I Guess He Is Iron Man: Weak, Predictable Story Is Overshadowed By Performance Of Downey Jr.

This is not a bad film. Let me say that first before this goes on any further. "Iron Man," arguably one of the most anticipated movies of the blockbuster-addled summer, is hugely saved from falling to the depths of "Fantastic Four"-bad, by the endearing and utterly winning performance by Robert Downey Jr. Directed with a fresh zest by Jon Favreau, "Iron" does not offer any staggering or moving insight into Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) which is a shame really, because in the comics he's a bag of mess; a raging alcoholic and a copper-version of Bruce Wayne. In fact, the first ten or so minutes of the film, for some odd reason, happen out of order. Usually this tactic is to invoke suspense or to provide a later twist. But that never happens. We see Stark in an army truck, hamming it up, and then boom--explosions and chaos. But before the first explosion happens, we in the audience know Stark: he is brash, charming, funny and drinks a lot. Oh and he loves women, even if they're in a soldier uniform. So after the opening titlecard goes away, and a "36 Hours Earlier" heading, what we see is an elongated visualization of what we already suspected: he is brash, charming, funny and drinks a lot. Oh and he loves women, even if they're a reporter pretending to despise him.


I wish these passages of the narrative gave us some compelling flashbacks into the Stark-lore. Instead, we get a "Zoolander"-type montage of soundbites, magazine covers and photo stills of who Tony Stark "really is." This is probably the achilles heel to the whole movie; which I'm struggling to understand how two screenwriters like Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby agreed on such a choice--these being two of the writers who adapted the masterful "Children of Men."

But about 45 minutes into all of the humor and POW plot settings, the movie picks up steam and really, in a sense, never looks back, as it fills the screen with impressive special effects and complex gadgets. The action is there and is neat to watch once you have suspended your belief that a tycoon like Stark could learn so quickly how to become an acrobatic flying vessel.

But back to Downey Jr. He's the real special effect. He's having a ball playing Stark, lacing the script with an undeserved coolness and sharpness to his dialogue. On sheer personality, Downey Jr. makes Bale's Wayne look like one of those immobile, lifeless gargoyles on the top of a Gotham building. There are moments of great sincerity between Stark and Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) as well as a tender parting of ways with his cave-mate Yin Sin (Shaun Toub).

Jeff Bridges' Obadiah Stane is given some three-dimensional weight; though he eventually gives into being the destructive Iron Monger (with about ten minutes of screen time), he isn't all bad. He's a businessman, who is thick enough to sweat off collateral damage if need be. Terrence Howard doesn't really provide much but be that nice friend in the military. He does tease the audience with a moment that hints at a possible mechanic duo. And of course, as with any Marvel movie, Stan Lee shows up. This time standing in for Hugh Hefner.

So how will it do next month when it is released? I'm sure it'll kill at the Box Office opening weekend, just on sheer anticipation alone. People fearing to walk into another "Superman Returns" snoozefest will have nothing to worry about. This movie is loud and destructive. People looking for "X2:X-Men United" or "Batman Begins" will have to wait again. On page "Iron Man" probably reads like the "Fantastic Four" script, plugging Burger King and topped off with a 'climatic' battle (finally with an actual villain) in the streets of the city, where person-less buses are ready for impact. But if you find yourself leaning forward by that point, it would have been because of the work by Downey Jr. who elevates the material. He makes it so that it's more than just two CGI bots bashing; he makes it so that it feels like there's something at stake.

And that closing line in the final press conference--the last scene in the film--either sets up a string of sequels or is a safety line of dialogue for closure in case of underperforming box office returns.

Non-conforming, too cool for school? I'm on a star wars fansite message board, I'm pretty sure none of us are "too cool for school"