Superheroe/Comic book movies are a dime a dozen they say, and some professionals in the biz would have you think that the genre has lived out it's effectiveness at the box office-a passing fad which has seen it's day come and go...to answer the skeptics and nere do wells out in "Hollyweird" ,I give you........."IRON MAN"!
The latest adaptation from Marvel comics long list of heroes is magically transformed into the official first blockbuster of 2008 by some great direction by Jon Favreau("Zathura" & "Elf") ,very keen writing by screenwriters; Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Markum, and Matt Holloway and despite the disturbing fact that this film needed four people to write it ,nevertheless perserveres as a very effective and ultimately ejoyable action flick.
What impressed me most about this film besides the stunning special effects which has all become a standard nowadays in such films ,were the fine performances turned in by a virtual "who's who" of academy award nominees including; Terence Howard/as James Rhodes("Hustle & Flow"), Jeff Bridges/as Obediah Stane("the Big Lebowski"), Gwyneth Paltrow/as Pepper Potts("Shakespeare in Love"), and of course Robert Downey Jr./as Tony Stark("Chaplin").
They have of course updated the Gold & Garnet Avenger's origins a bit to a more contemporary time .
Tony Stark is now depicted on film as a cocky/charismatic arms developer helping to supply our troops in wartorn Iraq/Afghanistan, while on a trip to the region to display and demonstrate his newest, and deadliest weapon; "the Jericho Missile", he and his military escort are attacked by terrorists and he is taken hostage-forced to develop an equally devastating weapon to be used against American forces-he instead uses his talents and genius to build a makeshift garage style juggernaut which he uses to escape his captors.
Through his traumatic experiences and witnessing first hand the terrible effects of his high tech weaponry Stark re-evaluates his pupose in life ...and a hero is born!
The film although a hardcore action flick does contain some lighter moments with some tongue in cheek humor which is brilliantly and naturally played out by Robert Downey Jr.
He makes this film both believable and thoroughly enjoyable.
I confess to not being the biggest of Iron Man/Robert Downey Jr. fans but this film has changed my mind. Not since the 1963 debut of this armored heroe within the pages of Marvel's "Tales of Suspense" has Iron Man flown so high or packed as much punch than in this fantastic film translation.
This film although a comic film does contain some intense scenes of violence and destruction that may be too much for the little ones.
Also if you plan on watching the film stay to the very end of the film credits for there is a special teaser scene for all those IRON MAN fans out there.
So if you like comic books or even if you don't but like high flying adventure, check out this man of stee-uh I mean Iron!!!
