2010’s Iron Man 2 Deserves WAY More Credit From MCU Fans

It’s no secret that 2010’s Iron Man 2 often falls closer to the bottom of most people’s MCU movie rankings. Despite being one of the earliest entries in the vast interconnected universe that now boasts nearly 40 films by the end of this year and multiple shows, I still believe that Iron Man 2 deserves far more credit than it often receives.

Having revisited the film for Super Rant’s major MCU Rewatch series ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, I found myself struck by how well the Iron Man sequel still holds up despite its clear flaws. Here are some of my biggest takeaways from 2010’s Iron Man 2 and thoughts on the significance it could still have on the MCU’s future, 16 years later.

Yes, I Agree That Iron Man 2 Is Overstuffed

Let’s start with the most common criticism: Iron Man 2 is definitely a pretty crowded movie. With a runtime of just over two hours, the film attempts to juggle far too many subplots at once.

Tony Stark is gradually dying from palladium poisoning from the same device that’s keeping him alive, the U.S. government wants control of his Iron Man technology, Justin Hammer is attempting to rival Stark Industries, and Ivan Vanko’s Whiplash is seeking revenge.

Furthermore, you also have the debut of Col. James Rhodes as War Machine, as well as Nick Fury and Black Widow’s involvement, teeing up the future Avengers Initiative, not to mention Iron Man 2’s post-credits setting up 2011’s Thor. Throw in nods to classic Iron Man comics like Tony Stark’s infamous “Demon in a Bottle” arc dealing with alcoholism, and some big action sequences, and that’s obviously a lot to balance in just over 120 minutes.

Even so, I do believe that the core story of Iron Man 2 still works fairly well. At its heart, 2010’s Iron Man 2 is about Tony Stark confronting his own mortality and the idea that he isn’t actually invincible, while also facing new truths about his father’s legacy.

Ultimately, we see Iron Man spiraling so hard in this first sequel, while ultimately coming out the other side as a better hero, relying more on his friends/allies. For a movie often criticized as messy, I do feel as though the emotional core of Iron Man 2 is actually pretty strong amid the chaos.

Sure, the third MCU movie could have gone deeper in some areas, but those key emotional beats are present.

Iron Man 2 Is Still A Major (And Highly Entertaining) Pillar Of The Early MCU

Going beyond its core story, Iron Man 2 undeniably contains some of the most memorable moments from the early MCU.

The briefcase armor sequence alone is worth celebrating as a true testament to Marvel’s Phase One. Watching Tony deploy the portable Mark V suit during the Monaco racetrack battle arguably remains one of the coolest action scenes in the entire franchise.

Additionally, Ivan Vanko’s debut as Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) in that same sequence saw him with all the aura. While he might not have had the most fleshed-out storyline (or satisfying ending), he absolutely had presence. At the same time, Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer hilariously steals nearly every scene he’s in as he tries to simultaneously surpass and ruin Stark’s legacy.

One of the movie’s biggest highlights is obviously Don Cheadle’s debut as War Machine. The armored showdown between Tony and Rhodey remains one of the MCU’s coolest hero-versus-hero fights. It perfectly captured the tension between the two longtime friends at the time (and was set to the perfect DJ mix with “Another One Bites The Dust”, “It Takes Two”, and “Robot Rock”).

Likewise, the final act delivers one of the most underrated team-ups in the MCU with Iron Man and War Machine taking on all the Hammer drones and Whiplash himself. Other key highlights include Scarlett Johansson’s debut as Black Widow, as well as Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, who was still operating at peak sarcastic, take-no-nonsense levels.

(It’s also super fun rewatching Iron Man 2 following Marvel Studios’ retcon that the kid wearing a toy Iron Man helmet whom Tony saves from a Hammer drone was a young Peter Parker).

Crowded? Yes. However, when you add up all those moments, it’s clear that Iron Man 2 played a massive early role in establishing the overall tone and world-building that allowed the MCU to evolve into what it is today.

How The MCU’s Future Can Bring Back Some of Iron Man 2’s Best Elements

Looking ahead to the future of the MCU, there are definite opportunities to revisit some of Iron Man 2’s best concepts and characters.

One of the biggest question marks we have in the MCU right now is the future of Don Cheadle’s War Machine. Currently, he has yet to be confirmed for an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday.

Furthermore, there’s also lots of confusion about Rhodey following the release of 2023’s Secret Invasion, and the implication that War Machine was replaced by a shape-shifting alien Skrull, potentially as early as Captain America: Civil War’s aftermath.

Keeping that in mind, War Machine’s long-delayed Armor Wars project is especially important and will hopefully see the light of day in the MCU’s future. After all, many MCU fans are quite eager for a storyline that finally gives Rhodey the spotlight he’s long deserved.

The expected premise is that Armor Wars will deal with protecting of Tony Stark’s legacy, which would make the film a natural follow-up to the themes and narratives we got with Iron Man 2, especially with many also hoping for the return of Rockwell’s Justin Hammer (which would be a natural fit considering the original comics story of the same name).

If Marvel Studios leans into those connections, an Armor Wars movie could easily serve as a spiritual continuation of the ideas first introduced 16 years ago.

At any rate, I definitely ended my recent rewatch confident that Iron Man 2 deserves far more flowers from fans, a true pillar of the early MCU that should not be dismissed simply for attempting to give us so much cool stuff all at once.

Let us know your thoughts on Iron Man 2 (2010) in the comments, and be on the lookout next week for our Super Rant Rewatch of Thor (2011)! You can also check out our Super Rant: Doomsday Preppers podcast on Spotify and YouTube.