- Rated PG-13
- Action
- 2008
All photos © Paramount Pictures
Reviewed by Jason Zingale
(jzingale@bullz-eye.com)
hen Marvel first announced they would be opening their own movie studio to produce films based on pre-existing properties, it was a given that their first project – a big-screen adaptation of “Iron Man” – would be viewed under a very large microscope. There was a lot riding on the success of the film, and though the news of both director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr.’s involvement initially worried financers and fanboys alike, “Iron Man” has since become one of the most buzzed-about releases of the year. It’s a great relief, then, to discover that the movie not only lives up to the hype, but is easily one of the best superhero films ever made. Second only to “Batman Begins” and “Spider-Man 2,” “Iron Man” integrates the perfect balance of drama, comedy and action to deliver the first must-see blockbuster of the summer season.
Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy president of a tech-based arms manufacturer that supplies the U.S. military with groundbreaking weaponry. While on a business trip to Afghanistan, Stark is badly wounded when he’s kidnapped by a terrorist group hell-bent on harboring a new missile system nicknamed the Jericho. Saved by a fellow captive (Shaun Taub) and a little science (an electromagnet is attached to his chest to prevent shrapnel from entering his heart), Stark ignores the terrorists’ demands to build them a weapon and instead designs an armored suit for his escape. Upon his return back home, Stark makes a promise to reform by discontinuing the manufacture of weapons by his company – much to the dismay of second-in-command Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) – but when he discovers that they’re still being sold to the bad guys behind his back, Stark jumps into his newly upgraded armored suit to finish the fight.
Though the movie is arguably slower than expected, it’s actually better because of it. Starting out as a slow-boiling espionage thriller, “Iron Man” eventually becomes the action blockbuster that the trailers hinted at, but not until all of the pieces are in place. The last thing we needed was two hours of a CG Iron Man blowing shit up, and while some might complain that there isn’t enough action spread throughout its 110-minute runtime, the story is so electric that most won’t even notice. In fact, the big finale is probably the tamest part of the entire film, and though Favreau uses practical effects as often as possible (which in turn helps keep the story grounded in reality), the CG-powered sequences still need a little work.
Robert Downey Jr. is flawless in the lead role, and despite early criticism about the actor’s inability to carry a big event movie, he does so as if Stan Lee created Tony Stark specifically with him in mind. He’s the soul of the entire film, and though Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect as Pepper Potts, and Jeff Bridges has some fun playing the film’s villain, “Iron Man” simply wouldn’t have been as good without Downey Jr.’s involvement. Additionally, Terrence Howard doesn’t get as much to do as the other three stars, but if the actor’s 11th hour wink to fanboys is any indication, he’ll play a much larger part in the sequels.
For all the talk about how origin movies can sometimes be the deadly knockout to comic book franchises, the story behind “Iron Man” is so rich and complex that Favreau is going to have a near-impossible task of outdoing himself with the inevitable sequel. And there will be a sequel, because much like “Batman Begins,” “Iron Man” delivers such an amazing first chapter that the story practically demands to be continued. Iron Man may be considered second-tier in the Marvel universe, but he has a wealth of stories that can be used to fuel an entire trilogy of films and more, and if future installments are even remotely as entertaining as the first outing, you can count on “Iron Man” becoming the next comic book king of the box office.
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