Share Moviepyro's profile
Moviepyro
Moviepyro's stats
- Review count1
- Helpfulness votes0
- First reviewMay 2, 2008
- Last reviewMay 2, 2008
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating5
Moviepyro's Reviews
Overall rating
5
/
5
Iron Man is a completely solid movie
PostedMay 2, 2008
Moviepyro
from Boston, MA
I really hope Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. and pretty much everyone involved gets the recognition they deserve for delivering us what is easily the best superhero movie since Batman Begins.
Here's a superhero movie where characters are the centerpiece before the action is, and perhaps Robert Downey Jr. should have most of the credit for that. In the beginning, he takes what's basically a sexist, egotistical, unresponsible, and general unlikable a-hole, and makes him rather likable. And his later self-reflection and transition into a man and hero who takes responsibillity for what he's done is entirely believable and always injected with humor, despite never treading into camp. It's a very rare thing, a comic book movie with little to no camp. The rest of the cast shines too, all of them play wonderfully other with seemingly no effort and seem to be enjoying themselves.
Jon Favreau also was a great choice for a director, showing a clear focus in pacing from beginning to end (There's a brilliant scene in the beginning where Tony Stark [Downey Jr.] is running away from a war zone. A bomb lands right next to him, and he sees the Stark Industries logo on it right before it goes off). The plot will also surprise you by the end, it's significantly more intelligent and tight than it appears at first. I don't know much about the Iron Man comics, but from what I do know I'd say the film was quite faithful to them. Comic fans should be pleased with this fun rendition of their superhero. They'll probably also appreciate references to War Machine and S.H.I.E.L.D., and of course Stan Lee's token cameo (Jon Favreau also gets a cameo by the way as Stark's driver).
Complimenting everything besides the action isn't to say there's no action and eye-candy here, because there is, and plenty of it. The iron man suit is definitely one of the coolest looking CGI creations ever made, and the action sequences accompanying it are fun, exhilarating, and, you know, kick*ss. But they're here more to support the story, not as much to be the center of attention. But rest assured, Stark does let loose, and the moment when he does will give you chills. Very very very nice chills.
It's hard to list any flaws in an otherwise rather flawless film. I could list the usual problems about it being an origin story and maybe it not getting to have as much fun with itself as it might otherwise, maybe things dragging a bit in the next to last act, but none of that really matters much. The movie and every aspect of it feels refined, and as a whole is simply kick*ss.
It's got great humor (sans camp), awesome action, a talented and unified cast, a phenomenal lead, and a director with a clear focus. The film shines from beginning to Black Sabbath's Iron Man accompanied end (which did I mention the audience clapped in tune to?). It also sets the bar very high which the rest of the summer is going to be very hard-pressed to match, and why are you still reading this? Go see it. Now. Be sure to stick around after the credits.
Here's a superhero movie where characters are the centerpiece before the action is, and perhaps Robert Downey Jr. should have most of the credit for that. In the beginning, he takes what's basically a sexist, egotistical, unresponsible, and general unlikable a-hole, and makes him rather likable. And his later self-reflection and transition into a man and hero who takes responsibillity for what he's done is entirely believable and always injected with humor, despite never treading into camp. It's a very rare thing, a comic book movie with little to no camp. The rest of the cast shines too, all of them play wonderfully other with seemingly no effort and seem to be enjoying themselves.
Jon Favreau also was a great choice for a director, showing a clear focus in pacing from beginning to end (There's a brilliant scene in the beginning where Tony Stark [Downey Jr.] is running away from a war zone. A bomb lands right next to him, and he sees the Stark Industries logo on it right before it goes off). The plot will also surprise you by the end, it's significantly more intelligent and tight than it appears at first. I don't know much about the Iron Man comics, but from what I do know I'd say the film was quite faithful to them. Comic fans should be pleased with this fun rendition of their superhero. They'll probably also appreciate references to War Machine and S.H.I.E.L.D., and of course Stan Lee's token cameo (Jon Favreau also gets a cameo by the way as Stark's driver).
Complimenting everything besides the action isn't to say there's no action and eye-candy here, because there is, and plenty of it. The iron man suit is definitely one of the coolest looking CGI creations ever made, and the action sequences accompanying it are fun, exhilarating, and, you know, kick*ss. But they're here more to support the story, not as much to be the center of attention. But rest assured, Stark does let loose, and the moment when he does will give you chills. Very very very nice chills.
It's hard to list any flaws in an otherwise rather flawless film. I could list the usual problems about it being an origin story and maybe it not getting to have as much fun with itself as it might otherwise, maybe things dragging a bit in the next to last act, but none of that really matters much. The movie and every aspect of it feels refined, and as a whole is simply kick*ss.
It's got great humor (sans camp), awesome action, a talented and unified cast, a phenomenal lead, and a director with a clear focus. The film shines from beginning to Black Sabbath's Iron Man accompanied end (which did I mention the audience clapped in tune to?). It also sets the bar very high which the rest of the summer is going to be very hard-pressed to match, and why are you still reading this? Go see it. Now. Be sure to stick around after the credits.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
Share:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.