Iron Man 2 Blu-ray Review

[admin]

Comic fans rejoice as Iron Man 2 delivers in both plot and the A/V experience. Video in our option wasn't quite up to reference standards but the DTS-HD Master Audio track is the defacto demo disc in terms of LFE assault for the Blu-ray format thus far. Iron Man faces a formidable foe that will give your home theater system quite a workout. For those who have not seen this film in the theaters, be warned that this review contains a comprehensive plot analysis. Be sure to watch the closing credits for a sneak peak of the up and coming Avengers movie.

Discuss "Iron Man 2 Blu-ray Review" here. Read the article.

 

[GlocksRock]

I still haven't seen this yet, I may have to watch it this weekend. My Ultra hasn't been given a good workout in a while, so this may be just what it needs.

 

[j_garcia]

It is almost more than a workout. The bass seems pretty hot on this one. I enjoyed it and it definitely makes for a fun demo disc, which I've already used it for over the weekend for a friend who hadn't heard my Empire

 

[jotham]

Personally, I'm not as keen on the movie as I thought it was kind of a mess. I love the first one but this one seemed to be in need of good dialogue. I think if they had less characters and focused mostly on War Machine and Iron Man it would have been more interesting in terms of the character tension. Also, too much cut-editing in the Black Widow fight sequences. Scarlett J. had awesome action moves but good luck seeing them.

From an LFE perspective, it actually broke my homemade infinity perfect 12" sub. The sub still works well on other movies and bass heavy music but clatters on this movie. I have since replaced it with a dayton MK III which chuffs a lot but doesn't clatter. I'm still wondering if I can somehow use the infinity sub or if it is basically partially broken by Iron Man II and I should cut my losses.

Mind you, I'm not really complaining that I encountered a movie that broke my sub, just commenting that it did... No other movie including Master and Commander had caused this kind of damage. It got me considering some sort of infrasonic filter to prevent expensive lessons.

 

[hopjohn]

Agreed the LFE is hot. Be careful with this one. The opening sequence bottomed my sub out and I know it would have happened again if I hadn't made changes.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Thanks for all the replies, guys; indeed, this was one hot LFE track from beginning to end -- it made my sub bottom out to the point I had to go back into my processor's calibration menu and drop the sub channel a decibel, and it could have probably used two drops...

The video I wasn't so thrilled with, though. It was clear and detailed where it needed to be, sure -- including a knockout outdoor sequence in Monaco which was rendered with lifelike imagery and stellar clarity in the palm trees, road and colors of the spectators at the racetrack -- but overall, most of the non-outdoor shots came off a bit soft and the darker interior sequences were a bit murky and not that densely layered.

 

[dkane360]

From an LFE perspective, it actually broke my homemade infinity perfect 12" sub.

This makes me want to watch it even more lol

 

[PearlcorderS701]

This makes me want to watch it even more lol

The LFE on this Master Audio track is just ridiculous -- much more hammering than the first film's Dolby TrueHD mix, which was no slouch, just tighter and more "defined" than on this sequel...

 

[dkane360]

The LFE on this Master Audio track is just ridiculous -- much more hammering than the first film's Dolby TrueHD mix, which was no slouch, just tighter and more "defined" than on this sequel...

This weekend, I will try and bribe my neighbors to let me watch it for a few minutes

 

[3db]

The first one was hands down a better flick than this one from a plot/story perspective

 

[PearlcorderS701]

This weekend, I will try and bribe my neighbors to let me watch it for a few minutes

LOL -- yeah, this is a real tough one if you have direct neighbors...

Do you live in an apartment or condo?

 

[PearlcorderS701]

The first one was hands down a better flick than this one from a plot/story perspective

Well, as far as origin stories go, Favreau did a very commendable job with the original -- the only things I didn't like was how they changed the Rhodey/Stark backstory connection from the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of Afghanistan (for modern-day purposes) as far as following the comics. I understand Favreau was going for a more up to date telling of the story, hence the first Iron Man's terrorists-in-the-desert-esque theme, but I always felt directors and filmmakers should keep these comic adaptations as close as humanly possible to their comic pedigree -- no matter how off the wall they may seem to audiences today, or how difficult it may be to do.

As for this sequel, I thought the Vanko/Whiplash "adaptation" was a bit hokey, as Favreau seemed to borrow themes of different villians for this, but the fight sequences between Rourke and Downey Jr. and Cheadle were amazing -- and that's what a comic adaptation is all about. I thought Favreau really drew us into the comic world of these characters in this one, although a few other things were way amiss outside of the aforementioned Vanko/Russian Whiplash thing...the whole sequence depicting Stark fighting Rhodes at his birthday party was just ridiculous and reminded me of the downright stupid Spider-Man 3 scene in which Peter enters the jazz club and goes nuts. Totally unnecessary (and I discussed this grave plot error with Gene privately). Then, there's the issue of how Stark got Captain America's shield in his workshop, and the goofy way the scene with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Stark plays when they're in the donut shop talking about SHIELD and such; it was just odd.

From what I understand, Favreau wants to do the Mandarin as the next villian -- as I discussed in the review -- but he's having a hard time visualizing how this character will play out in modern cinema, and how to bring him to life on the screen. Now that Disney seems to have acquired the Marvel Studios enterprise, they are going to be involved with The Avengers, Captain America and supposedly even Iron Man 3, so we have to see how everything comes to bear -- but it is indeed exciting to think that for the first time, we are going to get to see a group of superheros in a live-action major motion picture feature together at once.

 

[3db]

From what I understand, Favreau wants to do the Mandarin as the next villian -- as I discussed in the review -- but he's having a hard time visualizing how this character will play out in modern cinema, and how to bring him to life on the screen. Now that Disney seems to have acquired the Marvel Studios enterprise, they are going to be involved with The Avengers, Captain America and supposedly even Iron Man 3, so we have to see how everything comes to bear -- but it is indeed exciting to think that for the first time, we are going to get to see a group of superheros in a live-action major motion picture feature together at once.

I'm waiting for the day when a flick is released about Thor. Its hurting to wait for it.

 

[GlocksRock]

That would be awesome, and when his hammer strikes, your subwoofer just explodes!

 

[dkane360]

LOL -- yeah, this is a real tough one if you have direct neighbors...

Do you live in an apartment or condo?

Apartment. I have neighbors above me who like to do homework on friday and saturday nights and go to bed at 10 o clock

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The first one was hands down a better flick than this one from a plot/story perspective

The second one is hands down a better flick than the first one from a FUN/kick-a$$ perspective.

The DTS-HD MA sound on the second one is 100% better than the first one too.

And finding out more about Tony Starks' father + discovering the new Element + Black Widow babe + War Machine + the Hammer of THOR at the end..... I think Iron Man 2 is way better than the first one.

 

[j_garcia]

The second one is hands down a better flick than the first one from a FUN/kick-a$$ perspective.

The DTS-HD MA sound on the second one is 100% better than the first one too.

And finding out more about Tony Starks' father + discovering the new Element + Black Widow babe + War Machine + the Hammer of THOR at the end..... I think Iron Man 2 is way better than the first one.

This one had the same problem as the first one: a lot of build up and then the bad guy who they spend the whole movie trying to give the impression that he will be a bad@$$ and then he is defeated in a few minutes.

In terms of fun, I'd call them equal. In terms of story, first one no question. LFE = second one

 

[PearlcorderS701]

I'm waiting for the day when a flick is released about Thor. Its hurting to wait for it.

Did you see the end of the credits sequence in Iron Man 2?

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Apartment. I have neighbors above me who like to do homework on friday and saturday nights and go to bed at 10 o clock

I hear you.

Your neighbors are college-aged?

 

[PearlcorderS701]

That would be awesome, and when his hammer strikes, your subwoofer just explodes!

Well, wait -- that wouldn't be good for those of us who don't have the cash for a new sub right now!!