Reel Critic:

In “Iron Man 2,” industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) appears to be enjoying his heightened celebrity around the world. Not only is Stark one of the world’s richest men and an international playboy, but he is, of course, Iron Man. Unlike other superheroes, Stark does not have a secret identity; he can assume one alter ego or another as he pleases.

But Stark’s glib persona masks some serious problems. He has been subpoenaed by a congressional committee headed by the publicity-seeking Sen. Stern (Garry Shandling), who is advocating the seizure of the Iron Man technology for the U.S. military. Simultaneously, he is being hounded by Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), a ruthless business rival trying to sell his own Iron Man technology to the Pentagon.

The most pressing issue, however, is that Stark is being slowly poisoned by the palladium used in the arc reactor embedded in his chest. Stark has tested every element to no avail and is resigned to just a few more months of life. To others, it appears that Stark has lost his tenuous hold on reality as he takes foolish risks and seems to be ignoring his business. He finally becomes so disillusioned with running his empire that he appoints his personal assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) the chief executive of Stark Industries.

Sequels are inherently a risky endeavor. They often resort to simply multiplying the features of the first film, following a “more is better” philosophy. Certainly the plot of “Iron Man 2” is more complicated than the original.

Besides battling his own government and a business nemesis, Stark must also contend with the brilliant but psychotic Russian physicist Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), who is convinced that Tony’s father stole the arc reactor technology from his own father. Vanko builds an Iron Man suit of his own and also conspires with Hammer to bring Stark and his company down.

Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as Lt. Col. James Rhodes. The film also introduces Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, the leader of a secretive organization that seemingly is involved in international security. Also present is Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson), hired as an administrative aide by Pepper Potts but with her own secret identity.

While the plot may be a bit busy, the fantastic action scenes more than make up for it. The entire film is a first-rate production and simply screams big budget from every frame. While the technology being imagined on screen may never actually materialize, the actions of Iron Man and his rivals appear completely believable. If a man in a high-tech suit of armor could fly, this is how it would look to the human eye.

While convincing acting is critical to all films, it is perhaps even more important with a picture such as this. While the action on the screen and the dialogue may be unrealistic, the main characters must “buy in” completely, or it simply does not work.

Central to this premise is a robust performance in the title character role. As did Johnny Depp with his portrayal of Capt. Jack Sparrow, Downey so personifies Stark in the public’s mind that it is nearly impossible to imagine anyone else playing the part. Stark is arrogant, self-involved and dismissive, but in Downey’s hands, he remains likable.

“Iron Man 2,” a worthy successor, has already paved the way for a third installment.

Marvel Studios is “cross-pollinating” its franchises, and Stark will appear in other productions in cameo roles. One hopes that Marvel will safeguard this character, as the “Iron Man” franchise could have many years and films ahead.

VAN NOVACK is the assistant vice president of institutional research and assessment at Cal State Long Beach and lives in Huntington Beach with his wife, Elizabeth.