Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 2 hrs 6 mins
Cast:
- Robert Downey, Jr.
- Jeff Bridges
- Terrence Howard
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Shaun Toub
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Review - "Iron Man"
Reviewer: Charise Payne
Rating:
When you think of comic books, Iron Man is probably not the first one to come to your remembrance. It might be Superman, Spiderman, or Batman. But after this new and exciting film adaptation of the Iron Man comic, that might change. This is a fantastic film variation of the comic, and Robert Downey Jr. as playboy billionaire genius Tony Stark is spot on.
Iron ManThe film begins with Tony Stark in the Middle East, just finishing demonstrating Stark Industries' latest military weapon, "The Jericho", a bomb which can annihilate an entire mountain range with one rocket. While in the Middle East, he finds himself in a war zone and is taken hostage. He sees the entire platoon murdered in front of his eyes, and he is horror struck. The terrorists who have captured Tony want him to build them "The Jericho". After being tortured, he agrees, but secretly outsmarts them and builds the first prototype of the "Iron Man". He uses the weapon to escape his captors and returns to the U.S. a changed man. And to prove it, he holds a press conference to tell the world that Stark Industries will no longer manufacture weapons. His business partner and one-time mentor, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), is outraged; weapons are Stark Industries' bread and butter, and there is no way he is going lay down to Tony’s will and let this happen.
While Tony was in captivity, he realized that he needs to become a better person and change his life. He also figures out that he needs love in his life and that he has taken for granted and overlooked his personal assistant, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and he attempts to fix that.
Now that Tony is home he needs to follow through with his promise to make the world a better place. So Tony does what he does best: he builds a new weapon, but not just any weapon. This one is the "Iron Man" suit he made in the Middle East, just perfected. It is awesome, and looks amazing, covered in red and gold. It is made out of titanium and steel and resembles a Power Ranger suit, but much cooler. It has rocket boosters in the feet and stabilizers in the hands. It also has missiles, guns, a flame-thrower, and an energy pulse which is emitted from the gloves on his hands. The science behind the suit is not explained to the audience, but you feel like you are watching a genius work, and therefore you trust that he knows what he is doing. It is way cool.
In attempts to redeem himself, Tony takes on a self-imposed mission. Tony sees the terrorists who held him prisoner on TV attacking a village in the Middle East with the weapons Stark Industries designed. He is determined to right this wrong, and uses the suit to attack the terrorists and save the village. While in the Middle East, the military spots him on their radar and are not sure what to do. One of Tony's best friends, Jim Rhodes aka War Machine (Terrence Howard), who is military pilot and liaison between Stark Industries and the military, is able to smooth things over with the military and protect Tony's identity.
The whole time this is going on, Tony's partner Obadiah is working on every angle he can get. He is very sinister, and you can feel he is working in the shadows towards a different end than Tony wants.
Iron Man is a great film, and I really enjoyed how it focuses on the characters and story, not just action sequences. And, for once, this isn't a superhero that became powerful because he was bitten by a radioactive spider or has kryptonite to his disposal, Tony is a superhero because of his mind. His intelligence is his gift, and he puts it to good use. But don't worry, there is something for everyone in this film: action, love, betrayal — did I say action? The fight scenes alone are worth your money.
Director Jon Favreau (Elf and Zathura) did an excellent job combining drama, comedy, and special effects, and this superhero action/adventure film is another credit to his talent.
If Iron Man does well in the box office (and I'm sure it will), it will become a great franchise (stay through the credits if you need more convincing). I hope they carry on in the Marvel comic tradition and make the second film even better then the first. Downey's talent as an actor is amazing, and he carries the film. My only issue with the film is that it lagged a little in the middle, and some of Paltrow's scenes felt too much like the typical damsel in distress. The film is a great ride, and I'm sure you will be seeing lots of this franchise in the future.
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