Review Detail

I didn't like the theatrical version at all, but I enjoyed this version. The original film is a pretty choppy piece of work. It was pretty noticeable that there wasn't much of a plot, and that the actors were improvising. For years I had thought of editing Iron Man 2 myself. I tried more than once, just couldn't get anywhere with it. But this edit is great. I so wish there was more footage out there, more deleted scenes, so that the dialogue could be tightened up even more. I don't mean that as a diss, just that there didn't seem to be enough coverage in scenes so make it easier to cut around. But this edit streamlines the narrative so much better. Sooo much better. Having the true enemy be the palladium poisoning was brilliant. I didn't even realize how serious a threat it was until things were reoriented to make that the focal point. Mickey Rourke's escape from prison works so well now, very solid cut. I could never understand in the theatrical version why he would blow up his cell to fake his death, then kill a guy in the hallway. Overall, everything is a vast improvement. The characters have motivation, most of the silliness is taken out, and the plot is as tight as it can be given what was available to work with. This is my go-to version for this film, and am grateful somebody cracked it.