The Iron Avenger's first flight onto the big screen asserts itself as the summer's first 'must see' blockbuster. Readers, tread lightly! This article contains spoilers!
By Jim Gibbons
Posted 4/29/2008
[Be wary readers, this article contains spoilers!]
The gauntlet in the big summer blockbuster battle has been thrown. And It's red, iron and has a repulsor ray embedded in the palm.
All the hype surrounding the Iron Avenger's big screen premiere was well founded, because Jon Favreau's "Iron Man" is one helluva ride that sets the bar high for competitor's box office success—jetboots into the outer atmosphere high.
A film about a hero is only as good as its leading man, and Robert Downey, Jr. brings Tony Stark off the paneled page and into three dimensions with a portrayal that brings a depth to the character that demonstrates a respect for decades worth of storytelling while making the character accessible to those getting their first shot of iron.
The film combines Downey, Jr.'s masterful job with a solid script that leads the audience through a very convincing version of Stark's journey, giving the billionaire playboy—who's just damn cool in any scene in which he's wearing a suit—a modernized and logical reason to turn do-gooder after he's captured by terrorists and sees first hand the damage his weapons empire does as it rips through the Middle East.
After seeing the James-Bond-cool Stark slay women like he was the entire Rat Pack wrapped into one, it's not only exciting but refreshing to see the hero make his first great stand in the red and gold when he sees his weapons on the news being used by his former captors to slaughter a village. In a sequence that could have come across as tasteless or insensitive to current political situations, Iron Man liberates a Middle Eastern village in a way that makes the Spider-Man's worries about his secret identity and Batman's quest to punish street punks seem trivial.
The effects are about as sophisticated as Stark technology and the action is jawdroppingly good—Iron Monger manhandling ol' Shellhead just might make you forget about a certain big, green guy coming out with a movie later this summer—but the "Iron Man's" Oscar caliber cast is what takes it to the next level. Combining enough humor and outlandish heroics to do justice to a cast of characters originally brought to life in the pages of a comic, the film receives a definite sense of realism as some of the finest actors in the trade deliver performances that redefine what kind of actor it takes to sell a superhero flick. Terrence Howard leaves you aching for a War Machine movie with his James Rhodes and Gwyneth Paltrow, who's absolutely stunning as the redheaded Pepper Potts, brings a great degree of complexity to a role that could easily have become a throwaway if filled with a lesser actress. And when it comes to Jeff Bridges' villainous Iron Monger, well, the dude abides by bringing frightening relevance to his role as a do-anything capitalist. Picking a villain with relatively little history in the Marvel Universe was a master stroke, as Bridges is given free reign to make the character into a friendly but terrifying role all of his own, while his origin story can be worked seamlessly into the plot without taking away time for character development from any other supporting cast member. The fantastic job Downey, Jr. does living up to the legacy of Iron Man is matched by Bridges delivery of a villain that'll certainly be headed for a Marvel Universe resurgence, as writers won't be able to keep their hands off the baddy now rich with character.
But in the end, what makes a good comic book movie for comic book fans are the little things—the easter eggs and nods given to the diehards who've been shelling out their hard earned cash each a month for years on end. Fans will be pleased to know that "Iron Man" drops some great references that'll not only nod to the knowledgeable and build to sequels but bring further cohesion to the Marvel Movie U. Among these fan treats is the introduction of S.H.I.E.L.D. and hints at the power pulling the strings behind Stark's original captors, a group known as the "Ten Rings"—which fans will notice as a reference to the Red and Gold Avenger's classic baddy the Mandarin. And Tony Stark is just so damn cool in this movie that all the flack he got about the superhero civil war will be forgotten when audiences see the character's captivating playboy exploits redefining movie cool mixed with his caring humanitarian heroics that'll remind fans why they fell in love with the character. But the best moment for diehard fans has to come while Stark is talking to Rhodey before heading off for his final confrontation with the Iron Monger. As the audience looks over Rhodey's shoulder to see Iron Man fly out through a hole in his roof left from a previous test flight mishap, the camera pans around till we see Rhodey's face, and over his shoulder is Stark's silver Mark II armor. Rhodey looks back at it before turning towards the camera and saying excitedly, "Next time, baby!" Looks like fans won't be suffering a long wait for War Machine's big screen debut.
"Iron Man" is as rock solid a superhero movie as the impenetrable armor that encases its hero. It has the action, excitement and intelligence to leave little to nothing for longtime Iron Man fans and first-timers alike to complain about. "Iron Man" is a "can't miss" upgrade to the superhero genre that only Tony Stark could deliver and sets a new standard for movies based on Marvel's mightiest.
