Nevertheless, Iron Man 2 will still truly wow those many comic-book fans champing at the bit to see it.
Proceedings kick off on a slashing note, with the introduction of some great new characters (including Mickey Rourke as a rogue Russian physicist and Scarlett Johansson as a butt-kicking paralegal) culminating in a spectacular extended stunt sequence staged during the Monaco Grand Prix.
Soon afterwards, a busy and overly convoluted plot kicks in, and the early momentum begins to dissipate.
Leading man Robert Downey Jr is as wired and inspired as ever in the key role of tycoon turned superhero Tony Stark.
Having revealed his once-mysterious identity to the world, Stark is now under pressure from the US government to hand over the technology behind his amazing mechanised battle suit.
But Stark is reluctant to part company with his trade secrets, and not just for financial reasons.
The palladium battery that powers the suit is having a toxic effect on Stark. Unless he finds an alternate energy source soon, his life is in grave danger.
And the twists and turns just keep on coming during Iron Man 2's muddled middle act.
The screenwriters try to cram too much narrative into a film that should simply be jabbing viewers with one shot of action adrenalin after another.
Thankfully, a combustive finale - in which Stark faces weaponised drones with capabilities to match his own - delivers the goods with real panache.
