Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Doesn't disappoint , 21 Sep 2008
Comic book adaptation in which Robert Downey Jr plays brilliant industrialist Tony Stark who designs high-tech weaponry for a living but sees the error of his ways when he is kidnapped by militia in Afghanistan who want him to make high-tech weapons for them so they can rule in Afghanistan and even further afield. Stark eventually manages to escape from them after some months by creating a suit of robotic body armour which he uses for his escape but after this harrowing experience of being in captivity sees how the weapons that he designs can easily fall into the hands of evil men who can then use these weapons against the innocent. Stark finally comes to believe that his weapons do more harm than good and decides on a new direction in life: fighting on behalf of the oppressed and protecting those he had previously put in harm's way. The suit of robotic body armour he originally designed whilst in captivity is modified and upgraded and with the superhuman powers that the suit endues him with Stark goes off to fight against the forces of evil as Iron Man. I was looking forward to seeing this film as it looked excellent from the trailer I had seen and I was aware of the Iron Man character from my comic book reading days. And indeed the film didn't disappoint. Robert Downey Jr is excellent in the Tony Stark and Iron Man roles, the plot is satisfying and the villains make worthy adversaries. The special effects are also top notch, such as when Downey Jr is putting on the technological marvel that is the Iron Man suit, when Iron Man is flying and when Iron Man is involved in a fight. On top of this the film has a number of witty one-liners (mainly from Downey Jr) and the ever excellent Gwyneth Paltrow as Downey Jr's assistant Pepper Potts. I was also pleased at the hints in the film of a sequel or sequels to come. Bring `em on!
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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great story with the promise of even better things to come., 28 Oct 2008
I grew up surrounded by stacks of Marvel Comics and the recent spate of movies based on them has been a real treat and despite Iron Man's character being re-invented several times over the years he still remains a man tortured by past deeds. Moving his origin tale to Afghanistan gives it a solid modern base but in every aspect it stays true to Stan Lee's original storyline.
Robert Downey Jr. and Jeff Bridges are excellent choices for the main protagonists. They are both great character actors and give gravitas to what could have been just another action movie, instead we have a film with real heart as one man, Tony Stark, battles against his past deeds and the other, Obadiah Stane, fights for their company to continue as a major arms dealer.
There are some excellent set-pieces including the first appearance of Iron Man, in armour based on the original comic book, Downey learning how to walk whilst wearing boots with repulsor rays before taking his initial flight, Iron Man's first battle in a village under attack by bandits and the final fight between Iron Man and Iron Monger. There's good support from 2 other Iron Man favourites Terrence Howard as James "Rhodey" Rhodes and Gwyneth Paltrow as "Pepper" Potts.
The movie itself is stunning and will be watched time and time again. The second disc moves this package up another notch, there's an impressive "making of" documentary covering almost every aspect of the movie. The special effects section features an appearance by the late, great FX master Stan Winston; it also features mention of the Crimson Dynamo, albeit in error.
There's a 40 minute history of Iron Man's comic appearances with several Marvel greats including his creator Stan Lee, who has a cameo in the movie as a Hugh Hefner style figure, it also features Gerry Conway, Gene Colan, John Romita Jr. and the wonderfully eccentric Warren Ellis amongst others.
Once again Marvelites will pick up on tributes to Iron Man's rich history, from the theme tune to the 1966 cartoon series which is played several times during the movie and the more famous "I am Iron Man" theme kicking in as the end credits roll. Stark's bodyguard/driver "Happy" Hogan appears played by director Jon Favreau himself, it features a more prominent role for the new S.H.I.E.L.D. organisation and the final scene featuring Samuel L. Jackson is a precursor for the proposed Avengers movie due in 2011. The terrorist organisation here is called the Ten Rings, a nod towards Iron Man's nemesis the Mandarin who was mooted as a main villain but, wisely, by-passed. There is also a very brief view of what appears to be a circular red, white and blue shield in Stark's workshop and Stark's computer JARVIS is a name familiar to Avengers fans.
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44 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marvellous Creation, 31 Aug 2008
Having stumbled across the trailer for Iron Man some months before the movies actual release, I found myself in an interesting situation. Iron Man had never really held that much appeal for me in the comics, although his appearances in various Marvel arcade games was always a welcome one. I guess this actually demonstrates part of the problem, in that the suit outweighed the stories, for me and for a lot of people.
From the moment I saw that trailer though, I was converted, I have to say. Not only was it an INSPIRED piece of casting to have semi-tamed wild child and renowned addict Downey, jr. as Stark, it showed brilliantly how Stark, this unimpeded man finally has to grow up and accept responsibility (and without the aid of Uncle Ben and his "With great power, comes great responsibility" mantra).
This is the first movie done "in-house" by Marvel (it was their first self-financed film), so it's no wonder that everything seems so different to even the exemplary efforts that have come before. And no, I do not mean Hasselhoff's turn as Nick Fury... (speaking of which, don't forget to wait for the end of the closing credits, boys and girls)
Although the story never quite moves at the same pace as the opening reel, it is played out with such brilliance that the screen keeps your attention effortlessly. Add to that the olbigatory (yet, somehow, unexpected) cameo by Stan Lee, Downey, jr.'s dynamism and slightly unpredictable nature, Bridges in possibly his finest form since "The Big Lebowski", and the occassional nod to storylines yet to come, my favourite being Terence Howard's longing look at the silver Mark II suit "Next time, baby. Next time" (Rhodey goes on to pilot one of the suits several times, in place of the severely mashed Stark, and eventually makes a place for himself semi-independently, as War Machine), and fan-boys the world over were grinning like idiots and anticipating the next installment.
If I had to actually pick something to gripe about (and it's taken me ten minutes to find something) it'd be only two things.
1) The dust cloud from the Jericho looked a bit naff.
2) They didn't use the song (by Black Sabbath) Iron Man, as they had to such incredible effect in the trailer.
Minor things to worry about, given that the rest of the movie is so spot-on...
Now we just hafta sit still until they finish all the preludes to the Avengers movie!
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