The Ironman Post

Ironman is one of the comic characters that I have never really known anything about. I tend not to stray form the Batmans and Spidermans of the world, so I really didn’t know what to expect with this movie. I had the feeling that this was just another secondary comic movie like Fantastic Four and Daredevil, which are crapped on by everyone and I never end up seeing due to lack of interest. About 2 weeks before Ironman hit people started really talking it up. A sucker for a good hype train I started to get excited about seeing it, with the hope that it could be like Transformers and a bandwagon I could get behind and enjoy.

After seeing the movie I can say safely that I definitely did enjoy it and it deserves the praise it’s getting. A fun and quirky Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr. is centerpiece to the movie and really makes the film. His portrayal as the overconfident, cocky prick millionaire is a fresh change from the superhero ideal of being a humble and self-sacrificing secret identity. Stark’s direct contrast and lack of frills that bog down a lot of other heroes brings out the best in Downey and the result is extremely refreshing.

My only gripe with the movie was that there was a tone of back-story and buildup to Ironman actually flying about and being a do-gooder. While this would usually be a good thing for the film, it is highlighted by a lack of time left over for actual Ironman-ing. Much of the conflict and strife that comes Tony’s way involves executive boards and red tape, which is hardly as thrilling as terrorist ass kicking and suit vs. suit rumbles. The final battle is too long coming, too easy to predict and honestly fails to deliver a satisfying conflict. This is a real shame because everything is in place at that point in the film for a really brilliant ending. Still, it’s adequate and doesn’t leave to bad of a taste in your mouth. Apparently I was too out of the loop to hear about the secret extended ending after the credits. I have seen it since thanks to YouTube, and even though I don’t know much about Ironman I defiantly got a kick out of the extra scene and recommend sticking out the credits if you catch the movie. All around fun though. The perfect summer action flick.