It's hard to pin down exactly what is wrong with Iron Man 2. Perhaps the high expectations for a sequel to a highly praised movie? On paper, it sounds good enough: Tony Stark faces a new enemy who holds a grudge against his entire family, plus an unscrupulous business rival who wants to take him down, while he tries to conceal from his loved ones that his arc reactor heart is killing him. But for me, it was missing something, that sense of excitement the first movie had. Maybe because it was more of the same, whereas I wanted *more*.

I can't fault the performances. Robert Downey Jr again delivers as Tony Stark. Gwyneth Paltrow sparkles as Pepper Potts. Scarlett Johanson as Natalie Rushman is adequate but not spectacular. Don Cheadle as Rhodey Rhodes spent too much time playing the straight man to Tony Stark, with the humour and camaraderie not evidenced till the end. Mickey Rourke was suitably disturbing as Ivan Vanko. My personal highlight was Sam Rockwell as the slimy Justin Hammer.

Iron Man 3 is due for release in 2013.