Iron Man

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Action & Adventure

Watching Iron Man didn't go as bad as what I expected it to be. While the movie was indeed nothing more than a moving comic book, it was sufficiently entertaining to make one's moviegoing experience satisfying, at the very least. For me, it was able to accomplish this due to a number of factors:

1. The special effects were excellent. Given that the hero in the movie owes his "powers" to his technological prowess, it should only be expected (or required) that there be a near-flawless execution of scenes that include special effects. One mark of good special effects is if there is an element of believability in it. In this movie, the producers did well in presenting a "prototype" Iron Man armor prior to showing scenes that involve the red-and-yellow suit that we all recognize today, as well as scenes that show the experimental stages of the components of his suit. This transition enabled viewers to find credible some outrageously unbelievable feats of Iron Man (e.g. flying beyond the speed of sound, outmaneuvering modern USAF fighter jets, being hit by a tank shell and still managing to stand up, and shooting terrorists with target-seeking bullets...to name a few.)

2. There was no intention to insert drama in the movie. Only a very few movies that involve comic book characters have succeeded in introducing a dramatic element. The fact that a great many of them did not succeed in doing this is sufficient proof that it isn't all that necessary in movie adaptations of comic book stories. Maybe sometime off in the future, when there's an Iron Man 2, they might risk a foray into some drama. After all, in Marvel Comics' most recent crossover "Civil War", the character of Tony Stark has been made out as a pro-government villain, and has indirectly caused the death of Steve Rogers (a.k.a. Captain America). But then, for this first movie, the producers probably asked themselves, "How much drama does an inebriated billionaire playboy, who goes out as an indestructible killing machine, really need?" Sometimes, making an entertaining movie involves the least amount of drama.

3. The casting was good. I'm saying this on the sole fact that they chose Robert Downey, Jr. He was an excellent choice, and gives a good contrast to how an orphaned billionaire heir is supposed to act (as opposed to DC Comics' own billionaire hero - Batman.) He's like 80% of the movie, and his antics and mannerisms thoroughly took the attention away from the special effects. As a villain, I've never seen Jeff Bridges as devious, although it might have helped that he shaved his head and grew a mean-looking gray beard for the part. On the downside, Gwyneth Paltrow was obviously overqualified for her role as Tony Stark's personal secretary. The insertion of a romantic element between her character and the boss' character was also a waste of film. It's absence would not have had an effect on the movie. Terence Howard's character was another disappointment. As an accomplished actor (with an Oscar nomination to boot) he didn't deserve to be in a movie that made him out as the token black guy. If the romantic element was not necessary in Paltrow's case, for Howard, his very character was of the same nature.

4. The hidden scene at the end of the credits. Comic book fans have been waiting for the time when the movie industry would be ripe for a major crossover involving comic book characters. The hidden scene showing Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury inviting Tony Stark to be part of the "Avenger Initiative" was a boost to the movie, and it just made all those who missed that part want to watch the movie again. This scene enlarged the plot a hundred times by making it clear that Iron Man, and all other movies created (and still to be created) about Marvel characters occupy just one universe, making it possible for a single movie to be created with multiple characters present.

Out of 5 stars, I'd give Iron Man 4. It's a good movie as far as entertainment value is concerned. The fact that it lacked some depth is actually a good point because it avoided following ineffective formulas that were adopted by previous (and less-successful) Marvel films. Sometimes, when one goes to the movies to see a film about a super hero, one simply expects lots of action and some humor, if possible. Iron Man lived up to these expectations, and that's why it's the box office hit that it is today.