Iron Man (2008)

It shouldn't be unfamiliar to anyone who's read my reviews on this site before that I'm a huge comic book fan.  Marvel in specific.  So when Marvel takes one of their heroes from the page to the big screen, I'm especially critical when it comes to the movie.  

 After last year's dissapointing Spider-Man 3, I was unsure if future Marvel movies would ever get good again, or if the superhero movie trend was on the downward spiral soon to be vanquished to the direct to dvd banner alongside Van Damme and Wesley Snipes movies. 

  Iron Man stars Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, a millionaire playboy/weapons dealer who, on a weapons demonstration tour of the middle east gets taken hostage by terrorists belonging to the Ten Rings group.  

 To help save his life due to the shrapnel inching closer to heart, he along with Professor Yinsen (Shaun Toub-The Kite Runner) devise an electronic heart.  And to help himself escape the terrorist stronghold, Stark devises a crude suit of armor.

 When returning to the states, and after realizing what his destruction his weapons have wrought in the wrong hands, he realizes he needs to rethink what he's doing with his life and his company.  In turn he shuts down his weapons division, angering business partner Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), and updates his armors design so that he can help people in a new armored alter ego.  He's no longer just Tony Stark. He is Iron Man!

  This movie is the perfect way to kick off the summer.  It's got a great light paced tone without ever going too campy or comedic, and it keeps directly in with the spirit of the original comic book, without ever becoming too comic booky.   We have director Jon Favreau (Swingers/Elf)to thank for that along with a great script by Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus (Children Of Men). 

   The movie has a cast who delivers great performances throughout, though Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark is one of his best performances.  He makes Stark so charismatic that you don't even care that he's not Iron Man till almost halfway into the movie.  I honestly could just watch a movie with just the Stark part of the character.  He's that good in this.

 Jeff Bridges does a great job playing the antoginist role here, his and Stark's animosity building throughout the course of the movie until the metal on metal action climax at the end.  Terrence Howard delivers a strong performance with the little he's given to do as James Rhodes, but there are hints in the movie that he'll play a bigger part in the inevitable sequals. 

  Gwyneth Paltrow takes what could be a thankless role of Stark's secretary Pepper Potts and infuses it with character and personality.

  The movie is equally brought to life by cinematographer  Matthew Libatique (Requiem For A Dream) whose work frames everything in almost a hyperreal state, truly bringing the comic to life while still keeping it in somewhat a semblance of reality.

 About the only downfall to the whole movie is it's lack of a proper theme.  Ramin Djwadi (Blade Trinity) delivers a score that is somewhat lacking and generic.  In fact it's one of the least memorable things about the movie.  Thankfully though at least Black Sabbath's classic 'Iron Man' song serves as the hero's theme, so that's somewhat better than other superhero themes.

If you're a comic book fan as I am, you'll love the movie even more as it's scattered with references to the comic book lore that introduced the characters to the world.  From the terrorist organization that captures Stark,'The Ten Rings', a nod to classic Iron Man villian The Mandarin.  To the name of Stark's A.I. system, Jarvis (voice of Paul Bettany-A Knight's Tale) in the comic, Jarvis is Stark's butler. 

 And my personal favorite comic reference, an agent for the government agency, Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement & Logistic Division.  Whom repeatedly shows up throughout the movie, with a great running gag about the agency's name. 

 But even if you're not a fan, you'll fall in love with this movie thanks to the charisma of Robert Downey Jr.'s performance, and the humor and action the movie has.  There truly can be no better way to kick off the ever increasingly early summer movie season than this movie.

Final

 Action, comedy, some great special effects, this movie has it all.  Granted I'm biased as a comic book fan, but I've heard nothing but good things said about this movie from everyone I know, even people who haven't touched a comic book in their life.  Not only is it a great comic movie, but it's just a good movie all around, and in my opinion, the best superhero movie since Spider-Man 2.   I can not reccomend seeing this movie enough.  Well, till next time be sure to keep it reel.