"Iron Man" review

First and foremost if a movie - from the previews alone - smacks me in the face with obvious then calls me dumbass, then I refuse to go see it. Which is precisely the reason for why I could feel my IQ lowering when I started to purchase movie tickets to Made of Honor. Like I was getting dumber just by uttering the title out loud (if you type the title only to mock the movie then you have high intelligence). So I quickly changed my mind to Iron Man and let my superhero movie freak flag fly. And so I must confess that, yes, I do have a bit of a thing for superhero movies. I like to watch the not-so-average Joe Schmo crawl up walls, fly and then come home to dinner as if it's totally normal to lift 150 tons of steel and rescue damsels in distress from plummeting to the earth. Totally normal.

The thing about Iron Man is that it isn't dark and creepy nor will it give me nightmares. There was a preview for The Dark Knight during which I kept one eye open and prepared to cower my head because while I find the aspect of the ever somber Gotham City to be intriguing, I also am a five year old child who finds clowns or any resemblance thereof to be creepy and there's this whole thing about The Joker that causes me to loose sleep at times. Regardless I am a sucker for an action packed romp through a city (or world) in distress. Of course I would prefer 'light hearted' as well but there is nothing all that fluffy when saving the world from terrorists, so I let it slide.

And save the world from terrorists is what this new Iron Man does. Actually he first saves himself from terrorists who have kidnapped him for the purpose of using his brilliance to construct weapons of mass destruction. Robert Downey, Jr. is the cocky Tony Stark (turned Iron Man), the heir and mind behind Stark Industries, a company that specializes in supersonic weaponry. He is smart but quirky which is a tell tale sign that he will soon be supremely effed with. He constructs his first Iron Man suit after being attacked and kidnapped and the suit is then powered by his shrapnel laden heart. It is after he is kidnapped and realizes that weapons are sometimes used for evil that he decides to use his brain and technology for something other than manufacturing a giant ass bomb.  Jeff Bridges also stars as Obadiah Stane the Chair of the Board of Stark Industries who ran the company when Stark's father first died and has now taken a backseat.  You can tell by his name, his bald head, his beared and the general lighting whenever he's around that he is out for blood when Tony decides to change the direction of the company. Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard also star. Gwyneth as annoying and Howard as not as strong a role as he usually has but still easy on the eyes. 

While it might be easy to surmise what will occur, what this film doesn't lack is entertainment and fun. It has less grit than Batman (thank God) but more than Spider Man. Critics have said that it doesn't compare to the monster that was Spider Man but based on it's release date, I doubt that was the inherent goal of the movie. I've also heard rumors of a sequel which makes my heart grow in leaps and bounds because right now there is very little much better than watching Robert Downey Jr. in the second coming of his awesome self.

Comments

[Wubbie]

wouldn't it be worth the price of admission to just bask in the awesomeness that is Downey alone?

[Liana]

I REALLY liked this movie. And Robert Downey Jr.? **swooon** Oh, those expressive brown eyes...... what was I saying? Oh yeah! Iron Man was great!

[Amy]

I loved this movie. I talked my husband into seeing it because I know how much he likes movies with action and adventure. He loved it too. The sequel isn't due out until 2010 and I don't think I can wait that long.

Also...if you haven't seen it, don't leave the theater before the credits are over. There is a LOVELY little gift at the end that will whet your whistle for the sequel. Squeeee!

[Mrs. Kennedy]

I liked it a lot, my six-year-old liked it a lot too, even though some of the violence was borderline cover-his-eyes. I love that Jon "Elf" Favreau directed it with both humor and bombs going off. It goes to show that you can take a somewhat flimsy cartoon premise, load it up with real talent (Gwyneth's uber-whiteness works here, and Terence's eyes rival Downey's for drownability) and make a movie that's totally worth the price of popcorn.

[MySpace Codes]

I LOVED this movie. I was so surprised to see that a CGI movie was actually good!

[Marilyn]

Robert Downey Jr. was fantabulous in this one. Really, he just made the movie. I had a lot more fun watching it than I expected to and am already psyched for a sequel!

[Tracy]

I have to agree on the CGI comment - I usually hate when the CGI is cheesy and you can totally tell it's CGI. Despite knowing a good portion of the Iron Man stuff is CGI - I never got annoyed with it. SO - it rocks.

[AJMick]

Soooo good! So very very good! Everybody I talk to loves it, too! I can't wait for the sequel!

[Nickea]

Did anyone else stay after the credits?

Helllllllo Samuel L. Jackson.

[Heather B.]

I was going to mention the child aspect, as to whether or not parents should bring them but I figured that parents would know best. There were a lot of kids in the theater and none of them got freaked out or anything. Or at least none of the kids in my immediate vicinity were screaming or anything.

Also I didn't mention the Samuel L. Jackson part because I'm thinking it was meant to be a little gift for the audience for making it through to the end. Like, thanks guys, here's a bad motherf*cker to make your day.

[Asha {Parent Hacks}]

Just saw it last night. (It was a "Calgon take me away" sort of day and this was just what the doc ordered.) RDJr. is undeniably likable and talented even though part of me wants to write him off. Those eyes! That undercurrent of mirth! Dang. What's not to like?

[Lori]

We went to see this on Tuesday and DUDE!!!! Loved it. RDJr's character is hilarious. The action was good. The characters were good, comic book roles but good none the less.

I've had my taste in movies questioned by several guys at work based on this one, but I stand by my choice: I loved this movie.

Bring on the next blockbuster! (looking at YOU Indiana Jones)