Iron Man (2008)

Director: Jon Favreau
Screenplay: Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway (based on Iron Man by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, Jack Kirby )
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow
Music: Ramin Djawadi
Time: 126 minutes
Bottom-line: Occasionally rusty, but otherwise a smooth ride

As far as superhero films go, to me, the Batman trilogy is still the best. But when it comes to superheroes themselves, Iron Man is one of the finest ones from Marvel. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark/Iron Man, - arguably his most famous role in his film career. I have not read the comic books yet, but the film manages to impress even people like me. And even if you are personally not a fan of superhero films, Iron Man is worth a watch.

Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/ Iron Man

“Playboy, philanthropist, genius, billionaire” – these are the words that describe Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), a brilliant industrialist who has inherited control of Stark Industries, which specialises in making defense weapons. When in Afghanistan with his friend, Col. James Rhodes (Howard), to demonstrate a new, powerful missile, he gets attacked and captured by a group of terrorists, who ask him to make the missile for them. Stark’s fellow captive Yinsen (Shaun Toub) has installed an electromagnet in Stark’s body to prevent shrapnel from reaching his heart. While Yinsen and Stark agree to make the missile, they actually build a powerful electric generator and a suit of armour to escape. Stark eventually escapes, and decides to build a stronger suit and use it to protect the people. He calls himself ‘Iron Man’. But, little does he know that one of his friends is planning to bring him down, and also the good deeds he is planning to do.

Howard as Col. Rhodes )left), with Downey Jr.

This, along with Zodiac and Tropic Thunder, was the comeback film for Downey Jr. I wouldn’t call his acting great, but somehow he brings a certain charm to the role, which no one else can do. Wikipedia says that actors were given freedom to create their own dialogue, and he uses that opportunity to provide some humour along with his stylish acting. I don't think it would be an overstatement to say that the character would have been a flop had anyone else played it. Howard was okay, and Paltrow had her moments here and there. Jeff Bridges was awesome. He plays Stark’s second-in-command, Obadiah Stane.

Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Stark's assistant
and love interest

Iron Man is strong in technical aspects. The score was good, and the visual effects were stunning. The action scenes were filmed well too. But where Iron Man gets rusty is in the storyline. The first half is perfect, mixing comedy, thrill and drama in the right proportions. The second half concentrates more on action (from the time Stark flies to Afghanistan). The climax fight looked pretty much like a video game. I mean, a fight between two robots is okay, but why all the unnecessary destruction and stuff? This is one of the main reasons why I don’t like superhero films, but well, I guess this sort of action is what most of the audience prefer. Watch out for a post-credits scene; the significance of it would be known in 2012.

Bridges as Obadiah 

But this stylised film from Jon Favreau still provides a decent amount of thrills, and loads of action. Downey Jr. is impressive, as is Jeff Bridges. The film is boosted by its technical aspects, but when it comes to the story, it gets a little awkward. But among the Marvel comics’ superheroes, Iron Man is my favourite, and I think in general, he is the most popular one, mainly thanks to Downey Jr.

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 93%