Do you know what Iron Man and Iron Man 2 have in common? Aside from some returning cast and crew not a whole lot. Where the first film was witty and intelligent with a whole lot of heart and action the critically divisive but no less commercially successful sequel was contrived and convoluted with too much emphasis on the construction of the larger Marvel Universe and not enough time spent on developing the many new characters that made their way into the film or holding together a coherent story.
However the home entertainment release of Iron Man 2 is as great a gift to the geek community as the original. Paramount Home Entertainment went to great lengths to bring fans of the original film the most comprehensive behind-the-scenes access they could and succeeded in this task which made the Blu-ray/DVD one of the must-have’s of 2008. Today Iron Man 2’s Blu-ray/DVD combo pack picks up where the first left off; providing similar bonus features that take you further inside the world of Tony Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D.
As with the original the coolest feature is the 4-hour making-of documentary which begins during the film’s rigorous pre-production phase and continues on through principle photography and post-production. For film students and die-hard fans this is the epitome of necessity. There’s no aspect of conception development and execution that isn’t covered in this extensive film-within-a-film that chronicles every step of the evolution of the Iron Man film franchise. One of two points of particular interest (to me at least) was Robert Downey Jr.’s enlivening and entertaining speech given during what appears to be the first day of physical production. It’s a moment that not only marks the occasion but also shows the man at a self-recognized high point in his own career and life. The other shows director of photography Matthew Libatique using Avatar-tech to frame various pre-viz shots during the final battle between Iron Man War Machine and Whiplash. The process is not only explained giving the viewer a better understanding of how the revolutionary technique is aiding cutting edge filmmakers but Libatique also talks about the importance and true value of the tools that James Cameron created for his record-breaking film.
If all that sounds a bit technical fear not: fan-boys have plenty to look forward to within this release as well. A trio of “Illustrated Origins” featurettes gives you an in-depth look at the history of War Machine Nick Fury and The Black Widow as told by Marvel Comics editors and the actors who play them in the film. You can also access the S.H.I.E.L.D. data vault to interact with select scenes from the movie that include new layers of graphics and information view case files dossiers training films and more.
Jon Favreau offers commentary on the entire feature but sadly no one else does. The director additionally gives insight on eight deleted or extended scenes that are all pretty cool in their own way and also remembers working with the late Adam Goldstein (better known as DJ AM) in a separate featurette. A concept art & trailer gallery and music video top off this very entertaining Blu-ray disc that is a must have for Marvel fans and movie buffs alike.
