9. One-Dimensional Villains (Iron Man 2)
Expectations were high for Iron Man 2, yet the consensus on the whole seems to be that it didn't meet them, and this was in large part because of the pretty mediocre villains on display. When it was announced that Mickey Rourke was cast as Whiplash, the net nerds were overjoyed; Rourke is a superb actor, and would no doubt be able to bring the appropriate level of menace. As his partner in crime Justin Hammer, Sam Rockwell seemed like a fine fit for the slimy bureaucrat also. In the end, though, the villains seem curiously one-note and dull. Rourke
looks the part, but has a simple revenge back-story that's not very well developed, and Rockwell's Hammer is similarly a very simplistic villain without much in the way of complexity or intrigue, just a rival to Stark. Though Rourke especially tries hard to impart his role with some gravitas, even he notes that he didn't have a whole lot to work with.