Scots Taffer on 29/4/2010 at 10:57

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Vague gist: Agent Coulson (S.H.I.E.L.D) pulls up in a black government sedan in New Mexico. There's a crater in the desert. "He's been here" or something is said over the phone. Who? "Thor." The camera then pans to a hammer protruding from the crater.

So basically, to most non-comic-book people, a complete WTF moment like last time.

thefonz on 29/4/2010 at 13:57

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Almost right - Coulson stands overlooking the crater and phones (I assume) Nick Fury and says "Sir, its here". Camera pans back to reveal Thors Hammer in the crater. Straight out of the comic book scene and damn if the hammer looks good.

Saw the movie today (half day off work, yay!) and I really enjoyed it - basically if you like the first, this is more of the same but in an expanded world to get us ready for the orgasm of Marvel Universe movies we're about to be hit with including Thor and The Avengers and Captain America.

My only complaint was the Whiplash fight at the end was dealt with very quickly but the action is great, the acting is top-notch and I want Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow both together in my flat right the fuck now both wearing skin-tight catsuits/nothing atall.

Full review coming once I get my thoughts in order.

bob_doe_nz on 29/4/2010 at 23:00

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Did anyone see an appearance of Stan Lee in this one? :confused:

Scots Taffer on 30/4/2010 at 06:44

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Yeah, it was good fun but the flabby script really hurt this one, as did the over reliance on SHIELD nerdery to pass the time. Seriously, the most awkward parts of the movie are when they're trying to remind you this is part of a universe and not just "This is Tony Stark's world, enjoy your stay".

Improvements would be the tightness of the action in general and big third act bombast that the first movie lacked, the fact that they upped the stakes of everything while introducing new characters but never losing focus of Tony, the lead up to Monaco, the race and birthday party were all pretty special, and while the script was bloated there were some dynamite lines in there. Plus, Sam Motherfucking Rockwell, stealing the show with his weaselly less charismatic version of Stark. Always a pleasure to watch, and the whole cast interaction paid off in some of the scenes.

Not so good would be Garry Shandling's face, the aforementioned SHIELD stuff, a bit too many characters (Natasha/Black Widow is really a nothing character) as a result of them trying to shoehorn in Marvel continuity, the lack of sparky interplay between Potts and Stark (it was there, developed, but just not enough to get us to where the script has them at the end), the soppyish daddy stuff with Stark, and lastly the hilarious exploding bottles and glass ceilings that seem to cause no one distress whatsoever.

Oh yeah, Rourke's hammy Russian villain is pretty forgettable on the whole.

Scots Taffer on 1/5/2010 at 06:44

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Oh yeah, I also meant to say that I'd love to see the prior cuts of this movie as there would have definitely been a different edge to them. Reshoots have meant that the Black Widow stuff has been significantly mixed around, I think, perhaps more of the anticipated love-triangle. There's scenes in the trailer where Stark has her firing his arm weapon at the party and there's the Pepper Potts kissing the helmet in an alternate take on the Stark expo entrance. But I figure those scenes were probably even worse for being flabby and peripheral parts of the movie.