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As far as I am concerned, the greatest superhero movie of all time is "Spider-Man 2". It has yet to be surpassed. At a close second is the original "Superman" film. Lately, we have been hit with a barrage of superhero films, most as affective as a Band-Aid on a compound fracture. We are thrown out garbage like "Ghost Rider" and "Elektra", and B-grade hero flicks like "Daredevil" and even the latest "Fantastic Four" picture. Marvel has a bad habit of taking some of its best franchises and turning them into pointless, by-the-books slop-outs that do nothing but make thousands of fans angrier than they've ever been. Occasionally, however, they get it right. They got it right with the second "Spider-Man" film. They got it right with the second "X-Men" film. And, now, they get it right once more with "Iron Man", the best superhero film since "Spider-Man 2" and one of the very best superhero films ever made. "Iron Man" succeeds on all levels and starts the Summer movie season off with a real bang - one of the best kick-offs in recent years. The trailer for "Iron Man" quickly became one of the most watched trailers of all-time, and director Jon Favreau has really delivered on that early promise. "Iron Man" has never been one of the most popular comic book superheros for Marvel, but it's safe to say he might become one of the most successful franchises for their film department. Marvel and Paramount have a sure-fire hit on their hands here.
The film opens with a convoy of military vehicles trucking it through the Afghanistan desert, one of them containing billionaire Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), the CEO of Stark Industries, the greatest weapons manufacturer the world has ever known. When the covoy is attacked, Stark is taken hostage, tied up and held captive, forced to build one of his new missiles for a group of terrorists. Stark is also badly injured by a mortar blast, but is healed by a device that keeps the little pieces of shrapnel from traveling to his aorta and killing him. It's this device that gives Stark an idea to construct a large metal suit that would allow him to break free from his captors, which he does. When he returns, he is greeted by his loyal assistant, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), his best friend, Rhodes (Terrence Howard), and his business partner, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). Tony vows to stop making weapons and devotes his time to constructing a more modernized version of his metal suit, essentially turning him from eccentric billionaire into eccentric superhero. But, some one else has eyes on the design for the suit, but wants to use it as the ultimate weapon. The film really does come in three parts, the first involving Stark's capture and eventual escape; the second involving Stark's return home and construction of the suit; and the third involving Starks' realization that his friends might not be as friendly as he once thought.
Let's start with the script from Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, who also penned the "Children of Men" script. It's sharp, it's precise and it's full of great one-liners and even better pacing. I also have to credit director Jon Favreau for a nice, humorous editing style and doing his best to keep the film fresh and exciting. What Favreau lacks in the whole parameters of the 'big budget filmmaker', he makes up for with his pitch-perfect wit and true sense of how to use his actors. The special effects were fantastic, and I love how Favreau chose to do everything he could practically, without resorting to CGI-ing everything just to make things simpler. I am sure it ballooned the budget of the film tremendously, but it was worth it in the long run. But, the pacing and the timing is what is most impressive about the film. The directors, the actors - everyone seems to be on the same page with the film throughout, and that makes a huge difference. Everyone seemed like they were having a blast with this picture. On a side note, make sure you stick around past the end credits for a special surprise that will leave most geeks oozing with excitement.
As for performances, the role of Tony Stark seems tailor made for Robert Downey, Jr. It is always nice to see him at work, and he basically carries the entire film on his shoulders. "Iron Man" is his picture, and he makes every second of it work. As Obadiah Stane, Jeff Bridges is just as he needs to be and really adds a sense of depth to a character that could have been one-dimensional, as with most comic book pictures. Gwyneth Paltrow is the best she's been since "Proof" and really makes Pepper a lot of fun and an equal to Stark on so many levels. Terrence Howard doesn't get much to do in this film, but he does it very well. Howard is one of the most consistent actors working today, and though he's made some bad pictures, he's never bad in them, and that says a lot. Even Clark Gregg is humorous in a tiny role that turns out being one of those 'oh my God geek moments'. On the whole, to say the cast was perfectly assembled would be an understatement. This cast works together so well and Favreau brings them together so well. "Iron Man" would not have been nearly as successful without these actors in these roles, especially Robert Downey, Jr.
So, I am delighted to say that Summer Movie Season has kicked off and given us likely one of the best pictures of the Summer, and maybe even the year. It's currently sitting at one of the best ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, and I have a feeling fans of the comic book will not be disappointed. This might be the best 'fan friendly' comic book adaptation ever. "Iron Man" keeps a dry wit and a very astute sense of humor throughout all the explosions and fights, and that is what separates it from every other superhero flick on the block. Sure, they all have senses of humor too, but they don't have someone like Robert Downey, Jr. to make it all come together and work. "Iron Man" easily has a sequel in the works because I don't see how it couldn't. And if you stick around after the credits for the ending of the film, you'll know why. I can't recommend this film enough. It has been a long time since I've been able to give a superhero film this high a score, but I am proud to say that I can again. I have never been a fan of Jon Favreau as a director, but he has given me some reason to start being interested. "Iron Man" is one of the best pictures of the year.
10/10.
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![The Invincible Iron Man [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61oZCSEVPZL._SL75_.jpg "The Invincible Iron Man [Blu-ray]")
