Iron Man 2: At the Core of It

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.

I've always felt Iron Man 2 COULD HAVE been so much better than it was, and finally I get a sense of what some quality editing can do. Cutting back on some of the Justin Hammer 'humor' was a good thing, and Ivan 'Whiplash' Vanko seems a bit more menacing now. But I must say I really liked the greater focus on Tony's paladium poisoning, making that the real threat. Overall this edit took a very flawed movie and gave it some more gravitas, while also cutting out a bit of the negative Tony-Pepper elements to make them seem happier. Considering the material available and actors in the film, this is going to be my go to cut of IM2 from now on.

I quite enjoyed the original cut at the time, but this edit strengthens the narrative, diminishing the nagging from Pepper and the more obnoxious Hammer moments. The deleted scenes and audio mixing are very well integrated...some scenes transition through weird Star Wars-like wipes which feel out of place in an MCU film (it's weird the editor chose not to run these other moments by the suppor in his project's main thread, when they had been instrumental in getting him to sort out another transition, dropping the wipe altogether for that one scene), there was nothing visually or audibly wrong here regardless, but it is a bit funky. There are ways in which to transition spotlessly without resorting to wipes, but I'll let it slide if he had no alternative.

Massive improvement over the original! Keeping the focus on the main issue of Tony and his heart really helps this movie. I really dislike the abundant marvel-humor and this cuts it down just right. The deleted scenes could use some color correction as it was pretty easy to spot, but n0t a huge deal. This was a great experience that absolutely replaces the original.

I've always struggled with Iron Man 2 as it always felt overly bloated, long and a slog to get through. Thanks to this edit, the pacing is improved significantly and is alot more enjoyable and overall fun. The increased focus on Tony's condition gives the film a little more heart and motivation to keep watching, but I'll argue that I'm against the exclusion of so many iconic Justin Hammer lines, but this is a nitpick as I have a soft spot for the absurdity of that character. Also, Pepper does receive less of a spotlight which makes the kiss at the end have less impact. The only bit of editing I had issue with was with Stark and Pepper on the rooftop as the cut dialogue came across as janky and jumpy, making their eventual kiss feel a little rushed. I understand the intentions though. Overall, a superior edition of a very flawed film.