Robert Downey Jr.’s past addictions and antics make him the perfect choice to play the edgy superhero. Once a talented young star, he almost spoiled his career by carousing himself into jail and rehab. He plays Stark as a gifted but reckless man-child needing to grow up. Downey Jr.’s Stark grows more serious but never loses his sense of humor the way that the heroes of X-men, Spiderman, and Batman Begins sometimes did. Never whiny like Peter Parker nor glum like Bruce Wayne, Stark’s cockiness makes the story and action scenes enjoyable.
An origin story, Iron Man stays mostly on the course laid out by Spiderman and Batman Begins. The pacing is good considering we don’t see Iron Man’s classic red and gold armor almost until the final act. The middle focuses on Stark in his workshop tweaking and testing his Iron Man suit prototypes. Stark’s chemistry with his robotic mechanics makes this part hilarious. The script loves misdirecting the audience occasionally. Some scenes veer in surprise directions, even if you remember the promotional photos and trailers.
Iron Man met my expectations for an exciting comic book movie. It equals the X-Men, Spiderman, and Batman franchises. Stay and watch the credits for a cool animated sequence of colored blueprints. At the end you’re treated to a teaser scene that sets up the sequel. The film’s only minor weak points include Stark’s voice through Iron Man’s helmet. Why is it soft? No need to copy Darth Vader, just crank the volume up And, I wish the government agent had a more important purpose than to reference the Marvel Comic universe. These minor problems dangle in front of your eyes briefly. What’s really different about Iron Man is that the hero embraces responsibility and recklessness. Come on, a hero has to be a little crazy to jump into harm’s way, right?
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