“Iron Man” Review
Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) defeats a terrorist tank in 2008’s “Iron Man,” the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After over a decade and 27 films, it’s hard to believe that there was a time when we weren’t exactly hyped for the next comic book film. This was especially true in the months leading up to 2008 where all three of the franchises that saved comic book movies (“Blade,” “X-Men” and “Spider-Man”) had just disappointed fans with their third installments. But 2008 was a big year for the genre with “The Dark Knight” garnering praise along with the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While it’s easy to look back on “Iron Man” as the first chapter of a larger story, it was seen back then as just a fantastic film. Now, in retrospect, “Iron Man” still commands a lot of respect as one of the best comic book films of all time and an MCU film that can’t be ignored.
In this film, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is a playboy genius who is one of the leading weapons designers with no accountability or self-respect. While demonstrating a new missile in Afghanistan, Stark is injured during an attack by a terrorist cell called the Ten Rings who capture him and force him to build them a weapon.
Instead, Stark makes a metal suit and escapes. Forever changed by the experience, Stark shuts down his weapons division, makes an improved suit and begins to fight terrorists as Iron Man. When Stark’s second-in-command Obidiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) is none too thrilled with his activities, he builds his own suit to take on Stark, ending the film with a battle of metal suits.
The best way to describe my thoughts on this film is to compare it to “Batman Begins.” The origin story of Iron Man is absolutely fantastic while the rest of the film is fine. The second half is a lot of fun, but seeing Tony Stark become the hero we now know is phenomenal. And a lot of the film’s success rests on the shoulders of director Jon Favreau (who appears in the film as Stark’s bodyguard Happy Hogan) and Robert Downey Jr.
The billionaire playboy is a common trope in comic books but Downey Jr. brings so much of his charisma to this film. Many of his one liners would make anyone else seem like an asshole but, when Robert Downey Jr. says them, they’re funny. In many ways, Stark is a terrible person who drinks too much and pushes everyone away including his best friend James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Terrence Howard) and Virginia “Pepper” Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), but he gradually learns that he needs his friends and can’t hide from his problems.
He’s also incredibly clever, building most of his suits himself and having extensive knowledge of mechanics, engineering, mathematics and science. While a good main character is essential to a comic book film, this film especially needed it since the story is pretty basic.
The action sequences are a lot of fun, especially when Stark breaks out of captivity and when he fights a bunch of terrorists in Afghanistan, saving many villagers. But the best use of the Iron Man suit may be when Stark takes his first new suit for a test run. It’s fun and full of energy with rousing music and Robert Downey Jr. thrown right in the middle.
However, the film isn’t flawless. Like most Marvel films before Phase 3, the villain isn’t very strong. It’s just a bad guy in a suit with a basic grudge against Stark. While Jeff Bridges is a good actor and does his best, there’s just not a lot to this character. When Stane does don the Iron Monger suit, the climax is full of great stunts and explosions, but I just wasn’t as thrilled by the second half of “Iron Man” as I was the first. Maybe I’ve just been spoiled for so long by the subsequent films in the MCU.
But looking back, “Iron Man” is still an incredible film on its own. Especially considering that it knew not to make references to other characters whose films were being planned. If this film bombed and didn’t result in a massive franchsie, it would still hold up which is something other would-be cinematic universes found out the hard way. But there still was groundwork laid for what was to come, particularly Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) of S.H.I.E.L.D. who helps Tony and Pepper.
The end-credits scene, which is now a staple of these films, sees Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) talking to Tony about the Avenger Initiative. This scene is incredible to look back on because I now know just what it would lead to. “Iron Man” may seem more grounded compared to more recent Marvel films, but that just makes it all the more unique.
