A hit, action-packed sequel to Iron Man brings not only twice the Iron Men and twice the women, but also raises plenty of questions on pleasure, legacy, world peace, God, heroes, science and technology, and more.

Even though we couldn’t use our press passes for it, we joined some friends at a showing of Iron Man 2 opening weekend. Please be sure to read the family review from PluggedIn.

Warning! This episode does contain spoilers.

First impressions

We thought Iron Man 2 was fun and a little different from Iron Man. We thought there was the right balance of elements to make an entertaining movie.  Iron Man is a more believable superhero because all of his powers are technology-driven, rather than super-human powers. There was a change of actor on one of the characters, but he did a good job presenting the character.

We talk about some of the plot holes and impossible things that happen—outside of the actual storyline.

Iron Man 2 does not have a sex scene, like its prequel, but there are quite a few scantily clad women throughout the movie and a ton of innuendo and playboy attitudes throughout.

Living for pleasure (hedonism)

Tony Stark is living for pleasure.  He builds great things, surrounds himself with beautiful women.  He gets whatever he wants.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself;I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men–many concubines.Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:1–11).

Legacy

Because Tony Stark is dying, he is obsessed with his legacy, and legacies seem to be a major theme in Iron Man.

And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16–21).

Tony’s father left a film behind in which he tells Tony that the greatest thing he ever made was Tony. We discuss some legacies that Tony is working on himself.

Privatizing peace

Was the Iron Man suit a weapon?  Stark doesn’t want the military to have his suit and he claims it’s not a weapon. He takes all the credit and the responsibility for “privatizing world peace.”

Is world peace or world justice truly possible? Is it possible to invent a weapon that no one else can rival?

We also discuss Ivan as Stark’s nemesis.

“Make God bleed”

If you make God bleed, people will cease to believe in him.

Is this true? Jesus died on the Cross for us, He bled for us,  and He rose again and conquered death. So in the case of Christianity, we believe in Him because He bled.

In the context of Iron Man 2, Iron Man always came out on top, so Ivan only proved that Iron Man was better because Iron Man could be hurt and still win.

Hero-complex

Eve talks about whether Tony Stark fulfills the definition of someone having a hero complex.

Falling from pride

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling (Proverbs 16:18).

Daniel makes a prediction that Iron Man 3 (because we all know that there will be a third!) will show Iron Man becoming a bad guy—going over to the “dark side.”

Tony Stark’s arrogance causes him to fall in this movie and we see it play out in his “last” birthday party and his drunken behavior.

Key to the future

Science and technology is strongly emphasized as the answer to all the questions we have. A consistent application of a worldview that rejects God. Science and technology can do incredible things, but it has no impact on eternity or the spiritual state of man.  Technology can enhance and even extend our lives, but it cannot cure death. It also cannot bring about peace because war is a symptom of the sinful heart of man which cannot be cured by technology.

What did you think?

Did you see Iron Man 2? What did you think of it? Comment on this post, email feedback@AreYouJustWatching.com (audio feedback welcome), or call (903) 231-2221. You can also follow Are You Just Watching?™, Daniel, and Eve on Twitter. And please join our Facebook Page. And don’t forget to leave us some five-star reviews in iTunes!

Are You Just Watching?™ is produced and sponsored by D.Joseph Design. The opening vocal talent is thanks to Mariah. Our theme song is used courtesy of Answers in Genesis, from their exciting vacation Bible school curriculum, Operation Space.