User reviews

In my attempt to rewatch all the MCU-movies chronologically I began with the first Iron Man. To cut to the chase: it's still good. A couple of things astonished me, though:

First of all, a common mistake of the later Marvel-movies isn't made here. There is actually some sort of character development visible. Tony ends the movie as a totally different person. Of course, in an origin story it's easier to have your protagonist change but let's compare for a second: Is Ant-man really a changed man at the end of the movie? What about Star Lord? What about Thor? Black Widow? Hawkeye?

Then again, you have to give it to the director that he really made a well-paced, well-balanced movie. There is action, humour, drama, world establishing, all in great balance. The final fight isn't stretched too long and therefore doesn't get boring. You can't underestimate this in our age of 45 mins battles at the end of movies.

During my re-watch I also noticed how 'down to earth' this movie is if you compare it to some of the more recent MCU-entries. It just looks more real than them. It's set in a world that at least COULD be real which makes us care more for the characters and their actions. More explosions and obvious cgi-effects don't improve a movie. So the movie doesn't feel as bloated as some other superhero flicks.

Finally, Iron Man is still fun to watch and not just a vehicle to set up a franchise. If you've spent the last couple of years on the moon and haven't seen any of the MCU-movies, give this a try.

When it comes to ranking the Marvel superhero(live action) films, Iron Man is for me up there with the better ones. It looks fabulous, the whole film is very slickly made with top-notch special effects(which look like time and effort was really put into it), awesome-looking futuristic gadgets and Iron Man's suit will be a guaranteed delight to anybody who is familiar or loves anything to do with the superhero. There is a pulsating soundtrack that adds much to the tension of the first half of the story and the enormously fun action sequences, which are exciting and tense with expertly choreography. The script crackles with smart humour that doesn't go overload, all of which is laugh-out-loud funny, yet the hostage plotting that takes up the first part of the film is intelligently written and somehow avoids being over-serious or over-familiar. The story has enough to allow you to emotionally connect with Iron Man(who I've always considered one of Marvel's most interesting and multi-faceted characters) and has a clever mix of the comic's 1960s origins and the effects of contemporary war, which will provide plenty of nostalgia while also feeling relevant. Jon Favreau does a great job directing, he never loses control of the story and he doesn't do anything too fussy. Robert Downey Jnr's performance as Tony Stark/Iron Man is a power-house and one of his best, doing much with the smart dialogue while making the emotional side of the characters wholly believable. Gwyneth Paltrow is a good, loyal side-kick with wise-cracks that don't come across as annoying and Jeff Bridges is surprisingly very good in an against-type role. Personally, the only disappointments were the useless character of Christine Everheart and the somewhat rushed and over-blown finale that wasn't quite as thrilling as it could have been, other than that Iron Man was a classy addition to the Marvel cannon and a great film on its own. 9/10 Bethany Cox

With a B-list superhero, a risky lead actor, a genre that hasn't really done much other than say Nolan's Batman, this movie had a lot to prove. Wow, did it ever. It proved that superhero movies can be realistic, emotional, funny and have highly entertaining action. This is the movie to launch the MCU, and started the shared universe that DC comics and other franchises are following.

Let's start with the number one reason why this movie is so good: Robert Downey Jr. I am so glad that Jon Favreau kept pressing the studio to make sure RDJ had this role because he completely nails it. He effortlessly portrays the cool, sarcastic, alcoholic, playboy that I don't even think he's acting. He's clearly not perfect as he is the guy we think is awesome but don't necessarily want to be. This role is basically synonymous with RDJ now because you can't think of Tony Stark without immediately thinking of RDJ. Iron Man wasn't a househeld name before but thanks to RDJ's performance, it is now.

The action in this movie is incredible as you get to see him fly around, take on terrorist cells and fight the main villain. What I even found to more intriguing is Stark's entire time building his suit, both in the Afghan cave and in his garage because it is amazing to see his genius at work, while still being snarky and basically a tool.

The writing and humor is also very good in this movie. I read that a lot of the lines, especially RDJ's were improv, which is able to keep this movie very fresh, not Rotten Tomatoes style, but it helps a lot by breaking the molds of superhero movies.

A couple complaints in this film is the pacing and the final villain. The pacing starts off very well, not really rushing into him being Iron Man, establishing his character very well before his abilities. Then the final battle comes around and it's basically just an evil version of his character, which sort of works with the problem of his technology getting into wrong hands, but the fact that it's just fighting a mirror is kind of boring. The final battle comes around pretty quick and it resolved fairly quick as if they are trying to wrap it up really quickly. I did like Bridges' Obadiah Stane with his intimidating yet charming persona but in the end he was just a reverse of Iron Man, not that interesting.

+ Robert Downey Jr + Fresh, new start for superhero movies + Writing and pacing (mostly) + Action and Humor - Final Villain

Final Score: 9.3/10

MCU 2021 Marathon

MCU #1:

Iron Man was my favorite Marvel hero. As a teen I collected 1-150 with the main series. I doodled the Iron Man helmet during class at high school when bored.

So it was a huge surprise when this came out in 2008 and it was so freaking GOOD! Jon Favreau, the guy that had done Elf and Zathura (the Zumanji sequel) had just started a cinematic revolution? What!?!? (And Favreau is doing it again with The Mandalorian).

Robert Downey Jr. was made for the part of Tony Stark. The origin story was modernized and handled well. They included most of the early Iron Man suits from the comics. They took the time showing the more modern invention of the suit and the challenges of making it work (e.g. maneuvering with the repulsors).

I finally understood what Spiderman's fans felt like when Sam Raimi's Spiderman series became a massive pop culture sensation years earlier. Fantastic!

There are issues. Pacing mostly. Jeff Bridges is too much the stereotypical villain with an over-the-top fight scene at the end.

This was the beginning of the MCU world building effort which was more "slight-of-hand" in the earlier movies -- Stark's OCD making itself evident, that Shield guy at the party, and Samuel Jackson pinging Stark about Avengers in the end credits.

It began and ended with Iron Man. That makes me happy.

"I am Iron Man"

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is a hard playing billionaire genius. He is captured in Afghanistan after demonstrating his newest weapon. He is forced to create new weapons for his captor. Instead he makes an armored suit to escape. He also makes an arc reactor to keep his heart going and shrapnel from killing him. Once back in the States, he moves his company to concentrate on arc reactor technology and stop weapons manufacturing.

This is all RDJ. He and he alone makes Iron Man work. It's doubtful if anybody could have done it better. It's certain that he's made it next to impossible to replace him. Director Jon Favreau has built around him the dazzling array of tech fun, and Gwyneth Paltrow as his Girl Friday. It is RDJ's fast talking, quick wit, and personal history that makes him the perfect Tony Stark. Great character, fun movie.

Rest assured, Iron Man is an absolutely amazing movie. I won't dare spoil any of this remarkable movie for you but I do recommend it as highly as I possibly can. Marvel needed to get in to the solo movie making business long ago. Instead of leasing out their characters to other studios, they're making movies themselves. Most everyone knows Iron Man is their first effort and what a great lead off film! This movie helps take the comic book genre to the highest level. Just like they did in the books, they reinvent standard epic adventure by "Marvelizing" characters and making them more believable. The Spider-Man and the X-Men movies did this to a degree but only as far as their respective studios wished to stay true to the source material. Anything added or amended was for the benefit of the live action adaptation. Director Sam Raimi pulled this off by talking to the summer crowd, not down to them with the Spider-Man series. Jon Favreau has done the same thing here but I think he's done it even better. Raimi intentionally threw in a little cheese. Favreau adds nice bits of humor but not too much. He also grounds the action and the suit of armor in firm reality. I've said it before but it's brave to reach for the highest common denominator with a big budget film and Favreau delivers a movie with as much feeling as it has action and intensity. Needless to say, Robert Downey Jr. and company deliver the goods. It's a movie that has a wonderful balance that delivers intelligence with its fun.

The amazing yet realistic action is paced by the plot and characters that keep you interested from start to finish. What absolutely blew me away were the phenomenal special effects. I know they built a practical, working armor. What I loved is the use of CGI was used to augment the real life armor and not create something from scratch. Most all CGI constructs feel fake somehow but the stuff in Iron Man didn't seem fake even for an instant. As great as everything looked, what really drives the movie is the emotional resonance and down to earth nature of the plot. Sure the concept is wild but it's all presented so that you really believe it could happen. I doubt anyone will find fault with this movie unless they went in trying to dislike it.

This is, without a doubt going to be one of my top 10 movies of 2008, quite possibly the number one film.

So the world premier of Iron man to regular movie going audiences happened to be here in Seoul Korea on an army installation. I got to check it out and I was delightfully surprised.

Much against the hype, I thought this movie would have been torrid trash acting mingled with cheesy fight scenes. I mean Robert Downey Jr as an action superhero? But I am glad to admit that I misjudged the movie completely. Downey played a very good Tony Stark, in generally every way. From his jokes to his obnoxious lifestyle he looked and walked the part very well. His banter with his right hand assistant Ms. Pepper Potts isn't mind numbing and actually found myself laughing aloud at some of the wit.

The movie itself moved at a very good pace. Mixing action, comedy and some drama to just about the right proportions. As with most superhero movies, its rather predictable, but in all the right ways you'd want a superhero movie to be. The animation used was almost seamless, and of course the Iron Man costume was kicking major ass.

My only gripe with the movie was the fact that several characters were thrown into the mix with little behind them other than 2D character attributes. Leslie Bibb's character, Christine Everhart, is pretty useless other than the two or three lines she has. Hardly worth a hardbody like Leslie Bibb to play. Several other characters didn't feel fleshed out at all. Raza (Faran Tahir), Obediah Stone (Jeff Bridges) , and even Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard) feel hollow in the fact that they have little justification for many of their actions.

So All in all, I'd give this movie an 8.3. Fun for the whole family, great pacing, and a Superhero movie to give the next Batman movie a run for its money.

Great movie, which serves as a perfect introduction to Tony Stark's character. The antagonist was a bit boring, but except for that, I loved the movie!

It seems strange to think that this was considered a big gamble back in 2008, when Marvel Studios finally began putting into place the ensemble of superhero films that would lead to the fantastically entertaining The Avengers. They hired a relatively rookie director in Jon Favreau who, up to this point, had made the shoddy Made (2001), Will Ferrell vehicle Elf (2003) and kiddie-flick Zathura (2005), and cast Robert Downey Jr., an actor that was still trying to piece together his career after years of drug and alcohol abuse. After all, Iron Man is basically a story about a rich genius who fights crime in a flying metal suit, and had it not being given the necessary thought and care, this could have been a disaster. Thankfully, it's anything but, thanks to Downey Jr.'s infectious performance, a razor-sharp screenplay by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, and Favreau's confident direction.

Weapons manufacturer and playboy Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) travels to Afghanistan with his good friend Lt. Colonel Rhodes (Terrence Howard) to show off his new weapon of mass destruction, the Jericho. He is ambushed and taken hostage by a terrorist group that call themselves the Ten Rings, who seriously wound Stark, causing shrapnel to lodge dangerously close to his heart. An electromagnet is developed by fellow captive Yinsen (Shaun Toub) to keep the shrapnel away from his heart, and the two are forced to build the Jericho from parts of Stark's stolen weapons. He instead builds a prototype metal suit, which he uses to all but destroy the terrorist group and escape back to America. After calling a press conference where he announces that Stark Industries will cease war profiteering, Stark builds his Iron Man suit with the help of his assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). Seeing stocks falling and the potential collapse of the company, Stark's business partner Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) wants the technology for himself.

The main problem that faces most superhero origin films is having to combine the protagonist's development into the hero of the title with a villain capable of giving the hero a genuine threat to face, as well as blending them together to form one cohesive storyline. Marvel in particular have had trouble with their super-villains, with only Thor's multi-dimensional Loki, played with a thespian quality by Tom Hiddleston, proving successful. Iron Man suffers here too, only it seems almost irrelevant. Obadiah Stane does eventually don a gigantic metal suit for a big showdown at the climax, but Stane's menace comes from his corporate greed, offering only slight hints at what goes on in the big, bald dome of his, while coming across as a trusted friend to Stark.

It is Stark's personal development that takes centre stage, and it's a true joy to watch it. At first, he is cocky, smarmy, and filthy-rich, and after he gets a wake-up call, he is still cocky, smarmy and filthy- rich. Only now he understands the devastation his weapons program is inflicting of thousands of innocents, who up until now, Stark has casually viewed through the safety of his television. In the wrong hands, Stark could have been a disaster, apparently caring little for the ramifications of his actions, buying priceless works of art he'll never see just because he can. Downey Jr. injects the same energy he's been putting into his characters throughout his entire career - fast- talking and wise-cracking, almost comically narcissistic. But Downey Jr. is best at giving his characters an underlying sense of damage beneath the cocky exterior, perhaps a reflection on his long-standing problems in real-life, and this helps give Stark an undeniable depth, and therefore making him effortlessly fascinating to watch.

Iron Man is most entertaining when showing Stark at work - bashing various parts together, interacting with his robots and his house computer Jarvis (voiced by Paul Bettany), and testing his newly acquired powers. His first flying trial has him hovering uncomfortably and struggling for complete control, destroying his hoard of expensive super cars in the process. It's a funny, exciting scene, rounded off with "yeah, I can fly". It's rare for a superhero film to be so successful in portraying the development of its character, whether having to experience a mutation, an experiment gone wrong, or facing childhood fears, this proves that simply building a metal super-suit is far more entertaining. This is still Marvel's best pre-Avengers effort, including it's vastly inferior sequel, and Tony Stark was the best to watch amongst the massive ensemble when the giant ego's finally came together. But that's all down to the care given to this film, which is quite simply a massive hoot.

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WOW WOW WOW.

This is the movie I have been waiting for for a very long time. I am an avid Ironman reader. I have collected the comics all my life (from #1 in 1968 to the latest in 2008)...40 years of Ironman. Since I was a kid, I used to say to my friends that they should make an Ironman movie, but everyone laughed and said that the special effects would look ridiculous...mind you, that was back in like in the early 1980's. But, now we are in the age of CGI, and what an age it is. Just for you Ironman fans, to see him come to life with such spectacular graphics is reason enough to spend your hard-earned $10. The plot is also pretty well thought out, and the acting is just fine. What better pick could you have for Tony Stark than Robert Downey Jr.? (just wait for the sequels when they can delve into his alcoholism...Mr. Downey has been there and beyond...that's probably why they chose him for the role...fore-thought)The rest of the cast is right on par, as well. The pace is brisk, and the whole thing works as a great addition to the Marvel Universe in the Cinema!! Enjoy!

Since Marvel Comics and CGI started their mystical marriage in the late 1990s, we've had superheroes galore. Hulks, Surfers, Spidermen, not to mention constantly renewed Batmans and Supermans. So what does Iron Man have to offer that's different? A flawed character that becomes honourable is the answer, triumphing in the battle of Good over Evil in spite of being a bit of a prat.

Add to that some of the best features of Robocop, Batman Begins and Terminator II, and you have one of the more satisfying comic-books-turned-blockbuster that we've seen for a while.

Billionaire and genius Tony Stark – with a personality vaguely based on Howard Hughes – is a weapons inventor that gets captured by bad guys in Afghanistan. Forced to work for them, he has other plans. Stark, nicely played by Robert Downey Jr, fashions a hi-tech suit of armour - before going on to save the world in usual exemplary fashion.

This long build-up – to explain how he becomes Iron Man – is arguably the best part of the film. Ingenious special effects give Stark's futuristic Malibu mansion a sci-fi rather than fantasy feel. And the subtle build-up makes us more forgiving as the story slips slowly into comic-book reality.

There are, of course, compromises. It has to appeal to kids as well as adults, so there is none of the gutsiness of Terminator I (or similar adult-orientated sci-fi). And in spite of the heavy moral-political issues at stake, Iron Man stays politically bland – this being the only way to get D.O.D. approval and hence associated goodies like fighter jets and military hardware.

One of the most interesting ideas for me in the film was the idea of 'zero accountability'. This takes the form of having all the wealth, brains and playboy attributes that fiction writers can imagine, but could also be a symbol for U.S. military might, for instance. Stark's first premise, of power being the ultimate deterrent (and hence a peace-keeping force) is undermined when the enemy gets hold of the same weapons and starts killing indiscriminately. Theologians might also muse how power itself has no moral authority. Good guys have to grudgingly beseech permission from whoever wields the biggest thunderbolt.

Iron Man, essentially a symbol of power, abounds in biblical references, even if these come more from the comic book creators than any learning on the part of filmmakers. Jericho, the name given to Stark's finest military weapon, was the city that had to be destroyed, 'as an outward display of faith.' Which makes for great symbolism. Until you consider that modern-day Jericho is in the West Bank of the Palestinian territories, and then Stark's 'rockets' start to look a lot more loaded.

Iron Man's technology has a special feature to avoid targeting civilians. Now this is one military development I would love to see.

The second half of the movie is pure action, but with a well-delivered script and sufficient plot-twists to keep you engaged. Out-of-reach love-interest materialises as Gwyneth Paltrow, who I found very agreeable to watch, and the excellent supporting cast also includes Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard. This is a film that tries to please everyone and largely succeeds. It's a two-hour thrill-ride that offers a new action-hero for our CGI-sated palates.

On a personal note, my big disappointment was the title track – or rather lack of it. Having heard one of the most famous heavy metal riffs of all time in the trailer, I couldn't wait to see Iron Man flying through the skies to the sound of Black Sabbath's rock anthem. Sadly, the riff is all you get (probably cos the words seem to be based on an altogether different story). But if you sit through the closing credits hoping for more, you do at least get a very important extra scene. So you've been warned: don't leave the cinema beforehand!

As an avid reader of the Iron Man comics, I was excited but also very scared that this movie would flop.

While Robert Downey is not the biggest name in Hollywood, he plays the part perfectly and I was greatly impressed by how he portrayed Iron Man so well.

The humor works well for this film also. It's well-written and has a great cast.

What impressed me the most was the CGI! They're breath-taking, but aren't distracting enough to let you miss the finer points of this movie.

In conclusion, while not perfect, Iron Man lives up to its hype and my expectations as a reader of the comic.

Lets face it. Iron Man is not the most famous of comic superheroes. In fact, up until now I had only head about it briefly. I also found out that it was from Marvel and since I love Spiderman so much I decided I would go and check it out. Wow! This movie is awesome!. Acting is great and I am so happy to see Gwyneth Paltrow back in the movie business after a while. Robert Downey junior was also really good as the sleazy millionaire turned superhero. The villain was great (i forget his name) and Terrence Howard was great as well. The action and visual effects were really good and the movies talk on terrorism is very intriguing. Overall, a great movie. I think Marvel should be very pleased.

Fortunately, I'm not one easily influenced by some users' negative comments. These people should try to restrain their bias opinions and try to review the movies as neutrally as possible.

Now I would say that this movie has slow but steady momentum-building. It is a movie for people who has never known Iron Man in the comic series. The characters are given names and personalities, true to their comic book counterparts.

Acting was among the best comic-turn movie I have seen so far. Effects were believable and not overwhelmingly CGI, except for the tank scene.

This movie, however, has sequel written all over it. We know that because there are many scenes that could have lead to more.

It's well worth its ticket price.

There was a big question mark looming over the theatrical adaptation of Marvel's Iron Man property. It was in the guise of director Jon Favreau. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the Favs, but when I heard he was helming a big budget comic book flick…let's just say I was a little worried. Once his cast was set and the fanboys started humming across the internet I started to ease into the decision with high anticipation. Thankfully, after finally seeing the finished product, I was not disappointed in the least. With a great mix of the professionalism and stakes seen in both Spider-Man and X-Men and the comic wit and sheer fun of Fantastic Four, Iron Man shows how a comic can be brought to the screen successfully without all the added drama and weight. We finally have a film with the essence of what makes these picture books so popular, the action and mythology along with a sense of adventure and humor. Favreau never bogs us down with overwrought emotions nor speaks down to us with gags and poorly written jokes. Instead he delivers on his promises and gives us a solid initiation into what could be a great trilogy or more.

Favreau seems to have had an idea to get an origin story out while not boring us with long drawn out backstory. His ability to give us dual information at once is nicely orchestrated, showing Tony Stark in his basement creating while the TV in the background explains what is happening in the outside world of the Middle East and inside his own company. We as an audience are allowed to put the pieces together amidst the witty banter of Stark and the wonderful special effects. By the end of the film it is quite amazing how much information you will realize you now know, all culminating in a decent final battle, but more importantly a segue into the inevitable sequel. We are allowed entrance into the character evolution of Stark as he goes from war profiteer to man of action and cause, all while seeing the technology improve and advance before our eyes. Much like Batman, we have a hero here that needs help in fighting crime. He has no superhuman abilities besides his brain and being able to see his thoughts go from paper to reality is a feat of magic. Every stage is shown, every failure and success. It's quite the ride in and of itself, but when you add onto it the threat of global war and destruction, it can only get better.

The real success here is in the bold move of casting an actor over-40 to be a superhero. This takes guts, because no matter how appropriate it is, most studios would have said, "no, change the story and make him younger so we can churn out as many of these babies as we can." I don't know how he did it, but Favreau got Marvel to get Robert Downey Jr. to play Stark, a sarcastic lothario with the brain capacity of Einstein. I truly can't think of anyone better suited to the role and he proves it by nailing every single scene. I'm sure there was some ad-libbing, but even if not, his comic delivery and ability to switch on a dime to a sincere seriousness at will shows his masterful craft.

As for the rest of the cast, they all do well. Jeff Bridges plays the bombastic creature of villainy over-the-top, but appropriately so; Terrence Howard is nice as the friend and military liason, not given much to do, but definitely sowing seeds for the future; and Gwyneth Paltrow is good as the sweet assistant Pepper Potts who at times seems a little underwritten and more female prop than anything else, but comes through with some nice moments in a very comic sort of way. I also really liked Shaun Toub as Yinsen, Stark's savior, and Clark Gregg as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Good to see Favreau giving another actor turned director props, (Gregg's directorial debut comes out later this year in the form of Chuck Palahniuk's Choke). I just wish he would have shied away from putting himself in the film. It's one thing to be seen split-second, (like Stan Lee), but its another to give yourself a thankless role with multiple scenes, just adding fuel to the fire on people's opinions of egotism stemming from the drinking game created off of the TV show "Dinner for Five" and how many references to Swingers was made each episode. I'll forgive, though, because, once again, I'm a big fan.

One can't forget that this is an action film above all else, so we can't just praise the actors; every effect is also quite brilliant. Those scenes of Iron Man flying amongst fighter jets in the trailer seemed really lame, but when in context they deliver. The suit itself is amazing as well, through every mach stage right to the end. My main highlight, however, was with the computer systems that Stark utilizes. The multiple screens, instant holographic reproductions, and ability to actually interact with those 3D representations is stunning. We can create them in fantasy, but it's just too bad we can't yet in real life.

Now Iron Man is not a perfect film, nor even a perfect comic book adaptation. What it is, though, is a fun, comic actioner that should light up the box office. The final showdown is a bit of a whimper in comparison to the backstory and machine creation; a crucial element is saved from destruction in the one contrived bit of screen writing, (not quite utilized in the way I thought, although still for the same means); and some moments seem a tad campy rather than witty, but otherwise this is some topnotch cinema that should definitely be seen on the big screen. I can't wait to see how the story progresses in a couple years.

I finally saw this movie last night on DVD. Despite doing exceptionally well at the box office, I just never was that interested in seeing IRON MAN and only watched it after a friend gave me the DVD. In hindsight, I am glad I saw it, but think you should know at the onset that I am not a huge fan of superheros and comic books. This means that the film did manage to win me over but also that I have no knowledge of the story nor do I have the devotion to it that a typical fan might have. Take this for what you will.

Since there have been a bazillion reviews for this film already, mine will be rather short and I won't even bother discussing the plot--others have already done this very well. Instead, let's first talk about what I liked. The film was very slickly made and I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of the film. The Iron Man character and how he came to be was original. Also, I was thrilled that Gwynneth Paltrow's character was NOT like the one she played in SKY CAPTAIN (uggh)--having a tiny bit more depth and not behaving as stupidly. Robert Downey was very good as a world-weary jerk who grows as a result of his near death. What I didn't particularly like was Jeff Bridge's character--it just wasn't interesting and Bridges seemed awfully one-dimensional. Additionally, while I am sure fans loved the final portion of the film, it was a let down for me because it was all action. The previous 3/4 of the film was bolstered by good writing and dialog, but the end was all special effects. Still, I must admit that they were very, very good special effects.

Final verdict--A very good comic book film but not quite as well made or as interesting as THE DARK KNIGHT.

FYI--The character "Pepper Potts" appears to be a homage to the ladies played by the Monty Python actors in their series. Series regular, Graham Chapman, coined the term "Pepperpot" to refer to these dowdy and severely unattractive middle-aged "ladies".

UPDATE 7/2010--I just re-saw this film and the second time I was even more impressed with it. Robert Downey's great performance, the terrific soundtrack and the wonderful plot--it's simply an amazing film.

Iron Man, the huge kick off to the big summer blockbusters of summer 2008, a great start. I have to say that originally I had my concerns, when I saw the trailer, this movie looked way over done and Robert Downy, Jr. as the hero? The guy is a great actor, but as a super hero? I wasn't so sure, but I was able to see Iron Man today and all my doubts were put behind me as I watched. This is one of best comic book adaptations put to film in a very long time, since the original Spider Man I think. The effects were not actually too over the top, only when needed, but it gave that extra feel of a comic book. Robert Downy, Jr., I couldn't believe how well of a performance he pulled off, there still is a little question of his casting, but he pulled off Tony Stark seamlessly. This is a very entertaining action film and is such a great blockbuster that is sure to please any film buff.

Tony Stark, rich, handsome, incredibly wealthy, has it all. He also creates war weapons, when he goes to Afghanastan to introduce a new missile, he is captured and told to create the missile for the terrorists. But Tony has other plans, he creates a metal suit and escapes, he goes back home and announces that he wants to retire and close down Stark industries due to the violence he saw. But when he learns that the weapons of his are in the wrong hands, he realizes that maybe he could re-create a metal suit and become Iron Man, the incredible machine to save man kind.

Iron Man is a sure fire hit that I'm sure you won't want to miss. It has everything you could want for a comic book film: action, humor, a great cast, romance, and ultimate effects that just get you excited. Even the soundtrack gets you pumped up and ready to root for Iron Man. The only complaint, as much as the action was cool, I wish it wasn't the war on terrorism they used, I know it's part of the story, but it hits so close, that it may seem inappropriate. The climax, a little cliff hanger, but I'm already smelling a sequel for next year probably. But Iron Man is a fun movie that all ages could enjoy, Iron Man is the new Spider Man for 2008!

8/10

With a little tinge of shame and regret, my rare dalliances with the Iron Man character stemmed from a few one off comic books, as well as occasions during the teenage years of spending time in the arcade with those Marvel games, where Iron Man was one of my preferred characters because it came together with his incredible arsenal of weapons from repulsor beams to this gigantic cannon which accompanied the execution of some complex combo moves. There's something sexy about the red and gold suit of armour, and having an array of weapons at the disposal of a player, makes perfect sense for variety in dispatching your enemies.

This may irk the fervent fans of Iron Man, but face it, the superhero belonged to Tier B where superheroes are concerned, languishing behind easily recognizable peers who already have movie after movie being made. But thanks to the advancement in digital technology, bringing Iron Man to life no longer consisted of the prospect and worrying thought of having a man running about in a rubber suit passing it off as metal, the way Ultraman would have been done, complete with mechanical clicks and whirrs as sound effects to try and fool the visual sensory. Here, we have a very detailed rendering of the entire design from scratch to final modification, and we're in at every step of the way, with many cheeky and sometimes a tad implausible scenes just for cheap laughs thrown in.

I thought Iron Man the story worked because of stark (pardon the pun) similarities with Batman Begins, also an origin story which took its time to dwell on the man behind the suit, nevermind at the sacrifice of having less action sequences, or by not giving the fans what they want through the showcase of more than the basic powers. Advanced capabilities can always find room in the sequel, and as the first movie used to establish its characters, I felt that it succeeded, given too that it had a cast of capables (just like Batman Begins had) to pull the movie through without resorting to over the top and campy performances, starting of course with the lead in Robert Downey Jr.

In a nutshell, Downey is Tony Stark through and through. His affinity for the character shines, and no doubt it bore some parallels between his own personal, and Stark's life in the narrative future when he hits the bottle. He was allowed to become a Two-Face of sorts, on one hand being and later acting out his flamboyance self whose mission in life was the continuation of his father's legacy of Stark Industries, a weapons conglomerate, versus his personal mission in ridding his own weapons from the hands of the bad guys, now updated to be freedom fighters in the Middle East. The dialogue contained within each scene of Stark's, except perhaps during captivity, is full of one-liners done in double quick time, you probably would think it boiled down to a whole host of natural ad-libbing.

But while Starks spends significant amount of time in his unsecured basement building his masterpiece, his human interaction come in the form of faithful secretary Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) who actually, for the first time I admit, looked really good on screen as Stark's most trusted aide, bringing about some serious spark of sexual tension and chemistry between the two characters of opposite sex, more so than any other comic book movie I have seen. And good friend from the air force Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard) complete the circle of trust who knows of Stark's secret identity, and you'd be keeping your fingers crossed at the toss of a teaser of a certain War Machine appearance should the sequel be out.

Who's the main villain in the movie? It points the finger at Corporations, or at least here, the weapons manufacturers and the shady deals that go through in the name of profit, the sole objective for any corporation's existence. And Jeff Bridges, in a rare villainous role, got to personify that greed and wrestle for absolute power just like the trailer already suggested. While his performance is refreshing as he disappears behind the ball head and bushy beard, you could see his motivation and how the plot would have been developed to introduced the ultimate fodder for Iron Man to duke it out in a, sad to say, ordinary finale which any audience would probably be able to stay a step ahead.

As mentioned earlier, there are plenty of similarities with the Dark Knight of Gotham in Christopher Nolan's reboot, but more so because of properties inherent with the likeness between Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark. Both are incredibly wealthy to devote time outside of the day job to pursue their "hobby", both have to suffer personal tragedies in order to wake up to the cruel world, and in the movie, both fall prey to the corporate raider type, spend time perfecting their suit of war, have assistants they would trust their lives with, and of course save them from impending doom, and a finales set at their facilities.

But Iron Man is still a special effects extravaganza offering a thrill ride especially when he goes into battle mode, and without a doubt, Robert Downey Jr probably should be credited for raising the profile of this once Tier-B character, to perhaps becoming more recognizable now, and obviously, expanding the fan base of this weaponry filled suit of metal, which of course, in this origin movie, we were only given a glimpse of its potential. can everyone now spell sequel and clamour for more please? Iron Man has set the bar for the other upcoming comic book movies to try and surpass this summer season!

Iron Man is the first feature to be made entirely by Marvel – a gamble which has paid off to the tune of over $350 million worldwide so far. For a non-sequel from a fledgling company that is impressive and bodes well for Marvel's reboot of The Incredible Hulk – due in June. Comic book films are big money spinners now but the success of a new series is predicated on the entertainment value of the central character – and in this way Hulk and Tony Stark have similar problems. They just aren't super enough...

Iron Man starts with an unnecessary flashback structure, presumably to ensure some loud action in the first minute or two. Tony Stark (played with now-familiar post-rehab gusto by Robert Downey Jnr.) is the embodiment of the capitalistic, jingoistic American ideal. He has become absurdly rich designing weapons and, more significantly, has no moral qualms whatsoever about the negative effects of his work. Stark is not a nice man. Except he is. This potentially realistic and complex dualistic behaviour is lost in the film's failure to choose sides, leading us to the first of many problems; what are we, the audience, supposed to think of Tony Stark? He is presented as bright and brilliant; a charming man of the people but also as a womaniser and a warlord. This initial confusion is nothing compared to what happens later on. After a brush with death and a subsequent escape (which is accomplished in an ultra-violent fashion) he holds a hippie press conference and vows to stop making weapons for good.

This turnaround is simply too fast and, as presented by Downey Jnr. with his usual twinkly-eyed glazed look, has none of the power or angst we have come to expect from comic book origin stories. His parents are not murdered before his eyes, nor is his home world destroyed. He comes across as a petulant child who is bored with his old toys. Instead of using his money to work for peace or help starving children he creates a powered battle suit and flies around the world blowing things up. Exactly how this is 'protecting the people he put in harm's way' is slightly beyond me. And the hypocrisy of the double standard is appalling – it is only when Stark realises that (Shock! Horror!) his weapons might be used against American troops that he begins to examine his conscience.

Don't get the wrong idea, there is nothing particularly obnoxious about Iron Man. The performances are light and breezy and the script is a cut about the blockbuster norm; littered as it is with a particularly dry sense of humour. The central performance from Robert Downey Jnr. is the film's saving grace but also its' Achilles heel. His presence is enjoyable on the one hand but, in my opinion, also detracts from the credibility of the whole endeavour. You keep expecting him to wink to camera and finally admit it is some kind of extravagant Saturday Night Live parody. That Jeff Bridges is really being played by Will Ferrell and Terrence Howard is actually just a cardboard cutout. I still don't get Terrance Howard. I've yet to see him raise a palpable, or even guessable, emotion in his roles – his face seems oddly expressionless and his voice almost unbearable. He gets some good lines in this film but sounds like he's reading them from an auto cue. But I digress. As once off summer entertainment this kind of self aware film-making is bearable but I simply can't see the film becoming a much loved classic in the future.

So, what does the film have going for it? The special effects are impressive, with the integration of cg and live action especially so. The set pieces, when they come, run the gamut from mundane to genuinely thrilling. Stark's armoured escape from captivity is surprisingly dull while some of the later aerial combat sequences are exciting. Once again though, the use of sfx has positive and negative effects, particularly in relation to the ending. The final confrontation has become a serious problem for the superhero film. In days of yore, special effects were difficult, so typically the best the film had to offer was saved for the ending. Now, every scene is liberally slathered with computer generated gunk. The result is explosive fatigue, a run of overpowering sequences which forgo actual affect for special effect. A dozen astonishingly well-rendered high octane scenes does not create a cumulative effect. If the same level of frankly awe-inspiring cg work is applied to the hero designing and dressing in his suit then what is left for the audience to look forward to. What makes a special effect special these days? The ending of Iron Man is another clunky computer-aided brawl, where narrative is suspended for minutes at a time while increasingly unrealistic pieces of metal and flesh beat on each other. This moment is reminiscent of a dozen other recent movie resolutions: from Hellboy to The Matrix Revolutions, all equally dull. Without vicarious involvement – a sense that a character we can identify with is in danger – it just amounts to so many polygons.

Perhaps I've been a little harsh on Iron Man. I can't honestly say I was bored by the experience but I do feel its' major mis-steps are a symptom of a greater malaise at the heart of contemporary blockbuster cinema. If, however, your cynicism has not quite reached the pathological degree mine has you could well have some fun with Iron Man. Robert Downey Jnr., Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow are amiable enough company (even if the latter seems as though an errant puff of wind would shatter her into a million pieces) and the director, Jon Favreau, keeps things moving at a reasonable pace. Stark's character arc is minimal (more of a character stroll really) but his near trademarked delivery of PG-13 witticisms should be enough to hold your attention. Just.

Featuring the very latest in computer generated effects and a plot that would insult a retarded six year old, Ironman is the latest in a long line of Hollywood product culled from the dizzying literary heights of superhero comic books.

Product this disposable doesn't happen by accident. Teams of industry product makers work around the clock for years to make something this tasteless, tedious and utterly bland. Don't even try to characterize this product as a "movie." It simply isn't.

If Ironman was edible, it would be a jar of baby food. Library paste flavored baby food. If it were music, it would be chopsticks. If it were a vehicle, it would be a tricycle. A tricycle with training wheels. If it were...

What? Oh yeah, the product. It's something about the usual gazillionaire playboy who flies around in a sooper-dooper extra-gadgety metal suit and frees Afghanistan from the Evil Brown People, making the country safe for, I dunno, oil companies I guess. The plot is such a pile of moronic sub-juvenile drivel it's impossible to focus on for more than a few minutes before being distracted by something more interesting like, say, the butter-flavored grease stains on the bottom of your popcorn bag.

Contempt for it's audience drips from every frame of this product. No doubt the droolcase fanboy target audience will be thrilled to down to their Batman Under-Roos by Downey's lackluster performance as he sleepwalks through the product's repulsive hero role. The product is certainly simple enough for people who regard Cheetos as food group and think repetitively boring video games are the apex of computer technology.

But aside from it's pimply focus group, the only other audiences to which this product could possibly appeal would be coma patients and Scientologists. And you'd probably have to tie down the coma patients.