Cheap Iron Man 1 & 2 Double Pack (2010)

Customer Ratings:

Just wanted to know if the two films come with slip covers?? I would love to add it to my collection.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I like action movies and anything that Robert Downey Jr is in is good. The special effects is great and what they have come up with on the technology is great. Can't wait for Iron Man 3 to come out.

Best Deals for Iron Man 1 & 2 Double Pack (2010)

40$ is what i spent on this set, However This Movie is epic and yea most people have these 2 movies, But nobody i know has this collector set. Does have cases for each movie. 3+ Hrs of bouns foottage, But i havnt watched it. If I could go back I would of just bought Iron Man for around 15 bucks and then bought Iron Man 2 on sale for 7.99. Would of saved me roughly 10 to 15 bucks but all in all Im still hapyt I bought this pack.

Honest reviews on Iron Man 1 & 2 Double Pack (2010)

everything one could wish for. It arrived when it said it would. Good fun for the whole family to watch.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Iron Man 1 & 2 Double Pack (2010)

What can I say, you're either a comic book fan, or you aren't. As far as I'm concerned, it's an entertaining storyline with good special effects. It's great escape from the everyday problems of life.

Discount The Man with the Iron Fists (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $34.98
Sale Price: $16.98
Today's Bonus: 51% Off

The Man With the Iron Fists is a movie that was 'presented' (not produced) by Quentin Tarantino and directed by RZA. It centers on the story of a black blacksmith in China, who is trying to leave his hostile home village that's entrenched in between good ol' clan wars.

If you are seeking to be entertained, look no further. RZA blends the 'hip-hop samurai' type of music and feel -prevalent in a lot of anime in recent years -with the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-floating-around-style of fighting to create a high-flying (no pun intended) and adventurous parody of the genres with a Spaguetti Western flare. Needless to say, visually this movie is great in many respects.

However, beyond that, the movie suffers from more than a few noticeable stumbling points. The first being dialogue. Not only is the writing over-simplified, but the fact that some of the Chinese characters have Oriental-English accents while others speak perfectly clear English is something that will distract some viewers from the already simple plot. In addition, the main antagonist Silver Lion is portrayed as the funny one-liner villain, but there are times when his role feels overdone and out of place during the more serious scenes. Perhaps this harkens back to the older Kung-fu movie time other reviewers mentioned, but for me it was distracting.

Another caveat is the characters. They didn't feel very memorable, which is again probably due to the dialogue. The exception here is Russel Crowe's character, who exhibits wit, style, and the fact he sticks out like a sore thumb in a charming way. While I feel he did an extraordinary job in executing this role, I'm not exactly sure how his career will be affected in the long-run from this... You'll know what I mean.

Lastly, there were gaps in terms of the suspension of belief. While these types of movies are going to exhibit combat and visuals that are uncanny, a few of the developments toward the end, including one bad guy in particular, just felt like huge leaps of faith without any sort of explanation at all. I don't want to spoil anything, but again I think you'll know what I mean as you watch.

Now before I sound overly critical, let me tip my hat off to RZA. Not only did he direct the movie. He wrote it, helped compose the soundtrack, and starred as the blacksmith. This truly is RZA's movie in every sense of the phrase.

With so many responsibilities on one person, I can't help but critique this movie with admiration for it. It may not be on the Tarantino level, but if this is a beginning path for RZA I am excited to see what he comes up with next. Watch TMWTIF with the right expectations. If you're expecting Kill Bill or Pulp Fiction, take it down a good notch. If you're expecting a parody of exaggerated, oriental combat and hip-hop anime with Spaghuetti Western tropes, you're in for an entertaining ride. It's worth a watch, even if it doesn't etch itself into your soul.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

fantastic movie! i saw a lot of very unique and fun kung fu ideas that could only come from a true movie fan such as the rza! there is a brass statue of a man that is in many movies as a training dummy for qi (chi) blocking attacks. in this movie there is the statue and a man with skin that can become brass at will, it links up toward the end in such a cool way i was blown away. i imagine the rza back in the 70's thinking "what if someone had to fight the qi training statue? then they would be really f*&%ed!"

i could see where he deliberately paid homage to old kung fu films with some of the camera work, hair and acting styles, this kind of thing might look odd too someone who hasn't seen older kung fu movies as some of it seems corny or stilted (which is how those old movies are, something fans love!). but even so, they would get over it every time one of the AMAZING battles started.

at first the rap music came off as out of place. this is coming from a wu tang clan fan since the 36 chambers, and digital bullet is one of my favorite albums, but they're in ancient china and it's all hip hop style which doesn't really match up, but it grew on me very fast and by the end i was bobbing my head to the beats and enjoying them with the fight scenes. i grew up listening to wu tang, and rza always puts cuts from classic kung fu movies in his music. it's really cool hearing them and then, years later, stumbling over the same lines or music while watching the movie they're from without knowing it ahead of time. it's like: "why do i recognize this? i've never seen this movie... oh yeah! wu tang!" this was the exact opposite of that and it worked pretty well! i'm watching a kung fu movie and thinking "wait a minute, i know that song!"

and the story? phenomenal! really fun stuff going on and lots of surprises. russel crow is a riot in this movie. i was thoroughly entertained. i love buddhism, kung fu, and i dig the rza's music so the scene at the buddhist temple had me smiling from ear to ear.

really great film!

Best Deals for The Man with the Iron Fists (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy

good movie for a martial arts film. would have like to seen more fighting styles and the other clans in this movie.

Honest reviews on The Man with the Iron Fists (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy

It's got no real plot and the action scenes are terrible. The only saving grace is the actors/actresses which seem to want to try and salvage a bad movie, but couldn't help it.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Man with the Iron Fists (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy

This movie starts out with a story that seems promising but as it progresses it just falls short of being an interesting movie. I give it 2 1/2 bags of popcorn in my rating.

Iron Man 3 (DVD + Digital Copy) (2013) Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $19.99
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

Let me start by saying that I can understand why there are a lot of split opinions about IRON MAN 3. It's a film full of misdirection and deceptions, and I was a little distressed by a couple of them which would give away too much to detail here. Suffice it to say that there were a couple of moments I felt somewhat cheated; and though I'll be vague about it I can say it involved Mandarin. Still, read on; while I gave the movie four stars, I believe down the road I might very well revise this to a five. I'll explain...

First of all, rest assured there is A LOT of action. And there are a lot of the Iron Suits, too...it's just that Tony Stark isn't often the one IN the suit. I found myself often frustrated by that fact: Iron Man interruptus, if you will. Either the suits were off on their own, or they were on other people, or they weren't working properly...something that seemed to occur almost constantly.

I saw it in Imax 3D, and it was well worth the extra $$ to do so (given the fact that $17 is a RIDICULOUS price for a movie ticket in the first place). The movie was lush, packed with detail, and continuously drew me "inside" it. The scenes of (don't panic about spoilers these are in ALL the promos) Stark's house exploding and falling into the sea are meticulously crafted and extremely inclusive...I really felt the dimensional layers as the house was blown apart: I could feel the force of the detonation, and house collapsing, and the impact of the sea as the house AND Iron Man tumbled into it. Similarly, the moments where his suit fly through the air and "find" him, or the death-defying scenes aboard (and outside) Air Force One, and so many others throughout the film really do feel like you're there.

When it comes to the action you'd expect from a movie such as this, IRON MAN 3 is a rollicking, smash-mouth treat. Director Shane Black whose only previous directorial role was on Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (which ironically served as Robert Downey, Jr.'s comeback film) does a more-than-capable job, and the characters and events are big and loud. You'll feel like you are on a roller-coaster; while there are of course moments of crazy adrenaline rushes, there are also emotional ups and down. But Tony Stark is just as glib as always, causing almost as much damage with his mouth as he does as with his armor. I laughed a lot during the movie ... for those who care, Tony's mechanical manservant JARVIS (the voice of Paul Bettany) gets a good deal of air play here, and he's just as lovably bumbling as always.

Yet and remember my dichotomy about this the movie really focuses on Tony Stark OUTSIDE the suit. I wish the promos had clued me into this: our man Tony is experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder because of what happened in The Avengers. Had I been informed of that I wouldn't have felt slighted, and I think it would have better prepared me for this movie. I found myself constantly disappointed, even cheated, by the absence of Tony WITHIN the suit. I realize now that was the only way I felt Iron man was indeed Iron Man. Yet I will declare that now, looking back, I feel good about the movie, and I'm glad to have seen Tony as a more "real" person, as a more human man, a man undergoing a metamorphosis.

There are other things about this movie that surprised me and I'm sure will surprise you that I will NOT tell you. Just realize that while this is a very action-packed movie, it is also a personal one. It's this kind of writing that has typified the action movies of today, making them stand out above their "super-hero" predecessors. Like the The Dark Knight movies of Chris Nolan, these new, and better, powerhouse films are focusing on their heroes' moments of personal growth, warts and all. It's a trend I'm really happy to see.

(A NOTE: if you feel negatively about my review, please leave a comment to help me next time.)

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

It had three or four rock solid Iron Man moments, and in between these moments it was pretty solid story. I was entertained. More story driven than the usual nonstop action, which, in my opinion, kind of gets old. I can't see where people who claim to like ;Iron Man; don't like it as much as part 2...? I didn't even watch 2 straight through. Iron Man 3 is solid Iron Man story and plot, but tailored and balanced for cinematic effect. I think it was well balanced, solid, Iron Man. Pretty cool action scenes. Stark seems to transform in this movie. It ebbs and flows a bit but by the ending you're feelin pretty good.

I like it when a movie's ending is entertaining enough to make me smile like a little kid. It also leaves you kind of feeling excited about what 'Iron Man' means from this point forward. The ending is dazzling. I'd like to say more but... Well worth the rental.

[One more point : Keep in mind that you are supposed to have seen the Avengers movie before you see Iron Man 3. Tony Stark is attempting to deal with the emotional fallout of what happened to him at the end of the Avengers movie, so, if you're kind of a shallow person you might not appreciate the 'depth' they were striving to give Stark / Iron man in this movie. I myself welcomed the inclusion of more depth and story for a change...but others seem to want the same old empty-brained effects movie void of any trace of substance...? I guess what I'm saying is that there was a real attempt to give Stark some authentic-humanity and human struggle as opposed to the usual, mindless, incessant bravado.]

Best Deals for Iron Man 3 (DVD + Digital Copy) (2013)

I am not going to give away anything plotwise for those who haven't seen this movie yet but my advice to everyone is to watch "The Avengers" before watching this one. The reason for this is because the movie frequently references things that happened there and they will make more sense to the viewer. It at least sticks with canon where the films are concerned. While "The Avengers" isn't necessarily "Iron Man 2.5", there are things that happen to the Tony Stark character in that film that come into play in "Iron Man 3".

(Personal side note, I purchased the single disc DVD, just because that was in my budget. I would have preferred Blu Ray but I am one movie fan who doesn't really nitpick about formats. I will watch a film on VHS if I want to see it bad enough.)

That notwithstanding, it is still a great film on its own. If you want to see Robert Downey Jr. a LOT, this film will NOT disappoint you in that department, nor will you feel cheated out of special effects galore, stunning and jaw dropping stunts, and great stuff all around.

Ben Kingsley is hilarious. There are many instances where you laugh out loud in this film.

It is an all around entertaining way to spend two hours and eleven minutes.

The story takes place around Christmas time, which surprised me that it was a summer film. I guess Paramount figured it would be a better time to launch the third film in the franchise. It isn't technically a "holiday" film anyway, but in any case, Paramount studios dominated movie theaters when this first came out and then "Star Trek: Into Darkness" started playing a week or so later and they ran concurrently there for a while..then "Star Trek" got released for home viewing first.

One last thing. Watch all the way through the credits. Like the previous two movies, there is an "Easter egg" that hints to what may or may not happen if a fourth film ever gets made.

I enjoyed the film and ultimately having a good time while watching a movie is the most important thing.

Honest reviews on Iron Man 3 (DVD + Digital Copy) (2013)

Sucked! That says it all. Stark spends most of his time out of the armor playing spy/action hero. There are too many things wrong with this piece of trash to list here. Daredevil-level awful. Ghost Rider 2 level bad. Google ' Iron Man 3 sucks ' and see all the articles that show up.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Iron Man 3 (DVD + Digital Copy) (2013)

I have watched all of Iron Man movies and this is the best ever..can not wait to see what happens next.

Best Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013) Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $30.99
Sale Price: $13.49
Today's Bonus: 56% Off

This is a classic example of Marvel outsourcing its animation; this movie was created almost wholly by an anime studio (Mad House of Trigun and Deathnote fame) with the American studio having very little input. So from that perspective, it succeeds as an anime film. The animation is gorgeous and there is the feeling of world-ending plots and over-the-top villains that are more android than human in their actions. If you're a fan of anime, it's all stuff you've seen before, and you might quite enjoy it.

That said, if you're watching this for the Iron Man feature, you may not want to bother. The narration itself is very disjointed, and the characters are all pretty two-dimensional as another reviewer pointed out. The story is spotty, and it seems like it makes very little sense (why would Nick Fury actively being trying to kill Tony Stark with mandroids? So that there is an excuse to put in more exciting action/mecha scenes, of course!) There's spotty science, and no one seems to be bothered by the question that's set up in the first five minutes of the film which is "Is it okay to send a giant spy satellite into space to spy on people's every move as a crime prevention measure?" The answer seems to be yes, because while that would make for a spectacular plot, that's not what the movie's about.

If by some chance you're a big Ezekiel Stane fan from the comics, you're the one who will be most disappointed at all. Ezekiel is nothing like his 616 counterpart. He is detached from reality, and has zero redeeming qualities. He looks about 14 and Tony Stark repeatedly talks about how he's stepping in as the adult to "scold" him for his best friend's murder. There is nothing of the conniving, off-the-rails Zeke from the comics.

You can rent this movie from multiple digital sources. If you absolutely NEED to see it, renting is the better alternative to buying it.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Marvel animation is just simply not up to par with DC animation yet, and that's really too bad, especially since Marvel puts out much better live action films. Sadly, this trend continues w/ Marvel's latest offerings. I had higher hopes because I really enjoyed Tales of Asgard and Planet Hulk. I thought they were large steps in the right direction. Instead we get two steps backward. Let me give you specific reasons of what went wrong here:

1. Dialog Bad, bad, bad. Especially the scenes between Pepper Potts and Tony. They are cliche-filled, they are cheesy, they are terrible. There are times even when Pepper's lines were three bad lines right in a row, that all said the same thing in a different way. Nick Fury was reduced to a caricature. Only the Punisher has some good lines, but his presence in the film is much more minor than the cover suggests. The opening flight scene between War Machine and Iron Man sets the bar very low as Tony taunts Rhodey over and over again using the same lines, and the movie never clears that bar.

2. Plot VERY MINOR SPOILERS. The plot hinges around an attack on a space tower at the beginning of the film by this "Technovore." Because Tony was there, SHIELD wants to bring him in for questioning. How do they try to bring him in? By trying to kill him. Yes, because Tony won't come in for questioning, Fury authorizes Mandroids, Black Widow, and Hawkeye to kill him. Why the escalation in violence? Who knows? The movie never tells us. In that scene where Technovore destroys the space tower, he also kills everyone inside it. Everyone except Iron Man, of course. Why does he spare Tony when he can easily kill him? Who knows? The movie never tells us. Where does Technovore get his powers from? Who knows? The plot and silliness continue through the entire film, but providing more examples would spoil it for you. Even the climax is a contrived mess that makes no sense.

What went right? The animation is pretty darn good. All of the characters are drawn a little but anime style, but that shouldn't bother anyone. Pepper Potts is strangely unattractive, and Black Widow's breasts are threatening to pop out the entire film. Like I said, it's anime style. The only reason I give this film two stars instead of one is because the animation is decent and they worked the Punisher into a small, but amusing role. I'd still recommend skipping the film.

Best Deals for Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013)

At first I wasn't sure why so many were going to give this DVD bad reviews. Most commentaries were over the animation and dialogue.

Having watched the movie now, I can see where they are coming from.

From where I sit, Rise of the Technovore is a standard, mediocre anime with a Marvel character, covering and flavor to it.

It's a decent enough anime style if you don't mind how white washed it will be. The lines are rather rote and forced at times. If it didn't have the Marvel name and Iron Man attached to it, this would be one of thousands of animes that's out there and is quickly forgotten because it looks like all of the rest with this technological monster going to destroy the world, tentacles sprouting from it and the hero comes in with everything at dire odds and impossible to win the day yet he does so.

I can see why there are complaints of Punisher's appearance and cameo in this movie being so lack luster. And then Hawkeye and Blackwidow weren't much better off either.

If you look at this as standard anime fare, this is okay, watch it once and forget it. Move on to the next anime in the pile to watch.

But that this has the Marvel name and characters attached to it and the newest Marvel dvd movie out since the end of the MLG Productions and Lionsgate contract and the whole Disney now owns Marvel. People have a right to be upset. I'm glad we have a new dvd movie and that there's a promise of more Marvel Animated movies coming. But more could have been done. The animators could have done better.

Take a page from DC and WB and actually take some comic lines and adapt them to animation like they have. In the mean time, if this is what we continue to see, yes DC is going to own the arena for the direct to dvd animated movies. They are doing better when it comes to direct to dvds and television series.

Honest reviews on Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013)

I am a comic artist / writer. I've been an Iron Man fan since I was like 5. I am very familiar with all the subject matter going on in this film; Iron Man, Comics, Comic Movies, Anime-It's all in my wheelhouse.

I'd heard these Madhouse Marvel interpretations weren't all THAT amazing (specifically, the Wolverine one). Then, seeing all the 1 and 2-star reviews of this movie, I felt that claim must be true.

But, having watched it, I can't really understand why this movie is getting such a bad rap.

Maybe it's because people are expecting a movie similar in theme / tone to the live action Robert Downey Jr. films. Well, yeah, no, RDJ is not in this film. This is not that kind of film. If you're looking for RDJ winks and asides, you won't find them here (although the movie does try it's best to replicate the new, quipping RDJ-style Tony Stark-To reasonably well effect here). This movie is not an emotional character piece.

What this movie IS: is a true IRON MAN action spectacle. Tony is IN HIS ARMOR for about 90% of the movie (which I love). This movie is less about Tony Stark, more about the powerful armors he, his friend Rhodey, and the new mysterious villain employ. So, if after 3 films of pleasant RDJ-asides, you are looking for more of a straight-up Armored Iron Man Action Fest: this is your flick.

What's even cooler about this movie: It actually ties into the story built thus far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They mention events that occur in the previous Iron Man films, including references to Obediah Stane and appearances from other Avengers, Nick Fury, Black Widow and Hawkeye, who I felt were pretty well represented in this movie. Hawkeye specifically is a hoot in this flick.

The Punisher even shows up, voiced by Norman Reedus ("Daryl" from Walking Dead). Which is interesting, but it somehow fits. It helps that this Punisher is a bit more youthful seeming. Some people might wonder WHAT Punisher is doing in an Iron Man flick, but that's just how COMIC BOOKS work.

There's a lot of humor in this movie, too. Some good one liners. This isn't just throwaway anime garbage-they actually really tried to replicate some of the swagger and sass the original Iron Man movie / Avengers movie had.

Rhodey: "Man, am I glad you're alive!"

Tony: "Not as much as me!"

That's good stuff.

Sure, the story is a LITTLE strange. But seriously, it is not that bad or hard to follow. It has some emotional fugue-ness to it at times (a standard trope in most anime), but for every weird, preachy villain scene (of which there are like 2 or 3)-there are at least 10 awesome action set pieces where Iron Man gets to really strut his stuff.

And STRUT HIS STUFF HE DOES. If there's one thing MADHOUSE knows how to do, it's animate the HECK out of Iron Man. Iron Man's suits have never looked this cool, in the live action movies or otherwise. Iron Man himself is deftly animated, with a slightly new look. And WAR MACHINE is up there with any heavily armed GUNDAM. He's just MASSIVE. It's amazing.

They make use of integrating CG with the animation, sometimes it looks a little stiff-but when it works, it REALLY works.

Giving this movie a 5-star rating to hopefully level out the unjustifiable 2-star rating it currently has.

Don't listen to the haters. If you're looking for a good time with Iron Man, and you're at least REMOTELY an anime fan, there's a lot to like in IRON MAN: RISE OF TECHNOVORE

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Iron Man: Rise of Technovore (2013)

Look, I like Marvel comics, I like anime, that doesn't mean they should be combined.

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***

First of all, what is wrong with all the character's eyes? They just look creepy like the animator was just trying too hard to make them anatomically correct but also make them look like an anime character's. Other than that the animation was pretty good.

Plus I could really care less that Obediah had a son he didn't really care about which drove him to become crazy and inject himself with nanobots or whatever those things were.

The best parts of this was the parts with the Punisher in them, because let's face it, anything with Norman Reedus in it is just plain awesome! It was also refreshing to see that Tony made references to other parts of the Marvel universe such as the Savage Land, Asgard, and Captain America. Other than those scenes I could really care less about the rest of this movie.

***END SPOILERS*** ***END SPOILERS*** ***END SPOILERS***

Unless you're a HUGE Iron Man or Marvel fan, you can skip over this one. It doesn't really add anything to the overall saga of the Marvel universe.

Cheap Iron Man 2 (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010)

Customer Ratings:

I've loved Iron Man ever since my first Tales of Suspense comic, so I might not be the most unbiased person to write a review. Still, I'm going to try and be as honest as I possibly can. In some ways, Iron Man 2 improves on the original. For instance, the brawl between Iron Man and War Machine was perfect, and RDJr was even better this time around. However, there were some weak moments. For example, Pepper Potts is almost absent from the movie, and is shrill and unpleasant during her brief appearances. Whiplash has never been a particularly compelling villain, and the movie doesn't do much to make him any more exciting. Also, they really need to STOP with the "Iron Man fights someone who has the same technology" plots. It's already boring. Plus, I couldn't help but wonder where a drunken hobo managed to get the equipment to build an Arc Reactor. Stark did it in the first movie because he had several billion dollars worth of his own weaponry to cannibalize. How does a homeless Russian manage it? Furthermore, the character of Justin Hammer was silly and played for laughs, which was the wrong move. It had a real "Jim Carrey in Batman Forever" vibe to it.

Others have mentioned the unnecessary plot lines, and they're right. We could have done entirely without the "Paladium Poisoning" and the "Under House Arrest by SHIELD" plots, since neither of them really went anywhere, and felt like padding in a movie that didn't need any. I didn't mind the Black Widow showing up, but eventually it felt like we were tripping over minor characters. Also, they're not fooling anyone with the whole "The Avengers don't want Tony Stark" subplot. None of us believe for a moment that they'd do an Avengers movie without the only Avenger that's proven to be a box-office success.

Still, it was a good movie. Perhaps not a GREAT movie like the first one, but at least it wasn't a franchise-killing fiasco like Spiderman 3 or Batman and Robin. Honestly, if none of us had ever seen the original Iron Man, we'd all be talking about how this movie was one of the best Comic Book movies ever. But as it is, it's over-shadowed by it's phenomenal predecessor.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

While Iron Man 2 may not be perfect, it is a very solid and fun sequel. Improvements include better action sequences and some great characters added to the franchise. Unfortunately there is a lot going on here and even though it isn't hard to follow, there isn't enough time to give each sub plot the proper screen time it deserves. Oddly enough for a super hero film, I think they could have edited some of the talky scenes down and added a little more Iron Man action.

A good example of this is when we meet Natasha Romanova she isn't given much to do and I found myself wondering if she was going to be The Black Widow on screen. She is only in one action sequence(a great one with one of the funniest moments in the film)late in the movie and she and Nick Fury are really only there to set up The Avengers movie. I'm not saying it should be edited out, but there is only so much ground you can cover in two hours. Whiplash is played with gusto by Mickey Rourke, but he doesn't have much screen time either and that seems to be the problem with this film, no one but Tony Stark gets enough screen time.

After the first encounter with Whiplash in Monaco on the race track, we don't really get a good dose of Iron man until the final battle, which means there is over an hour of time where there isn't that much action. Considering what I had read about this being an action packed film, I found it to be very talky. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because the characters are well developed and the actors are all really good here.

The final battle is very good with some very cool Iron Man destruction and some nifty moves, but it's surprising and anti-climatic when Whiplash is defeated very quickly. In the first film, I thought the final battle was too long and in this one, it just seems to end too abruptly. I'm not bashing this film in any way as it is a very fun film that I will most certainly own the DVD/Blu Ray when it is released, but I think the story may have been a little too ambitious for one film.

Overall I give Iron Man 2 a solid B(4 stars)and I think Favreau did a very good job all things considered. Of course if you are seeing this in a theater, then stick around until the end of the credits role for a little teaser scene about another Marvel Hero who will be hitting theaters next year.

Best Deals for Iron Man 2 (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010)

At the end of 2008, I made two bold assertions: (1) That "Iron Man" was one of the year's best films; (2) that "Iron Man" was one of the greatest superhero films ever made. I still believe both to be true. Now we have "Iron Man 2." While it is thoroughly entertaining, it's also a bit conventional when compared to its predecessor, having less of a compelling story but more in the ways of action, special effects, gadgets, humor, and stunt work. It's a comic book through and through. That's fine by me what it lacks in introspection it more than makes up for in sheer fun. We have plenty to cheer for, not the least of which is our hero, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), who when we last left him had shut down the weapon's division of his company to focus on more humanitarian uses for technology. The result was a high tech metal suit equipped with rocket boosters and missile launchers.

It's now six months after Stark revealed himself as Iron Man at a press conference. Despite the demands of a United States Senate committee, he refuses to share his technology with the American military, believing that world peace can be maintained only if it's privatized. At this meeting, he humiliates Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), the CEO of a rival company who has unsuccessfully tried to outdo Stark's technology with his own prototype machines; in an effort to get ahead, Hammer appeals to Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a Russian physicist who publically revealed his grudge against Stark by attacking him as he was car racing in Monaco. For as yet unknown reasons, Vanko has constructed an arc reactor very similar to the one implanted in Stark's chest. He has improved the design by attaching whips that surge with bolts of electrical energy.

Stark, meanwhile, is realizing that his chest implant, originally constructed as a way to keep him alive, contains an element that's slowly poisoning him. He doesn't handle it well. He acts out. He drinks in excess. He hastily appoints his former personal assistant, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), as the new CEO of his company. If he's to survive, he must replace the core of the implant with an entirely new element, one he has tried but failed to create on his own. Out of the blue comes special agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who suggests that Stark look to his father's research for guidance.

New to the cast is Don Cheadle, who replaces Terrence Howard as Stark's dedicated but weary friend Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. Also new is Scarlett Johansson as Stark's newly hired personal assistant Natalie Rushman, who says she's from the company's legal department.

Watching this movie, I was quite dazzled by the sights and sounds, and I found the plot engaging in a suspension-of-disbelief kind of way. I did not, however, find it persuasive, as I did the first film, which I felt put a refreshing and thought-provoking spin on the traditional comic book adversary; Stark might have physically battled with the power-hungry Obadiah Stane, but his real enemies were war and injustice, both of which he took part in by selling weapons of mass destruction. This time around, it's much more by the book a superhero pitted against a madman out for revenge, a fight to the finish that includes a lot of things blowing up, a showcase of digital wizardry and highly choreographed stunts. There are a number of films that can give you pretty much the same thing.

That being said, there's no denying the quality of the performances, especially Downey, whose cocky take on Stark makes the film fun but not jokey. Rockwell is quite good, playing Hammer is if he were Stark's slightly goofier evil twin comedy relief with a hint of something darker, you might say. Credit also to Rourke, who truly does convey the anger, resentment, and pain his character feels in every one of his scenes. He isn't given all that much screen time, but when he's on, he's on, resonating with a deep, calm, frighteningly low voice and an imposing build.

If there is an "Iron Man 3," and I have no doubt that there will be, I can only hope it doesn't follow its predecessor's lead and decline in quality. The original "Iron Man" was a superb film, redefining the superhero genre for both old and new generations of moviegoers. "Iron Man 2" is a great looking and wonderfully performed sequel, although its approach to the story is routine, more so than I had preferred it to be. Still, you've got to hand it to director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Theroux they sure know how to entertain an audience. There's an early scene in which Stark, dressed as Iron Man, jumps off a plane, flies through the sky, and lands unharmed in the middle of one of his own lavishly high tech expos in New York City. Throngs of people cheer him on. I suspect the audiences for this movie will do the same when it's over.

Honest reviews on Iron Man 2 (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010)

Love the movie, but if you are going to advertise something as containing a digital copy you shouldn't sell ones where the codes are expired. You can do better than this, Amazon.com.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Iron Man 2 (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010)

There's nothing like that first kiss, yeah, and so even though IRON MAN 2 comes out and unleashes its share of awesomeness, even though it is very much worth a look, the mystery is gone, the expectations met, we've, er, already copped that feel. IRON MAN 2, good as it is, doesn't drop on us like lightning in a bottle, and so it isn't quite as exhilarating. What it does give us is more of that good Robert Downey, Jr.

The guy has made the Invincible Iron Man into his own, and I can't see anyone else now as Tony Stark, and I'm betting you can't, either. Downey brings the same devilish, bigger-than-life charisma, that same brash "I'm Tony Stark! Who the eff are you?!" swagger. Tony Stark is brilliant and ego-centric, but he's got good intentions. His heart's in the right place, and so we forgive the rampant narcissism. Plus, he's a fun dude to be around.

IRON MAN 2 chronicles Tony's fall from grace and his redemption. Six months ago Tony Stark told the world that he was Iron Man. But has fame and success gone to his head? He's been more eccentric lately, indulging even more in hedonism lately, and he's conducting the Stark Expo like it's a rock concert (which is actually bloody cool). Certain parties are worried. Iron Man's arrival had gone a ways into ensuring global peace or at least global detente. But six months later, the American government as embodied in the person of the slimy Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) is itching to get its paws on the Iron Man tech and, so, Tony has to attend senate hearings. Stark, in his own inimitable manner, blows the hearings out of the water.

There's a fatal flaw in the schematics, a gremlin in the wires. Carefree on the outside, on the inside Tony is very concerned. The palladium element in the arc reactor in his chest is gradually poisoning him, and each use of the Iron Man armor accelerates the condition. But he keeps up the pretense, having informed no one of his impending death. Maybe you can't blame the guy for carrying on so.

I actually expected this movie to delve into Tony's alcoholism (from the classic story arc in the comics), but we only get a peek at the man's fondness for booze. We do get moments when we see the flamboyant playboy take a sippy, as well as one epic drunken binge at a party (while in armor, no less). This public eff-up sends Tony's credibility plummeting, and that slimy senator's smirk just got even smirkier.

Rival industrialist Justin Hammer isn't the Big Bad of the movie, but Sam Rockwell supplies him with a pronounced air of unctuousness, and you hate him. Hammer, fed up with languishing in Stark's shadow, hires a crazed and tattooed Russian physicist to craft his own arsenal of armored suits, and a Russian physicist played by the menacing Mickey Rourke probably would have no choice but to be crazed and tattooed. They don't call Rourke's character by his supervillain code name, but it's Whiplash (with a smidge of Crimson Dynamo thrown in). He nurses a serious grudge against Tony and Tony's father, Howard Stark, who had a falling out with Whiplash's own inventor father. But how does Rourke get away with chewing a toothpick all the time?

IRON MAN 2 isn't magic like the first movie and that initial sense of novelty has worn off, but it's still terrific and the scale is bigger. Downey's presence drives the thing, and the fact that we don't mind that Tony Stark is onscreen more than Iron Man says something about the skills set Downey brings to the party. We still get that good banter between him and Gwyneth Paltrow. Don Cheadle takes over from Terrence Howard, and it's like he's always been on board as Rhodey. The f/x is flawless state of the art stuff; there's nothing like heavy metal clashing resoundingly. If you've at all seen the posters and the trailer, then you already know War Machine would make his debut, and he may not be as impressive as the ol' shellhead but, damn, he's got all those big mounted guns. And, for dessert, curvy Scarlett Johansson steps into the franchise as the smoking hot Black Widow and she demonstrates high levels of kickassery. And oh that sexy black leather....

I only wish Pepper Potts were given more stuff to do.

Jon Favreau features himself more as Happy Hogan, a chauffer in this incarnation, and I'm not mad at Favreau. What's the point of being director if you can't call your own number once in a while? Meanwhile, IRON MAN 2, in a scene here and there, gets us another step closer to that Avengers movie. Somewhere, executives from DC Comics must be gnashing their teeth, late to the game, lagging behind. The Green Lantern movie had better be something.

And, as become a habit with Marvel Studios flicks, stick around until after the closing credits, yeah? Nerd nirvana awaits.

Discount Iron Man (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition + BD Live) (2008)

Customer Ratings:

The first disc features 11 deleted and extended scenes. There's more of the opening ambush with Tony Stark being more proactive. We also see more footage of Rhodes and it quickly becomes apparent that he was the character with the most scenes cut from the film. We also see Tony and Pepper Potts attend another party.

The second disc starts off with the impressive "I Am Iron Man," a 108 minute making of documentary that can be viewed in seven segments or altogether, taking us through various aspects of the production. For example, we are taken step-by-step through the construction of the Iron Man armor with Robert Downey Jr. cracking jokes while being fitted for it. It's amazing how much of the suit is practical and looks really good in person. This is due in large part to the genius of the late-great Stan Winston and his company. Also included is plenty of soundstage footage of scenes being filmed.

"The Invincible Iron Man" is a six-part documentary on the comic book, tracing the history of the character. Stan Lee says that he modeled Stark after Howard Hughes, for the most part. He also mentions that he was never fully satisfied with the look of the armor hence its many changes over the years. This doc also covers various key characters and storylines in excellent detail with several people who worked on the title over the years talking about their contribution to the mythos. This is a very well done overview of the comic book.

"Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man" examines the CGI work that went into realizing Iron Man's powers, like flying, his repulsors, and so on. Director Jon Favreau says that he likes to use practical effects whenever possible, which is wonderfully refreshing to hear, and in this film he mixed the practical with CGI.

"Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test." Incredibly, the actor had to do a screen test because the studio deemed him a risky proposition and this footage shows that he had a handle on the character very early on.

"The Actor's Process" features fascinating footage of Jeff Bridges and Downey rehearsing a scene with Favreau. It's great to see these guys at work and offers insight into how they put together a scene from the film from an acting point-of-view.

"The Onion's Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer to be Adapted into Full-Length Film" is a funny satire where a newscaster "breaks" a story of how the Iron Man trailer will be made into a film that pokes fun at the rabid nature of the hardcore fanbase of the character.

Finally, there are "Galleries," featuring concept art, technology stills, behind-the-scenes photographs, and poster art.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

This is a great superhero film that the whole family can enjoy.

If you are wondering what the special features on the 2-disc DVD are, here they are:

The IRON MAN Ultimate Edition two-DVD set is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Total runtime is 125 minutes. Bonus features include:

Disc 1:

Feature film

Deleted/Extended Scenes

Disc 2:

I Am Iron Man

-The Journey Begins

-The Suit that makes the Iron Man

-The Walk of Destruction

-Grounded In Reality

-Beneath the Armor

-It's All in the Details

-A Good Story, Well Told

The Invincible Iron Man

-Origins

-Friends & Foes

-The Definitive Iron Man

-Demon in a Bottle

-Extremis and Beyond

-Ultimate Iron Man

Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man

Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test

The Actor's Process (scene rehearsal with cast)

The Onion "Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer to be Adapted into Full Length Film"

Image Galleries

Best Deals for Iron Man (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition + BD Live) (2008)

There was a big question mark looming over the theatrical adaptation of Marvel's Iron Man property. It was in the guise of director Jon Favreau. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the Favs, but when I heard he was helming a big budget comic book flick...let's just say I was a little worried. Once his cast was set and the fanboys started humming across the internet I started to ease into the decision with high anticipation. Thankfully, after finally seeing the finished product, I was not disappointed in the least. With a great mix of the professionalism and stakes seen in both Spider-Man and X-Men and the comic wit and sheer fun of Fantastic Four, Iron Man shows how a comic can be brought to the screen successfully without all the added drama and weight. We finally have a film with the essence of what makes these picture books so popular, the action and mythology along with a sense of adventure and humor. Favreau never bogs us down with overwrought emotions nor speaks down to us with gags and poorly written jokes. Instead he delivers on his promises and gives us a solid initiation into what could be a great trilogy or more.

Favreau seems to have had an idea to get an origin story out while not boring us with long drawn out back story. His ability to give us dual information at once is nicely orchestrated, showing Tony Stark in his basement creating while the TV in the background explains what is happening in the outside world of the Middle East and inside his own company. We as an audience are allowed to put the pieces together amidst the witty banter of Stark and the wonderful special effects. By the end of the film it is quite amazing how much information you will realize you now know, all culminating in a decent final battle, but more importantly a segue into the inevitable sequel. We are allowed entrance into the character evolution of Stark as he goes from war profiteer to man of action and cause, all while seeing the technology improve and advance before our eyes. Much like Batman, we have a hero here that needs help in fighting crime. He has no superhuman abilities besides his brain and being able to see his thoughts go from paper to reality is a feat of magic. Every stage is shown, every failure and success. It's quite the ride in and of itself, but when you add onto it the threat of global war and destruction, it can only get better.

The real success here is in the bold move of casting an actor over-40 to be a superhero. This takes guts, because no matter how appropriate it is, most studios would have said, "no, change the story and make him younger so we can churn out as many of these babies as we can." I don't know how he did it, but Favreau got Marvel to get Robert Downey Jr. to play Stark, a sarcastic Lothario with the brain capacity of Einstein. I truly can't think of anyone better suited to the role and he proves it by nailing every single scene. I'm sure there was some ad-libbing, but even if not, his comic delivery and ability to switch on a dime to a sincere seriousness at will shows his masterful craft.

As for the rest of the cast, they all do well. Jeff Bridges plays the bombastic creature of villainy over-the-top, but appropriately so; Terrence Howard is nice as the friend and military liaison, not given much to do, but definitely sowing seeds for the future; and Gwyneth Paltrow is good as the sweet assistant Pepper Potts who at times seems a little underwritten and more female prop than anything else, but comes through with some nice moments in a very comic sort of way. I also really liked Shaun Toub as Yinsen, Stark's savior, and Clark Gregg as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Good to see Favreau giving another actor turned director props, (Gregg's directorial debut comes out later this year in the form of Chuck Palahniuk's Choke). I just wish he would have shied away from putting himself in the film. It's one thing to be seen split-second, (like Stan Lee), but its another to give yourself a thankless role with multiple scenes, just adding fuel to the fire on people's opinions of egotism stemming from the drinking game created off of the TV show "Dinner for Five" and how many references to Swingers was made each episode. I'll forgive, though, because, once again, I'm a big fan.

One can't forget that this is an action film above all else, so we can't just praise the actors; every effect is also quite brilliant. Those scenes of Iron Man flying amongst fighter jets in the trailer seemed really lame, but when in context they deliver. The suit itself is amazing as well, through every mach stage right to the end. My main highlight, however, was with the computer systems that Stark utilizes. The multiple screens, instant holographic reproductions, and ability to actually interact with those 3D representations is stunning. We can create them in fantasy, but it's just too bad we can't yet in real life.

Now Iron Man is not a perfect film, nor even a perfect comic book adaptation. What it is, though, is a fun, comic actioner that should light up the box office. The final showdown is a bit of a whimper in comparison to the back story and machine creation; a crucial element is saved from destruction in the one contrived bit of screen writing, (not quite utilized in the way I thought, although still for the same means); and some moments seem a tad campy rather than witty, but otherwise this is some topnotch cinema that should definitely be seen on the big screen. I can't wait to see how the story progresses in a couple years.

Honest reviews on Iron Man (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition + BD Live) (2008)

Reviewers who received advanced copies of the Iron Man Blu-ray release reported that the Dynamic Range Compression (DRC) flag was active on the Dobly TrueHD audio track, causing a less-than-stellar audio experience for customers who weren't savvy enough to adjust their player and amplifier to compensate.

The good news is that Paramount confirmed on September 25th that they had recalled all of the defective copies and replaced them with newly-authored discs that fix this issue.

This recall occurred prior to Iron Man's release, so no one should have wound up with a defective copy except for the reviewers who received their copies in advance. You can purchase with confidence without worrying whether your product is the corrected one, unlike with the Back to the Future DVDs and Pirates of the Carribbean I Blu-ray which still have defective copies unknowingly being sold by some stores despite having been re-authored after the initial batch.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Iron Man (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition + BD Live) (2008)

Once again I begin with a warning that you need to sit through the really, really long credits for what might be the best cameo appearance since Sean Connery showed up as King Richard the Lionheart at the end of "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves." That was the last time I remember people really applauding a cameo in a film, although I should point out that everybody left at the end of the first showing of "Iron Man" were True Believers who instantly recognized the actor and the character as soon as the first words were out of their mouth. Ironically, the cameo by Stan Lee in the film seemed to go right by the audience, because there was no reaction to what was a pretty good gag (it happens when Stark shows up at the big party).

Now that I have that bit of business out of the way, let me say that "Iron Man" is the best comic book superhero movie I have seen since "Spider-Man 2." I would say that the latter is better, mainly on the strength of Alfred Molina's wonderful performance as the villain and the great fight sequences between Spidey and Doc Ock that take place on the vertical as well as the horizontal axis, but "Iron Man" might be the more solid film (i.e., lower top but higher bottom). There was a point when the number of comic books that Marvel was putting out exploded (e.g., the New Universe titles) and I dispaired over all of the idiotic cloning with Spider-Man and was down to reading only two Marvel titles: Daredevil and Iron Man. This was back when Frank Miller was doing DD and Tony Stark was a full-blown alcoholic. Daredevil might have been cooler, but as Iron Man, Stark always had the advantage that he was a regular guy, by which I mean that he did not have any superpowers. He was just a really smart guy who could invent the gadgets that would make Iron Man work (eat your heart out Ned Kelly). That is certainly what we get with director Jon Favreau's pre-summer blockbuster, with the added angst of Stark growing a conscience and using his armored alter-ego to help restore balance to his own little corner of the universe at war.

Ultimately the best parts of the movie are the opening act, in which Stark is captured (Afghanistan today instead of Vietnam of the Sixties)and has to built the metallic grey Tin Woodsman on roids prototype armor, and the second act, where he works out the new suit. This movie has two or three of the best violent slapstick gags you have ever seen in one of these movies, which engenders some of the biggest laughs. The origin of the character is fairly faithful, for being updated, to what happened in "Tales of Suspense" #39, which was plotted by Stan Lee, scripted by his brother Larry Leiber, drawn by Don Heck, with a cover art by Jack Kirby (who created the character's original look, although it was Steve Ditko who first drew the red and gold armored version). There certainly is more than a touch of "Transformers" to the way Stark dons the Iron Man armor, but as much as I would give credit to the specific effects in this movie, attention must be paid to the screenwriting teams of Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby ("Children of Men") and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway. For all of the humor in the script, there is a strong thread of serious stuff extending throughout this film.

As Tony Stark, Robert Downey, Jr., a superb actor whose skills in the verbal repartee department were honed on "Ally McBeal," may well be the most glib superhero we have seen on the silver screen. Certainly he is more glib than we would every have suspected Stark to be, but of course Downey's personal life clearly echoes the character ark of his character (it is that resonance as well as his undeniable talents that make him perfect for the role). As Pepper Potts, Gwenyth Paltrow is more of a romantic figure for Stark than she was in the comic book, especially since Happy Hogan (director Favreau) has been relegated to a minor role as Stark's bodyguard to make room for the character of Jim Rhodes. However, the point is not so much potential romance as it is the fact that with Paltrow we have an actress who can go toe to toe with Downey in quick paced nuanced conversation (although many will think that Downey's best scenes are with his robotic assistant with the fire extinguisher). Besides, by have Rhodes instead of Hogan we not only get another acting talent on the level of the Downey and Paltrow with Terrence Howard, but as fans of the comic book know (and the movie acknowledges), one day down the road Jim is going to get to be in the red and gold suit.

Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) is set up as a godfather to Tony Stark and a regent to Stark Industries instead of being a rival munitions magnate, which provides a bit of Oedipal conflict to the proceedings and compels the big fight at the end to be with Iron Monger (I was actually hoping for Titanium Man even though I was half expecting the Mandarian). But most people who come to see this movie are not going to know any of this stuff, and even most of the comic book fans who will end up making repeat trips to the theater to see this one are not going to be old enough to remember the original Virginia "Pepper" Potts who ended up with Happy Hogan versus the "The Ultimates" version of the character. All that really matters is that the cast and characters are a perfect mesh and the people who put this movie together should be thinking not just about a sequel but about a series. With this launching platform, Iron Man could well replace Superman in the Big Three of comic book superheroes in the movies along with Spider-Man and Batman.