2 Keys to a good Superhero movie

***If your like me, accidentally reading spoilers sends you into a homicidal rage. Don't read this if you haven't seen Iron Man 2. Unless you don't care and/or don't have anger issues.

After watching the sequel, I came home with two things to ponder. The first being how this over the top and often completely ridiculous film was ultimately so entertaining. The second was how Scarlett Johansson’s breasts could possibly have fit into all those outfits. I now have an answer to the first question. The second one remains a puzzle mankind will likely never solve.

As I said, there's clearly no shortage of absurdity in the film. Like Tony Stark coming up with the idea for a new element and then creating it within a ten minute span. Not to mention Samuel L. Jackson makes an appearance wearing an eye patch. But here’s why it still worked:

--Solid Dialogue. Obviously the script was no Chinatown, but at least the dialogue was witty and fast paced. Downey Jr. is a natural when it comes to playing extremely overconfident characters (possibly because he can just act himself). His entertaining one-liners and sarcasm laden speeches keep the movie going even when something isn't exploding into flames.

--Well done internal struggle. This is something every good Superhero movie needs. Well, really any good movie in general. Yet a surprising number of Superhero films fail to develop it. In Iron Man 2, Stark struggles mightily with the knowledge of his impending death. His behavior becomes increasingly erratic and reckless. This struggle builds tension as Downey spirals more and more out of control. We actually begin to care about the main character and are thus more vested in the story. In comparison, here are some past comic book movie adaptations that have utterly failed in this respect:

Spiderman 3 – One of several problems with this film was lack of interesting internal conflict. The first movie had Parker dealing with guilt over his Uncle's death. The second involved the conflict between his personal desires and responsibilities. In Spidy 3, an alien costume attaches itself to Parker and starts making him act crazy. Not nearly as interesting (or realistic) as the first two.

Catwoman – Her only internal struggle involved fighting the urge to drink milk from a saucer.

The Incredible Hulk – Banner is seeking a cure for his condition, but we never see any indication it really even bothers him. He’s not especially depressed or angry, doesn’t lash out at others, doesn’t doubt himself, etc. Therefore, we have no reason to care about the character.

--Action sequences tied with the internal struggle. This is more difficult to pull of. In Iron Man 2, every fight scene (not including the final battle) is brought about in some way by Stark's own personal problems. His earliest attempts at coping with death involve seeking out unnecessarily risky situations. This ultimately leads him to the Formula One Race and the first confrontation with Whiplash. Later, Stark hits rock bottom during his birthday party. He ends up pulling a Mel Gibson and is soon firing lasers into a crowd while completely shitfaced. Rhodes is forced to intervene and an intense battle royal ensues.

Tying these action sequences to the personal struggles of the main character added to the overall cohesion of the film. I was not forced to watch any random fight scenes that had nothing to do with the story. Everything was tied in with the plot and Tony's character arc. That's why I could look past all the little absurdities and just enjoy the ride.