EARLY REVIEWS ENOUGH TO RUST “IRON MAN”

Iron Man 2 is unquestionably the kind of movie studio executives like to call “critic proof,” and judging from early reviews, that’s a good thing. Each of the two principal Hollywood trade publications has slammed the movie. “Everything fun and terrific about ‘Iron Man,’ a mere two years ago, has vanished with its sequel,” wrote Kirk Honeycutt in the Hollywood Reporter, adding that the movie, which started out with critical and commercial success will have to settle for only the latter with this sequel.” Wrote Brian Lowry in Variety: “Where the first film felt buoyant and occasionally inspired in helpfully demonstrating that, done right, there’s considerable treasure to be culled even from second-tier occupants of the Marvel universe, the new pic feels more duty-bound and industrial.” Overseas, Nick de Semlyen in Empire magazine wrote that it was a “shame this sequel feels unessential, over-busy and a little, well, mechanical.” The toughest review of all came Sunday in the British tabloid News of the World, which wrote: “This’ll be remembered as the time [director] Jon Favreau not only killed the goose that laid the golden eggs, but plucked it, roasted it, ate it with two veg and gravy, then burped in fans’ faces for two hours straight.” And finally, the London Daily Mirror, which awarded the movie one out of five stars, concluded, “If Favreau still wishes to make the series a trilogy, this is a franchise in serious need of rewiring.” On the other hand, on the movie website ComingSoon.net, Edward Douglas wrote, “High expectations from the first movie may leave some wanting, but there’s enough brilliance on display to leave you wanting more as well.”