“Iron Man” is funny without being cartoonish and serious without being dull.
This difficult balance gets achieved in this cinematic translation of the comic book superhero as it solders its often iron-clad character into an organically-driven figure. Unlike most rusty superhero origin stories created for the big screen, this motion picture offers a thrilling mix of high-tech dazzle and good old-fashioned charisma in an already exhausted genre.
Creating a musical screen time for its industrial superhero’s cool armor, this Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment screen adaptation provides the right mix of the tasteful real-world stakes and the needed superhero surrealism of the narrative. It transcends its genre obligations to new heights through the solid direction by Jon Favreau, the tour de force performance by Robert Downey Jr., and the loads of action, humor, and political commentary provided by the rest of the people from the thematic, technical, and performance departments.
As a well-crafted launch to another lucrative franchise preparing itself to be mined for future storylines, “Iron Man” propels the story with entertainment and brains in complementary measure. At this point, it is a rare comic book-based movie that makes the prospect of a sequel seems like a promise instead of a threat or annoyance to the more discerning fans. On the bases of verve, brawn, spirit, and whiz-bangery, it is able to appeal to nerds and civilians alike.
By the standards of the genre, the presentation of its armor-plated hero becomes one of its major strengths. For many times, stories about superheroes talk about being young, poor, out-of-place, mutated, and alien. It is actually rare to have a 40-something billionaire with a taste for one-night stands, metallurgy, scotch, and math to become the superhero on spotlight.
Interestingly, “Iron Man” provides several adrenaline-pumping moments with its invigorating war-machine effects, while staying focused on the real tale of a man learning to take responsibility for his actions. For all its firepower and CGI slickness, the requisite spectacle of its issue-laden storyline makes “Iron Man” fly. It beats in every action without getting too heavy on it, and it has enough self-respect to be sincere in its form of mainstream entertainment.
Favreau and company give the movie a “quirkily formulaic flavor” it can call its own. He directs it with wit — matching Downey’s extra mile for effortlessly nuanced performance as Tony Stark/Iron Man. The movie’s ingenuity builds a narrative armored by dark delight combining pop culture elements with genuinely fun emotions.
Handsome and charismatic while toggling in between his impish goatee, billionaire lifestyle, and full-metal body, Downey renders such a dominant performance in his career-defining role as Tony Stark/Iron Man. Treating the goofy and genius character with the needed humor, naughtiness, and drama, Downey helps cover up the movie’s flaws to further elevate it from the mere cash-cow standards of many similar adaptations. It carefully mounts its wealth of plots from the comics world to build a steady momentum that leaves the audience wanting more. He is pitch perfect as Stark as he slyly infuses the character with hedonistic appeal, insouciant personality, and comedic one-liners dryly rolling off his tongue. While he spends a certain amount of screen time inside the iron suit, his face still carries the movie by giving it the needed emotional weight and resolute intensity. Physically and metaphorically, he has this consistently interesting glint on his eyes that definitely add that spark to Stark.
The supporting roles of Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Terrence Howard (Jim Rhodes), Jeff Bridges (Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger), among others all provide smart and subtle acting performances that further uplift this superhero flick to soaring heights.
“Iron Man” is another ideal example of learning the lesson to pay respect to the production people who worked hard to make this film possible by staying until the end of the closing credits. Yes, viewers must stay for that teasing post-credits scene.
For the comic book fans, this 126 minutes of superhero fare can remind them of why they like comic books in the first place. For those merely looking for an action and special effects-filled popcorn spectacle, this shapely piece of mythmaking breathes life and energy to an otherwise run-of-the-mill comic book movie endeavor. Indeed, those looking for that grand escapist fare at the cinemas shall find “Iron Man” all geared up as one valuable pick.
