Iron Man blasts its way into theatres
Joshua Mohar
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: Entertainment
Iron Man, like Daredevil, The Punisher, and Ghost Rider before him, is relatively unknown to mainstream audiences. They're all darker superheroes with troubled pasts. Not to mention they're all Marvel properties. But there are two main differences that set Iron Man apart from its peers. Iron Man is the first product of a deal that has Marvel Studios independently producing films based on their own properties with Paramount Pictures distributing. Secondly, Iron Man, unlike those other star-studded atrocities, doesn't suck. Jon Favreau's witty and weapon-packed blockbuster is perhaps the most faithful page-to-screen superhero adaptation yet, with most of the credit due to the brilliant and inspiring Robert Downey Jr.'s performance.
Downey's portrayal of billionaire playboy and technological genius Tony Stark is spot-on. Convincing audiences that a boozing, womanizing, exploitative weapons manufacturer could have a heroic bone is his body is hard enough. But Downey lends credence to Stark's flaws in a film Marvel envisions as an origin story, merely setting up a franchise that will surely explore Stark's drinking problem in addition to his deteriorating health and relationships. Speaking of relationships, Iron Man's supporting cast isn't too shabby either. Terrence Howard plays Lt. Colonel James Rhodes, Stark's conservative partner-in-crime who serves as his voice of reason (Rhodey's future as War Machine ensures a larger role for Howard in sequels). Gwyneth Paltrow turns in a serviceable performance as Pepper Potts, Stark's innocent secretary turned love interest. The Academy Award winner is expectedly underused as a damsel-in-distress role, but does deliver the movie's finest zinger. And rounding out the cast is Jeff Bridges as main villain Obadiah Stane, Stark's business partner gone renegade.
Favreau wisely relocated the Iron Man story from Vietnam to Afghanistan, giving the film a real sense of relevance. It's one of the few modern superhero movies that actually seems consistently plausible throughout (ignoring the fact that Stark's captors couldn't infer he was building an armored suit and not a missile). The CGI-ridden action scenes are not only realistic but an absolute pleasure to watch, an exhilarating jet chase and Iron Man's raid of a village's stockpile of Stark Industries missiles ranking among the best. Even Stark's house is a technological wonder to behold with playtoys ranging from fancy cars to hilarious robots. These interactions deliver the film's biggest laughs, illustrating yet another refreshing aspect of Iron Man-its smart script. Stark's dialogue is quick and funny, exactly the way you'd expect a spoiled industrialist to talk.
Now that Iron Man is a massive success, Marvel Entertainment has already announced a release date for the sequel (April 30, 2010) and plans for an Avengers movie (make sure you stay after the credits!). The movie will get stiff competition from The Dark Knight later this summer, but Iron Man definitely deserves a viewing. Downey's performance alone is worth the price of admission. And if that's not enough for you, there are plenty of weapons and explosions to entertain.
Downey's portrayal of billionaire playboy and technological genius Tony Stark is spot-on. Convincing audiences that a boozing, womanizing, exploitative weapons manufacturer could have a heroic bone is his body is hard enough. But Downey lends credence to Stark's flaws in a film Marvel envisions as an origin story, merely setting up a franchise that will surely explore Stark's drinking problem in addition to his deteriorating health and relationships. Speaking of relationships, Iron Man's supporting cast isn't too shabby either. Terrence Howard plays Lt. Colonel James Rhodes, Stark's conservative partner-in-crime who serves as his voice of reason (Rhodey's future as War Machine ensures a larger role for Howard in sequels). Gwyneth Paltrow turns in a serviceable performance as Pepper Potts, Stark's innocent secretary turned love interest. The Academy Award winner is expectedly underused as a damsel-in-distress role, but does deliver the movie's finest zinger. And rounding out the cast is Jeff Bridges as main villain Obadiah Stane, Stark's business partner gone renegade.
Favreau wisely relocated the Iron Man story from Vietnam to Afghanistan, giving the film a real sense of relevance. It's one of the few modern superhero movies that actually seems consistently plausible throughout (ignoring the fact that Stark's captors couldn't infer he was building an armored suit and not a missile). The CGI-ridden action scenes are not only realistic but an absolute pleasure to watch, an exhilarating jet chase and Iron Man's raid of a village's stockpile of Stark Industries missiles ranking among the best. Even Stark's house is a technological wonder to behold with playtoys ranging from fancy cars to hilarious robots. These interactions deliver the film's biggest laughs, illustrating yet another refreshing aspect of Iron Man-its smart script. Stark's dialogue is quick and funny, exactly the way you'd expect a spoiled industrialist to talk.
Now that Iron Man is a massive success, Marvel Entertainment has already announced a release date for the sequel (April 30, 2010) and plans for an Avengers movie (make sure you stay after the credits!). The movie will get stiff competition from The Dark Knight later this summer, but Iron Man definitely deserves a viewing. Downey's performance alone is worth the price of admission. And if that's not enough for you, there are plenty of weapons and explosions to entertain.
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