Iron Man
Directed by: Jon Favreau Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Terence Howard Synopsis: Iron Man stars Robert Downey Jr as Multi-millionaire, Inventor of weapon technology and Playboy, Tony Stark, who is pretty much on top of the world: life is a blur of parties and girls when you make millions providing (amongst others) the United States Government with the state of the art in weapons. Unfortunately though, Tony is kidnapped by a Para- Military group of Evil Doers while pitching the latest missile system to the Brass in Afghanistan. Suffering life-threatening wounds from Shrapnel, he is fixed up by fellow captive Dr Yinsen and the pair are forced to build a missile for the leader of the Para- Military group. Instead Stark constructs a suit of robotic armour to effect their escape. Back in the world, Stark’s closer-than-planned-for encounter with his weapons, and the consequences of their use, force him to re-examine what he has done with his life. He finds himself appalled at the use of his weapons and resolves to address the situation with the aid of a redesigned, new and improved armoured suit. However the Bad Guys aren’t about to take it lying down, and they have friends… Review: Marvel Comics adaptations are never shy of approaching big issues. I mean obviously we are talking about Comic Hero Action Movies made to entertain and excite, but the reason we care so much about Spider man is because it takes all of Peter Parker’s will power to just get up in the morning and go to work, we love X-Men because prejudice must be confronted even when the odds seem insurmountable, we love DareDevil because we hope that like Matt Murdoch we would put our lives on the line for Justice. Iron Man is a film about a guy in a really cool (You better believe it, the effects in this movie are brilliantly realistic.) robotic suit, which can fly and shoot energy beams. But it also does briefly consider the international Arms trade and whether profiting from War is morally acceptable. Pretty brave, for a comic book movie adaptation I mean. Don’t worry, I’m not about to get preachy in any direction. And neither does this film. It’s just that without this hugely conflicting issue in Tony Stark’s life, he wouldn’t be motivated to don the red and yellow armour and kick ass so spectacularly.
The action sequences in this movie are totally original, Stark spends a good long time just learning how to use the thing, he is supported in his endeavours by a trio of construction robots and these are some of the funniest scenes in the film. Robert Downey Jr plays Stark's devil may care persona perfectly, and the humour he brings to this slightly unhinged, arrogant and vulnerable genius carries this film along at a momentous pace. When it comes time to fight, the suit looks absolutely real. It has the weight it should, the surfaces maintain realism consistently, and it is as stylish as Saville Row.
It doesn’t take long for Stark to change that though. Remember, he is a design engineer not a Navy Seal and he has to learn to fight the hard way. The action sequences are heart racing because he is making it up as he goes along. High points include the first attack on the terrorist gang, and an amateurish punch up with two U.S Airforce F22 Raptors. From then on, each time the action hots up it gets more intense as Stark gains experience until the final confrontations with a terrifyingly similar nemesis add a suddenly personal element to the combat.
Verdict: An intensely likeable movie. Exciting, amusing and thought provoking (I know, I know but I stand by it even if the thoughts it provokes are probably “could I build something like that?”) Jeff Bridges is an interesting foil, and the quirky ‘will they won’t they’ chemistry between Downey and Paltrow is amusing and sweet, when it could have easily been cloying. I am a happy customer, this film was everything it set out to be. 8 out of 10 (Review by Sulaco)
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