, or he’d have no chance against his new energy-powered enemy, Whiplash.
One of the biggest controversies involving the second film was the casting change from Terrence Howard, who played Colonel Rhodey (the soon-to-be War Machine), to Don Cheadle. It’s always risky when a film changes a main character actor, but Cheadle is extremely talented, showing his talent in a wide variety of films including “Hotel Rwanda,” “Ocean’s 11” and “Reign Over Me.” The original “Iron Man” film grossed over one million dollars opening weekend and played on more than 4,000 screens across the United States. Fans can only hope that “Iron Man 2” meets the expectations “Iron Man” set two years ago when it opens in theaters May 7.
This upcoming summer movie season is turning into the season of sequels in general and superheroes aren’t the only ones making a repeated appearance on the big screen. Tony Stark will be joined by a giant green ogre, Carrie Bradshaw in her fabulous heels, warring vampires and werewolves and tiny talking toys. The month of May offers audiences the fairy tale land of Far, Far Away in “Shrek Forever After” and the fabulous escapades of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha in “Sex and the City 2.” The summer continues with Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” and “Eclipse: The Twilight Saga” in June. And, obviously, the summer would not be complete without a random 3-D film, “Step-Up 3-D,” coming out in August — bet you didn’t see that coming.
So will these sequels be any good? Though the original movie in a series may have been amazing, it doesn’t mean that the ones following it will rise to the same level of excellence. Some chick flicks instantly come to mind, like “Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous” or “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde.” Can’t remember them? There’s a reason why. Then there are the blockbusters like “Ocean’s Twelve” or “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” that flopped regardless of their huge fan base. It’s almost too painful to think about “The Mummy Returns” and “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.”
Once in a long while, though, you come across a sequel or series that lives up to the first film. Such a film is rare and deserves credit where it is due. When Peter Jackson brought the epic “Lord of the Rings Trilogy” to movie theaters all over the world, fans flocked to midnight premieres and stood in ticket lines for hours. The best part: each movie was actually worth it. Audiences had the same response when “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” provided the first taste of Hogwarts. Dressed in capes and armed with wands and popcorn, audiences remained enchanted with “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” With the first installment of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” coming out in November, the Potter hype remains high.
But as far as awesome sequels go, there is no denying the Batman sequel “The Dark Knight.” The film can boast of the sadistic performance by Heath Ledger as the Joker, beautifully dramatic cinematography and flawless inclusion of new heroes and villains. Truly an unforgettable film, “The Dark Knight” holds the box-office record for the largest opening weekend of all time (previously held by “Spider-Man 3”).
So will this summer of sequels fail to impress or will filmgoers come back for more? Here’s to hoping the summer of sequels is worth each $10 ticket.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
