Iron Man Review

Iron Man (2008)

Production Company: Marvel Studios
Director: Jon Favreau
Screenwriter: John August

Recently, I had the prvielege of watching Iron Man in the movie theater. Less than two weeks later, I decided to watch the movie again. I have never in my adult life willingly subjected myself to the same film twice in the theater, but if there is a first time for everything, the two viewings combined to form easily one of the most pleasant experiences I have experienced when going to the cinema.

Most superhero movies fall into two catgories. One type of superhero movie is that of the serious drama, where despite the visual hyperbole that explodes on our screen, the tone is heavy, and the audience accepts the narrative because the emotions are close to real. Other superhero movies take a tongue-in-cheek approach in which we accept the silliness on the screen because it happens. Both approaches have their benefits and drawbacks, although, most recent superhero movies tend to go the former route. Iron Man, though, skillfully straddles the line between high drama and humbling, human moments.

The plot in this movie is as follows. Tony Stark (played by Rober Downey, Jr.) is a self-indulgent electronic and enginerring genius who also happens to be the CEO of a weapons manufacturing company, Stark Indistries. He goes to Afghanistan to demonstrate the latest weapon, the Jericho Missile, but after the demonstration, he is kidnapped by terrorists and mortally wounded in the process. A fellow captive, Yinsen (played by Shaun Toub), prevents him from dying, but as a complication Stark is left dependent on a car battery to stay alive. In response to these dire events, Stark re-evaluates his life and company, literally forges an escape plan, and becomes a hero.

That’s just the first half of the movie, which immerses the viewer in the two atmospheres of the pleasure-seeking, escapist, and seemingly consequence-free lifestyle of Stark with the dark, dreadful reality of capitivity in both a hostile environment and in a body that can no longer sustain itself without outside aid. These minutes also build tension and weigh on the moral questions of weapons in war rather than thoughtless fireworks, although it is done swiftly, without dwelling too long on the implications. As a result, when the action arrives, it is both symbolic and satisfying, providing a seamless transition from what could be yet another war movie to a superhero film which one can truly root for the hero.

To say much about the second half of the movie would be difficult to discuss without spoilers, even though a viewer can easily figure out what will happen next. The audience and Stark are reunited with figures from the first half of the film. This includes James “Rhodey” Rhodes (played by Terreance Howard), a “military man” and best friend whose relationship with Stark becomes strained as a result of these events, Pepper Potts (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) the assistant who becomes concerned about her boss’s behavior, and the somewhat fatherly-brotherly figure of Obadiah Stane (played by Jeff Bridges) who is focused on the welfare of Stark Insustries. There are also secret government agencies and danger to the hero that arises from those seemingly allied with him. All of this is wrapped together a little too neatly heading toward the climax, as one of the principal characters of this film begins to fall into the traps of comic book villains, which serves as a detriment to the idea of a credible threat.

Despite the familiarity to the formula, what prevents Iron Man from losing its way in routine is the excellent casting and acting and wonderful direction by Jon Favreau to this movie. Much has been written about Robert Downey, Jr.’s performance, but the entire cast is in top form. In addition, this movie contains some unique innovations, at least for mainstream superhero movies. For instance, with masked characters, because the actor’s full face cannot be seen, this often leads to either modifying the mask from its comic book appearance, or stripping the hero of the mask. Iron Man takes advantage of the unique nature of its titular hero (who literally built his superhero identity) by showing the audience the actor’s face behind the mask. This is done in a way that is not jarring, but instead reminds the viewer the metallic creations we see on screen are all too human.

Yet this technique pales in comparison to the twin pillars of this movie, the humor and the dialogue. Both of them feel real, even if the quips are a sometimes little too quick for real life. Still, the wit brings a sharpness to the emotion, especially when delivered with an unmistakable, but purely complementary blend of mix of bravado and weakness. Our hero may be an Iron Man and have a tough exterior, but both the character and the film of the same title have a human heart beating in their cores.