Iron Man

The summer season starts off with a bang as IRON MAN explodes into theatres everywhere. Thanks in no small part to an invigorated and energetic leading man in Robert Downey, Jr., the film is fast, fun and smart – everything that a successful superhero film should be. Balancing Batman-style dramatics with the sense of humor that made the first Spider-Man films so popular, IRON MAN proves to be a film that comic book haters can enjoy.

Billionaire weapons manufacturer Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) is on a business trip to Afghanistan when he is attacked and kidnapped by a terrorist organization. After installing an arc reactor in his chest to keep shrapnel from entering his heart, the terrorists demand that Stark build them an all-powerful rocket that will wreck havoc all over the country. Stark uses the pretense of working on the rocket to build a seemingly indestructible suit to craft his escape. After witnessing the widespread damage his products are inflicting on both sides of war, Stark uses his newfound technology to transform him into an indestructible flying weapon on legs. All the while, he juggles intrusions from his business partner Obadiah Stone (Jeff Bridges) and the military, embodied by Air Force officer Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard) and an increasingly personal relationship with his ever-capable assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow).

Superhero movies have never been more grounded in real life than here. The film’s entire set-up, a weapons manufacturer captured by terrorists in the Middle East to build their weapons, seems like a situation that could easily be seen on the news. Combined with the military presence and the ever-popular “how corrupt are major businesses?” scenario and you’ve got one realistic comic book movie. But thanks to Jon Favreau’s tasteful direction and the smart script, the film is topical without seeming preachy or drawn-out; when a script has two co-writers of Alfonso Cuaron’s CHILDREN OF MEN, it’s a safe assumption that the film is going to be deftly topical. But this doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of fun to be had. The action scenes, while rather small in number, are intense, exciting and spectacular. And thanks to the strength of Downey’s performance, there’s always fun to be had.

It’s unusual that a big-budget summer action film these days would star Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, but each prove more than able in their roles. While Pepper doesn’t do much more than the standard superhero love interest, Paltrow successfully sheds the alienating snootiness that’s affected her in the past. And as Stark, Downey may have found his signature role. Tony Stark isn’t merely a character Downey is playing; it’s an extension of the man himself. Imbuing every line with his trademark humor, Downey channels his public perception into Stark’s womanizing and careless lifestyle, making the transformation into Iron Man an examination of what the public doesn’t see. Downey completely embodies the role, finally giving the world a superhero that can truly balance the lightness and darkness of his personality with superb skill.

IRON MAN is a rip-roaring start to the summer. It doesn’t rely on in-jokes that would only be understood by fans, nor is it too broad in a vain attempt to appeal to everyone. Instead, it tells a solid story with a surprising injection of real-world drama and finely-tuned comedy. The film is a thrill ride from beginning to end, never letting up or losing steam. In a day where only bleak action films can be called smart and only dumb action films can be called fun, it’s a breath of fresh air to see something that excels so easily at combining the two.

***/****