Iron Man

Which is going to infuriate a bunch of folks, and I get that. After months of doldrums and years since the last spectacular comic book movie, everyone wants to coronate this one. You could make the case that the world needs this one to be hall-of-fame amazing. But it's not. Sure, it starts with a great premise, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) as an arms dealer who is taken hostage somewhere in the hills of what seems to be Afghanistan. Iron Man also has a very fun middle arc with the creation of various iterations of Iron Man. Where it falters is near the end, and with the overall oddness of the Pepper Potts character (Gwyneth Paltrow).

The ending ... well, without getting into spoiler territory, the ending is just super-duper typical. I wasn't looking for a twist or anything, but I was looking for something a bit cooler and with more edge. The final act sort of homages '50s style superhero writing -- when women looked on helplessly in high heels while the men fought the most evil of bwa-ha-ha-ha baddies. Which brings me back to my unadulterated love affair with Batman Begins. In that film, which I'd call the best of genre, the villain has a legit point. You kind of think, "well, perhaps Gotham should be put to the torch." It's a more complex and ultimately rewarding story because there's much more to think about. When the bad guy is just plain motivated by evil it sets up a less interesting story arc. Same with Potts. She's cool in the first few scenes but she devolves into a comic book character (oh sweet irony) as the movie rolls on. Pepper seems to be the product of about a dozen fellas sitting in a room pulling an all-nighter. Paltrow is a phenomenal actress, and the character is likable, but they could have done way more with her. I guess I just need less Mary Jane and Aunt May in my life. How about a female lead with some substance for once?

Okay, back to the fawning. There are a few scenes in Iron Man that make you realize why we rely on giant studios and big budgets come the summer months. The effects are seamless and high praise must be given to Favreau for creating a solid superhero franchise where none existed prior. I'm even excited for the sure-to-happen sequel because I think with the origin out of the way they can probably do some cool things with the story. So then, if you don't mind a smidge of melodrama and a dash of simplicity in exchange for boss effects and Downey Jr. in a roll he was clearly born to play, this is a good bet. When the dust settles on the hype I think everyone will appreciate this one for what it is. A good flick in a sea of impostors (Superman, your table is ready).

Grade: B

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