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Iron Man: A Quick Review
By Etta | May 3, 2008
Iron Man=Awesome
There, that was pretty quick, right? Well, maybe I should go a little more in depth.
Iron Man, starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role is definitely a hit, at least going by box office proceeds and the critical reviews. But what did I, Project Silence’s resident comic book geek get from it? Well, it actually lives up to it’s reputation as both an excellent film, and faithful comic to screen translation. Not only that, but the film will go down with Batman, X2 and Spider-Man as one of the best comic book movies of all time.
Without giving any spoilers, the film focuses on Iron Man’s origin, updated for today’s audience without sacrificing any of the themes and actually managing stay faithful even with the changes. While the general public isn’t as aware of the character (like with cultural touchstones like Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man), I think the character still has his place in people’s memory and is at least someone they’re partially familiar with. They know the name, they know the suit, they may know the alter ego, and that’s about where it ends. So while people going to see this may have some expectations as to how the story should go, they don’t come with the preconceptions that other iconic hero movies have. That’s why I’m so impressed with the origin story told here, because taking a story that is very much a product of it’s time (Iron Man’s origin was very much a product of Vietnam) and translating it to today and still maintaining it’s timelessness is a great feat. The story flows from the origin, going from there to the second and third acts, giving Iron Man plenty of action and character growth along the way. With that there are the easter eggs for comic book fans like myself, giving more for those that like the character.
The acting from the entire cast is excellent, from Robert Downey Jr. simply stunning role as Tony Stark (some of the most inspired casting for a movie ever) to Jeff Bridges portrayal of Obidiah Stane, to Gwenyth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts. While Downey Jr. simply steals the show with his charisma, charm, and wit, I was actually impressed with all the actors involved. It’s hard to get a cast like this to all hold up in their roles, and when you have someone who chews scenery like Downey Jr., it’s even harder.
The special effects of the movie deserve their own mention here as well. Never would I have imagined a movie being able to give an audience a real Iron Man. CGI yes, but never a real suit. Thats where Stan Winston came in, and had his special effects gurus achieve the impossible, a truly believable suit, that still was just like the suit in the comics. While there are of course parts of the movie that rely on CGI, they never look hokie or fake. Instead, the suit presented here is one of the best special effects jobs in film.
So while I could go on and on about the movie, I hate to spoil anything for those who have yet to see the film. My recommendation is to go see it, and enjoy it. It’s rare for a movie like this to come out, one that will appease such a wide group of people and still maintain it’s “geek” status. I do however have one last thing to give about the movie, and that is for those that see it to stay until after all the credits role for a final treat (more special for comic fans) .
Topics: Movies |
Tags: iron man.
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Good review Etta, I’m really pumped to see this one, but as I have a shitty real job that requires me to work weekends, Tuesday can’t come fast enough!
May 4th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Jay and I will be there Tuesday. Good to know it’s worth the wait!
May 7th, 2008 at 5:11 am
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