‘Iron Man’ in metal action
The season of summer blockbusters at the theater generally has one of two outcomes: either we get the popcorn pleasure we hoped for as we throw all our money at Hollywood’s special-effects laden talent show, or we go home completely disappointed wondering how we ever thought we would get what we’d hoped for. The first piece of the pie will be delivered in early May as blockbuster season kicks off a slow 2008 with another comic book adaptation in “Iron Man.”
Going back to some of my earlier write-ups, “Mission: Impossible III” gave me everything (if not more than) I hoped for in 2006, but then a year later, “Spiderman 3” did the exact opposite as it set in motion one of Hollywood’s worst summers. Headed by Jon Favreau in the director’s chair, and Robert Downey Jr. leading the cast, “Iron Man” surprisingly pays off for a little more than just its die-hard fans.
Before we see the construction of the original suit, we spend a good portion of the beginning getting to know Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy who runs his own industrial company. After being kidnapped by a group of terrorists in a missile experiment, Stark takes it upon himself to build a new type of weapon that will not only save him from imprisonment, but also assist him in ridding people of the evil that is to come as Stark faces his ultimate destiny.
As much as critics love to dig holes in the middle of every single comic book movie, I have to admit, “Iron Man” has enough wit and well-played structure to make all the little things pass. I mean come on, anyone can see that constructing a bulletproof suit that is capable of throwing flames and flying, all in just a few days’ work is about as questionable as Halle Berry playing Catwoman. With Downey Jr.’s energy and potential backing the process, the questions just fall away as we anxiously await what “Iron Man” plans to do with all of his accessories. Buzz Lightyear will definitely be needing an upgrade before “Toy Story 3.”
My biggest fear in watching comic book adaptations is how many stars the public has on the face of the hero. Why did “Spiderman” do so well in its run? Because Tobey Maguire was a nobody, and because of his lackluster fame, people showed up not to see an actor launched into the spotlight, but to see a heavily admired character brought to life. Why was “Daredevil” such a grueling disaster? Because people came not to see a blind hero in red leather, but an already hated and disfavored actor (Ben Affleck) earn his paycheck. Coming off the recently successful “Zodiac,” Downey Jr. was a bit too fresh in my mind as far as superstardom is concerned, but because his face is not the first thing you see in the checkout aisles at Wal-Mart, it isn’t too hard to buy his performance as a superhero. Plus, Downey Jr. adds a special sort of energy to his performance that can make anyone believe he had his heart put to this role, even if his name wasn’t the first to come to mind for the die-hard readers of the comic.
Clocking in at just over two hours, “Iron Man” certainly fulfills pure entertainment with its fast pace and decent CGI robot fights, which provide all the popcorn pleasure we need to kick off the season. However, for the sake of a hurting revenue at the box office, and a slow beginning to an anticipated year, Favreau’s project ultimately pays off while the iron is hot, but looking way ahead at what’s left to come this summer, it won’t be too shocking to see this one wind up only on the shelves of the fanboys who share their room with a life-size figurine, while Black Sabbath builds a little bit on its fanbase.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Apr 25 2008. Filed under Features.
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