Iron Man: The Movie
How This Comic Book Film Concerns Itself With Real World Issues
Iron Man is an unbelievably entertaining film but at its core, it is about something of great interest to the entire world.
In recent years, comic book fever has hit Hollywood. Every sort of superhero has popped up in celluloid from Batman and Superman to Daredevil and Ghost Rider. This genre has quickly become a bona fide financial juggernaut. As the films continue to be released and the quality continues to diminish, one starts to ponder the validity of these once iconic figures. Originally created to cope with the stress of war and famine during the 1930s and 1940s, comic book heroes once represented hope and faith for a nation in a stage of turmoil. Now that these characters are merely exploited for financial reasons, they tend to lose what they once stood for. Their honor and truth are stripped from them by greedy capitalists.
However, is this truly the case with Jon Favreau’s Iron Man? Yes, the film cost over $150 million to produce and is heavily laden with special effects. But where the film differs from other summer blockbusters is that it is character driven rather then action oriented. This is not to say that it is boring in any way. Rather, Favreau delicately balances these two elements and delivers one of the greatest superhero films in years.
Origins of Iron Man
Stan Lee, the iconic creator of such Marvel superheroes as Spiderman (1961), The Fantastic Four (1961), The Hulk (1962), The X-Men (1963) and Daredevil (1964), was on a mission during the early 1960s. Within a span of four years, these highly influential and memorable comic book characters were created and eventually solidified Stan Lee as a household name.
In 1963, Stan Lee also created Iron Man. Inspired by the life of Howard Hughes, Lee desired to create a character that was rich and glamorous but who secretly harbored a truth that tormented him. Lee initially set off to write the story of Tony Stark and his alter ego, Iron Man, but eventually passed on the opportunity and the story seemingly wound up on the lap of script writer Larry Leiber (who fleshed out the story developed by Lee). Along with story artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, Iron Man made his debut in the comic “Tales of Suspense” (issue #40, April 1963).
At first, Iron Man was bitterly against the rise of Communism and fought to rid the world of this political viewpoint. However, Lee began to regret this choice and eventually transitioned Iron Man’s Tony Stark into a struggling alcoholic who began to not only battle with the common enemy but himself as well.
Iron Man: The Movie
Iron Man opens in Afghanistan. On a return trip from a weapons presentation, Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) convoy is sabotaged by the terrorist group, The Ten Rings. Having survived the attack, Stark is taken hostage and is concealed in the caves of this desolate land. Stark is a creator of weaponry used by American soldiers in the war but his weapons have also somehow been confiscated by these terrorist soldiers. They now want him to build a missile he has just demonstrated for the Americans. He initially refuses but then after torturous methods are applied finally gives in. However, rather then build this missile for the enemy; he goes about creating a suit of iron to help him break out of his cell. With the help of a fellow prisoner, Dr. Yinsen (a man who has saved his life), Stark is able to destroy most of the terrorists and escape.
The Themes of Iron Man
There are two key thematic issues surrounding the nature of this film. The first is blatant and obvious. The idea of morality and the choice between right and wrong is what establishes Tony Stark as a deeply conflicted character. At first, he is a partying, womanizing bachelor who is more impressed by material and superficial possessions then he is by anything real. He lives in the moment and does not fear the consequences.
After he is taken hostage, his outlook on life becomes dramatically altered. Realizing the consequences of his actions (his weapons also help the enemy to destroy American soldiers) and through the words of Dr. Yinsen, Stark begins to realize that money and celebrity status means nothing. As a result, Stark becomes an ambassador for peace and decides that he will no longer build weaponry.
The second thematic issue surrounds the idea of war and how it has become a manipulated show piece for the elite. There is no mistaking the fact that Afghanistan has been purposely chosen as a location for this film. In reality, Afghanistan is considered a threat by many Americans. A war rages on in these parts and the film perfectly uses this reality as a background for its hero’s repentance and salvation.
(Spoiler Alert) As the plot unfolds over time, the identity of the real enemy is eventually revealed. It is not the Afghan Terrorists who are of the greatest danger to the world but rather the figures within America. Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stane is second in command at Stark industries but desires more. For years, he has been secretly selling weapons to the terrorists.
Is this in someway a commentary on the present day affairs of Government interference into the war effort? In a way, the film is identifying the duplicitous nature of the United States government and their involvement in the Middle East conflicts. Are greed and personal vendettas the result of an everlasting war? The fact that the traitor works at a weapons manufacturer is frighteningly simplistic but overwhelmingly possible. The people creating these weapons do not want war to end. They need it. If the war ends, so does their business (as will be the case with Stark Industries).
Iron Man is a fun film and deserves to be credited as one of the better superhero films of the past few years. However, it is also a smart film because it strives to entertain while simultaneously desiring to educate.
Sources
Stanleeweb.com and imdb.com
