Seen on: May 2, 2008

The players: Director: Jon Favreau, Writers: Matt Holloway, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub, Leslie Bibb, Gwyneth Paltrow

Facts of interest: Produced on a budget of $186 million.

The plot: After being captured by terrorists and ordered to build a missile, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr. develops a high-tech suit that will help him become Iron Man. 

Our thoughts: “Iron Man” is the first of a handful of summer blockbusters gearing up for their theatrical release, and so far, so good. When I first heard of Jon Favreau directing the film I was not sure whether he could actually pull it off, but I am happy to announce I was wrong, and the result is mesmerizing. Favreau and company successfully brought yet another famous superhero to life on the big screen, setting the stage for a great franchise with tons of potential. That’s right; this first “Iron Man” works on so many levels, and I am sure those of you who have seen the film are already screaming for more. I know I am.

Based on Marvel’s comic book created in part by Stan Lee, the flick introduces us to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a heavy drinker and talented weapons manufacturer who, as he conveniently puts it, loves to build the kind of weapon you only have to fire once. During a visit to Afghanistan to demonstrate his latest killing machine, Stark is taken hostage in an ambush and kept prisoner in a terrorist hideout. Instead of following orders and building his destructive missile, Stark secretly works on a high-tech, armor-plated suit, which he later uses to become the unstoppable Iron Man. 

What’s so genius about this adaptation is that it’s at the same time very similar to and yet quite different from most superhero flicks. For instance, Stark spends most of the film’s running time building his armor. Starting off by building his prototype during his captivity, he later moves on to improve the suit’s technology, spending considerable time exploring the countless features he can add to it. But at the same time, being the important man he is, Stark must also keep the press happy and keep the bad guys off his back. But don’t worry; the film also packs a horde of fabulously structured action sequences. There’s suspense galore in “Iron Man,” and quite a few surprises too.

Iron Man himself is a great superhero – almost the perfect antihero even. As portrayed with incredible talent by Downey Jr., Tony Stark is a rich bastard who spends most of this time drinking whiskey, dropping cool lines and picking up woman after woman. The film spends considerable time digging deep into the messy mind of its main character, although I would have loved to see Stark struggle with his flaws a little more. But hey, there’s plenty of time for that in the sequels.

Select scenes in the movie do lack substance, but the plot’s superb pace and the top-notch technical aspects should keep cinemagoers happy throughout. Screenwriters Holloway, Fergus, Ostby and Marcum could have improved the suspense a little toward the end, but the final showdown, despite being a little simplistic, is still one hell of a cool battle. Kudos to Favreau for his first-class direction, which fuels nearly every scene with certified coolness and gives the flick a captivating atmosphere. The special effects team also did an amazing job, creating a handful of memorable action scenes. A quick trip to Afghanistan and the following cat-and-mouse between our hero and two fighter jets rank among the most incredibly intense sequences in the entire film.

Robert Downey Jr. was born to play Tony Stark. He obviously has tons of fun playing the drunk who flips his attitude and heads out to protect the people he puts in harm’s way. Some of his recent performances make him the perfect guy to play the flawed Stark. In “Charlie Bartlett,” he played a depressed high school principal. In “Zodiac,” he played a creepy columnist, and his roles in “A Scanner Darkly” and “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” were equally funky.

Supporting cast delivers some okay performances. Gwyneth Paltrow could have brought more energy to the table as Stark’s assistant, but I have to admit her character could also have been treated better in the script. I truly loved Jeff Bridges as Stark’s partner Obadiah Stone, and although his role could have been polished a bit, he sure extracts the best out of his character. Acting honors go to Terence Howard, who plays Tony’s military buddy but didn’t get enough onscreen time.  

Freaky quote: "Is it better to be feared or respected? And I say, is it too much to ask for both?” – Robert Downey Jr.

The final word: As Tony Stark would adequately put it: yeah, “Iron Man” is cool! The film is tons of fun for everybody who enjoys superhero flicks or big, bold and goofy action spectacles in general. “Iron Man” is two hours of the highly entertaining kind of Hollywood magic I’ve been missing lately. It’s also a hell of a great way to kick off this year’s summer season at the movies. The sequel is already set for 2010, and I can’t wait. And before I forget, make sure you sit through the end credits; you’re in for a little treat.