Iron Man
Iron Man (Film Review)
Last year was a great year for superhero films, with three big adaptations appearing on screens (I'm not counting Punisher: War Zone) with one of the biggest being Iron Man finally being brought to the big screen. Although not necessarily a household name, he has always been a prominent player in the Marvel Universe. To me, he's always been the Marvel Universe's answer to Bruce Wayne/Batman - a larger-than-life playboy with money, charm and gadgets to spare. This adaptation was years in coming since the 1990's at least, attracting such talents such as Tom Cruise and Nicholas Cage for the lead role, as well as directors like Joss Whedon, Quentin Tarantino and Nick Cassavetes. In the end, they had Robert Downey Jr. to play Tony Stark and Jon Favreau to direct. I'm glad they waited, because, from the results, Iron Man was definitely worth the wait.
Iron Man
Released: May 2, 2008.
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard.
Runtime: 162 minutes. (2 Hours and 42 minutes).
Rated: PG-13.
Director: Jon Favreau.
First of all, let me just get this out of the way, Robert Downey Jr. is the best thing about the movie. It's rare when casting fits this perfectly, but Robert Downey Jr. truly inhabits the role of Tony Stark, the industrialist/playboy/genius and the superhero, Iron Man. Perhaps it's because he has a real chance to display some of the classic wit and comic timing that he's been able to show in films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Perhaps it's because of his excellent acting skills that have sustained his career throughout the years.
Perhaps it's because he's able to bring some of his own personal experiences to the table. For years, Robert Downey Jr. has battled some of his own personal demons to make his career work. In his youth, Robert Downey Jr. was a star on the rise, garnering both fame and critical praise. For years, Robert Downey Jr. continued his career despite his worsening drug habit, relapsing numerous times and over time, it seemed as if he would be claimed by his addictions. Eventually, as evidenced by the film, he overcame these, achieved sobriety and is now one of the hottest celebrities in Hollywood. Robert Downey Jr. was one of the last people who ever expected to be the face of a superhero franchise. Perhaps it's a combination of all of these things and more. Whatever the reasons are, it works. Robert Downey Jr. IS Iron Man.
When the movie starts , Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a billionaire playboy and inventor, is on a sales pitch in the Middle East when he is struck down by one of his own weapons. Stark is kept alive by an electromagnet right above his heart that keeps the shrapnel from entering his heart. His captors expect him to build them a weapon, but instead, he builds the very first Iron Man suit to escape the confines of the cave. Once he is free, he is left to wonder what role the company that bears his name really plays in the role of peace keeping in the world and the real responsibility he might bear for his excesses and failures. It is this traumatic experience and realization that is the moral impetus for the rest of the film.
Now with his priorities changed and money to burn, Tony Stark becomes Iron Man. Using what is labeled a minaturized Arc Reactor, he uses this technology to keep himself alive and to power his suit. Using the suit, he now sets out to repair his mistakes and to change the world for the better. Of course, kicking off the summer blockbuster season last year, it's still a movie that is lots of fun, with some great humor, dialogue and action scenes. As seen in the box office receipts, Iron Man is a movie that appeals to both comic book fans and those who are rather unitiated wth the character.
Iron Man is broad enough to resonate with those audience members who aren't familiar with comic books, but Jon Favreau does plenty of things that will leave comic book fans very happy. Nods to Captain America, S.H.I.E.L.D., War Machine, other small little nods and of course one huge nod (revealed after the credits) should have those familiar with the Marvel Universe smiling, if not cheering in their seats. This was Marvel's first attempt in making their movies part of one big universe and it shows, in a very good way. Not just content for capturing the comic book audience, the movie brings in the casual audience member with some great action set pieces that showcase some really impressive special effects. Seeing the Iron Man suit, it's really no surprise that Iron Man was nominated for an Oscar in the category of special effects.
Continuing excellence across the board, as I mentioned before, is casting. Jon Favreau did a great job assembling all these talents in one film. Terrence Howard plays Tony Stark's best friend, Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes and as always, is underrated but uses it to his advantage here as it's not his time to shine. I have to confess that I was pretty surprised to see Gwyneth Paltrow here playing Tony Stark's executive assistant/love interest,Pepper Potts, as Gwyneth Paltrow has established herself as a pretty serious actress, having won a Best Actress Award for Shakespeare In Love. But, as one would expect, she does a great job of playing the character and the underlying romance between the two, showing some real chemistry that I hope to be carried through into the sequel. Of course, Jeff Bridges does a great job as Obadiah Stane, the villain of the film. Jeff Bridges is a fantastic actor, who plays his menacing demeanor in a restrained and calculating fashion showing the transition from paternal mentor to eventual villain in what I thought was an impressive turn.
Not to say it's a perfect film. There is some sexuality here, both implied and obvious (pole-dancing flight attendants anyone?) that worked with the general excess of the Tony Stark character, but I didn't quite approve of knowing how many kids would be watching the film. As with any Hollywood blockbuster these days, there is a good amount of product placement and the movie is perhaps a little bit longer than might be necessary. The score altogether isn't entirely impressive, no real theme for the Iron Man character, although there are some subtle motifs for the Pepper Potts/Tony Stark Romance and some more heroic instrumental themes showing up towards the end of the film which hopefully we'll hear more from in the upcoming sequel.
But, as more and more films seek to cash in on the growing comic book scene, this one certainly stands out. Iron Man never forgets that it is an action and comic book movie, designed to entertain, but doesn't shy away from the hard questions faced by Tony Stark. The film isn't afraid to deal with some serious moral issues faced by the billonaire inventor as it occasionally veers into some darker territory, addressing issues of real relevance in today's world, but never stops being enjoyable for a second.
That, I believe, is the real achievement of Iron Man. Iron Man is that rare summer blockbuster that has something to say after all of the explosions and action sequences. Not content with being just an action movie, it has a great deal of underlying complexity as it keeps from being just a conventional superhero film. Iron Man is proof that superhero films do have a heart after all.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
(If somehow you missed the big after the credits scene, featuring a cameo by Samuel L. Jackson, then you really missed out. Thankfully, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o2lJ19qML0. In a movie with so many moments to wow you and make you cheer, they saved the biggest one for after the movie being over. This is the first huge step leading towards what will be a real culmination of Marvel's upcoming efforts towards an integrated universe. This is something that I am very, very excited about and so should you.)
Iron Man
Released: May 2, 2008.Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard.
Runtime: 162 minutes. (2 Hours and 42 minutes).
Rated: PG-13.
Director: Jon Favreau.
First of all, let me just get this out of the way, Robert Downey Jr. is the best thing about the movie. It's rare when casting fits this perfectly, but Robert Downey Jr. truly inhabits the role of Tony Stark, the industrialist/playboy/genius and the superhero, Iron Man. Perhaps it's because he has a real chance to display some of the classic wit and comic timing that he's been able to show in films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Perhaps it's because of his excellent acting skills that have sustained his career throughout the years.
Perhaps it's because he's able to bring some of his own personal experiences to the table. For years, Robert Downey Jr. has battled some of his own personal demons to make his career work. In his youth, Robert Downey Jr. was a star on the rise, garnering both fame and critical praise. For years, Robert Downey Jr. continued his career despite his worsening drug habit, relapsing numerous times and over time, it seemed as if he would be claimed by his addictions. Eventually, as evidenced by the film, he overcame these, achieved sobriety and is now one of the hottest celebrities in Hollywood. Robert Downey Jr. was one of the last people who ever expected to be the face of a superhero franchise. Perhaps it's a combination of all of these things and more. Whatever the reasons are, it works. Robert Downey Jr. IS Iron Man.
When the movie starts , Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a billionaire playboy and inventor, is on a sales pitch in the Middle East when he is struck down by one of his own weapons. Stark is kept alive by an electromagnet right above his heart that keeps the shrapnel from entering his heart. His captors expect him to build them a weapon, but instead, he builds the very first Iron Man suit to escape the confines of the cave. Once he is free, he is left to wonder what role the company that bears his name really plays in the role of peace keeping in the world and the real responsibility he might bear for his excesses and failures. It is this traumatic experience and realization that is the moral impetus for the rest of the film.
Now with his priorities changed and money to burn, Tony Stark becomes Iron Man. Using what is labeled a minaturized Arc Reactor, he uses this technology to keep himself alive and to power his suit. Using the suit, he now sets out to repair his mistakes and to change the world for the better. Of course, kicking off the summer blockbuster season last year, it's still a movie that is lots of fun, with some great humor, dialogue and action scenes. As seen in the box office receipts, Iron Man is a movie that appeals to both comic book fans and those who are rather unitiated wth the character.
Iron Man is broad enough to resonate with those audience members who aren't familiar with comic books, but Jon Favreau does plenty of things that will leave comic book fans very happy. Nods to Captain America, S.H.I.E.L.D., War Machine, other small little nods and of course one huge nod (revealed after the credits) should have those familiar with the Marvel Universe smiling, if not cheering in their seats. This was Marvel's first attempt in making their movies part of one big universe and it shows, in a very good way. Not just content for capturing the comic book audience, the movie brings in the casual audience member with some great action set pieces that showcase some really impressive special effects. Seeing the Iron Man suit, it's really no surprise that Iron Man was nominated for an Oscar in the category of special effects.
Continuing excellence across the board, as I mentioned before, is casting. Jon Favreau did a great job assembling all these talents in one film. Terrence Howard plays Tony Stark's best friend, Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes and as always, is underrated but uses it to his advantage here as it's not his time to shine. I have to confess that I was pretty surprised to see Gwyneth Paltrow here playing Tony Stark's executive assistant/love interest,Pepper Potts, as Gwyneth Paltrow has established herself as a pretty serious actress, having won a Best Actress Award for Shakespeare In Love. But, as one would expect, she does a great job of playing the character and the underlying romance between the two, showing some real chemistry that I hope to be carried through into the sequel. Of course, Jeff Bridges does a great job as Obadiah Stane, the villain of the film. Jeff Bridges is a fantastic actor, who plays his menacing demeanor in a restrained and calculating fashion showing the transition from paternal mentor to eventual villain in what I thought was an impressive turn.
Not to say it's a perfect film. There is some sexuality here, both implied and obvious (pole-dancing flight attendants anyone?) that worked with the general excess of the Tony Stark character, but I didn't quite approve of knowing how many kids would be watching the film. As with any Hollywood blockbuster these days, there is a good amount of product placement and the movie is perhaps a little bit longer than might be necessary. The score altogether isn't entirely impressive, no real theme for the Iron Man character, although there are some subtle motifs for the Pepper Potts/Tony Stark Romance and some more heroic instrumental themes showing up towards the end of the film which hopefully we'll hear more from in the upcoming sequel.
But, as more and more films seek to cash in on the growing comic book scene, this one certainly stands out. Iron Man never forgets that it is an action and comic book movie, designed to entertain, but doesn't shy away from the hard questions faced by Tony Stark. The film isn't afraid to deal with some serious moral issues faced by the billonaire inventor as it occasionally veers into some darker territory, addressing issues of real relevance in today's world, but never stops being enjoyable for a second.
That, I believe, is the real achievement of Iron Man. Iron Man is that rare summer blockbuster that has something to say after all of the explosions and action sequences. Not content with being just an action movie, it has a great deal of underlying complexity as it keeps from being just a conventional superhero film. Iron Man is proof that superhero films do have a heart after all.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
(If somehow you missed the big after the credits scene, featuring a cameo by Samuel L. Jackson, then you really missed out. Thankfully, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o2lJ19qML0. In a movie with so many moments to wow you and make you cheer, they saved the biggest one for after the movie being over. This is the first huge step leading towards what will be a real culmination of Marvel's upcoming efforts towards an integrated universe. This is something that I am very, very excited about and so should you.)
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