Iron Man (Paramount Pictures)
Too Slow On the Take Off
Iron Man has finally arrived after much anticipation from moviegoers ready to get the summer started. It is a sleek, smart movie full of solid acting and believable visual effects. The only problem is that it is the first in what should be a long line of Iron Man movies, and as such it takes a long time setting up the characters and the basic plot lines. You want to yell at the screen for them just to put the guy in the suit and get this thing started.
Robert Downey, Jr. is the star of the film. He plays wealthy industrialist Tony Stark. His company manufactures weapons of war, but he is sure they are only going to the good guys. When he is in Afghanistan giving a promotional demonstration of the newest weapons he is captured by the Afghan rebels. In the process his heart is damaged and he is saved by an instrument being inserted in his chest. This instrument prevents shrapnel fragments from being drawn to his heart.
Later Tony invents a new weapon called iron man. This is a suit in which he fits and with it he can fly and do all kinds of super things. He is determined to use this alter ego for good in the world. The rest of the film concerns certain people trying to destroy Tony and his iron man.
Downey is perfect for the role of Tony Stark. He gives him a likeability and a complexity that make this super character more human. He also gives him an intelligent demeanor which is absolutely necessary in the creation of this character.
Gwyneth Paltrow plays Tonys assistant Pepper Potts. She is totally engaging in the role though I dont know why. She looks great but is forced to trip along on stiletto type heels which make her movements awkward and clumsy. And what kind of name is Pepper Potts In a movie that strives to be realistic with its characters this is a cartoon name.
Jeff Bridges is cast as Starks partner Obadiah Stane. His appearance in the film gives it gravitas. He takes the role seriously and makes an indelible impression with his manner and attitude. Terrence Howard is not as memorable as Tonys friend Air Force Colonel Jim Rhodes. This may be because he has limited screen time and the depth of the character is not provided.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
The special effects are where the movie excels. Like Transformers everything that happens in the movie looks real. The creation of the Iron Man suit and the way it is placed on Starks body makes for a magic time event. You believe that it, and Stark in it, can do everything they want to do.
Now that the basic story has been established the next installments of this series should move quicker. You now know the characters, how they came to be, and what their relationships with the other characters are. In other words the next installment should fly by with no stumbling block of background plot to slow it down.
Because of the plot explanations in this film, and because some of the events at the end of the movie were a little too glossed over, Iron Man got off to a slow start to me. The next one should be the charm and move this series on to bigger and better things.
I scored Iron Man a metallic 6 out of 10.
