It was a bit of a surprise how much I enjoyed the first Iron Man and I’ve been stupidly excited for the sequel. Miraculously, it lives up to my expectations and avoids the sophomore slump. It also continues to set itself apart from so many other so-so comic/superhero movies.

The movie picks up well after the world has found out that Tony Stark is Iron Man. He’s been cleaning up the world’s problems, but still has plenty of his own. The government is after him because it wants his suit. Competing defense companies want to take him down. There’s a Russian scientist with a serious axe to grind and electric whips to slice and dice anything in his way. It’s not easy being Iron Man.

Robert Downey Jr. continues to be perfectly cast for the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man. His hubris is even more prominent in this film, and Downey pulls it off with aplomb. (The scene with the expo opening is so over-the-top it’s hilarious.)

I want one.

Mickey Rourke continues his comeback parade of tough-guy characters as Stark’s Russian nemesis Ivan Vanko. The ever lovely Gwyneth Paltrow is still an excellent sidekick/foil to Stark as Pepper Potts. Sam Rockwell is well cast as douchey defense company CEO Justin Hammer. And then there’s Scarlett Johansson. If you thought she was hot before, wait till you see her take out a whole team of bad guys. Black Widow indeed.

Much credit goes to director Jon Favreau. He seems to really understand how to balance what fans want in a movie. It’s got tidbits for those who are familiar with comic lore but is still approachable for those who don’t know Ultimo from Ultron. There’s a good balance between great action scenes and funny moments. And he paces it all so that the movie never drags. And he avoids the mistake made by so many other superhero movies (I’m looking at you, Spider-Man 3) of throwing in too many villains to cover up the fact that there’s too little plot.

All in all, I couldn’t be happier with Iron Man 2. It takes a strong start to the franchise and just builds it up further. The summer blockbuster season is off to a strong start.