Vox Nova At The Movies: Iron Man II
Tony Stark has always been a problematic superhero. Like Bruce Wayne, he is a playboy. One can also say, like Bruce Wayne, it is a mask which he uses. But unlike Bruce Wayne, it is a mask he uses to hide from himself his own weaknesses, his own pain. When his life for pleasure does not solve his inner demons, he takes on the booze, and the demons come out and make their way into his everyday life. This, for the most part, is what Iron Man II is about.
Yes, there is a Russian villain (“Whiplash”) who is angry at Tony Stark because he felt Tony’s father betrayed his father, causing him and his own family to suffer in Russia; but he is only a secondary character, used to help Tony have to come to terms with himself and to find a way out of the hell he has made for himself.
There is a good story in here somewhere. Sadly, it needed a bit more polishing up, especially with more humor mixed throughout the first two acts. Also, the resolution to his “demon in a bottle” sequence was far too easy in this, and it would have been better if it did not seem completely resolved by the end.
Outside of that one weakness, the end of the film felt exactly as it should. It got the right marks. The end fight, if it had been in the first, would have perfected it. Even though Iron Man wins, as one expects, one could also make an argument that Whiplash also got what he wanted out of Tony before he was beaten. He put a big dent in the Iron Man persona. Nick Fury is no longer sure Iron Man should be involved with “The Avengers.” Tony Stark has bled. It was needed for him, and yet it leaves him in a new position, one where only his long-term friends know it will take him (they suffered with him in this film, often finding themselves having to confront him because of his self-destructive ways).
3/5 stars
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One of Ivan’s (the Russian villain) lines flung at Tony Stark that struck me was “People won’t believe in a god that bleeds,” in reference to his goal of damaging Stark’s legacy by showing that Ironman is not utterly invincible. Does anybody else see specifically Christian parallels to that? I was very surprised by such a line; Christians obviously believe in exactly that, a god who bled.
I think it is safe to say that line was a deliberate reference to Christianity.
Didn’t intend that last comment to be snarky.
It’s a good thing to discuss finding God in Ironman2, and it’s not too hard to find. The OT promise of God giving us a new heart is certainly there. The symbol for Ironman’s new heart in this film is a triangle, the symbol of the Trinity. The stigmata-like beam weapons/jets on his hands are pretty cool.
Whiplash’s ironic line that “if you can make God bleed, people will cease to believe in him” is clearly the devil’s narrative of how the world should look at (and reject) Jesus.
And I’m thinking there may be more:
Stark being called in front of a Congressional committee is sort of like Jesus before the Scribes and Pharisees. They specifically set out to trap him, but are not able to.
Maybe the elder Stark giving the message to his only beloved son that he is supposed to save the world.
Perhaps the symbolism for the regenerative waters of Baptism in the water of the fountains through which Ironman flies as he makes some comment about it (I can’t remember which part of the film that was in)
The “Mary-as-new-Eve” symbolism of Pepper Potts’ rejection of the fruit Stark offered her to which he knew (or should have known) she was allergic.
The Judas-like betrayal when LtCol Rhodes takes his super suit and turns it over to the authorities, who immediately give it to Hammer.
Nick Fury and the other Avengers, who are looking after Ironman but unable to do so openly, as a figure of angels comforting Christ.
And so on.