Iron Man - Comic Book Movie Review

Robert Downey, Jr. plays Tony Stark, an incredibly wealthy (let’s say he’s worth gazillions) playboy who is the proud owner of a weapons manufacturing company; that is, until he is captured by some of the most stereotypical terrorists ever found on screen – so stereotypical to the point that a friend noticed that, in order to make the terrorists even more evil, they are seen as smoking cigarettes and being particularly brutish and downright stupid.

Nevertheless, they attempt to force Tony into building weapons for them and it is at that point that Stark learns that his weapons have been used to fuel this terrorist organization for some time. Despite the fast-paced, overall fun nature of the film, it seemed fairly unbelievable that Stark would be so naïve to global politics. The United States has supplied anyone and everyone with weapons for years, and the audience is supposed to believe that it was happening right under Stark’s nose and he had no idea about it? How can a weapons manufacturer not be privy to such information?

Common sense and nitpicking aside, this brutal capture changes Stark’s mindset, allowing him to focus instead on saving the world, ultimately leading to the creation of his super suit and his nickname, Iron Man. Downey plays Stark perfectly, managing to bring heart to a character that would, at first glance, seem to be lacking one. He playfully quips with the rest of the cast, especially with his personal assistant Pepper Potts, played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Rarely does the dialogue stoop to the level of most other action films, with the stale one-liners dripping with cheesiness, which is also a mighty breath of fresh air.

The build-up to Iron Man’s final battle with Obadiah Stane, or Iron Monger, played by Jeff Bridges, lasts long, leaving much anticipation to that aforementioned showdown. While the fight itself does not take up a lot of time, the visual effects are nearly flawless, making the battle as crisp as one will see in a superhero movie. It was a solid move to use CGI where necessary, as a large difference can be found in the quality – often in the Spider-Man films did it feel like a transition sequence in a computer game.

Iron Man is the right way to start the summer movie season; it never takes itself too seriously, and the improvisational styling of Favreau and Downey, Jr. play well into the pace and dynamic of Stark and the people around him. The action is crisp, and Iron Man’s suit looks almost mesmerizing when given enough screen time. As far as movies go thus far in 2008, Iron Man soars above the rest.

Where the Series Goes From Here

It would be an understatement to say that Iron Man opened well – it accumulated over $100 million in its first weekend and was received well by the national media. With that being said, a sequel is already in the works, and one can expect Jim Rhodes (played by Terrence Howard) to join the superhero party. Additionally, stay after the credits for another little treat, courtesy of S.H.I.E.L.D. Just a few hints to watch out for.

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