‘Iron Man’ hits the big screen

Judd Morse Staff Writer

Ada May 05, 2008 11:34 am

— Looking for a good way to spend your hard-earned cash this weekend? Look no further than “Iron Man,” the latest super hero film to hit the big screens. Starring Robert Downy Jr. and directed by Jon Favreau, “Iron Man” is easily the best super hero movie of the past several years.
The plot focuses on billionaire industrialist Tony Start. Stark is a likable narcissist with a taste for scotch and pretty women. His company, Stark Industries, has made a fortune supplying the U.S. government with a vast assortment of firearms designed to give them the edge against Middle Eastern opponents. For Stark, life was great. Until he is captured by an unnamed group of enemies and forced to build them their own personal armory. Stark ultimately escapes his captors, and the whole fiasco makes him question the ethical issues of his profession. Stark vows to tear his company away from the weapons business, a decision that immediately stirs up contention with Obadiah Stane, Stark Industries’ second-in-command. This in turn leads to the major conflict of the film, which is as much a battle of ethics and accountability as it is a battle of two guys in big metal suits.
This was an intensely enjoyable film. Robert Downy Jr., who doesn’t seem the type to play the comic book hero, delivered one of the strongest performances of his career. His portrayal of Stark, with his bemused mumblings and charismatic comfortability grant the character an intensely likable cadishness. He’s perfectly complemented by a red-headed Gwyneth Paltrow who plays Stark’s assistant Pepper Potts. The banter between the two, and how they see one another from both professional and personal viewpoints was very engaging.
My one complaint has more to do with the genre of the film than the film itself. Generally the first installments of super hero flicks try to set up the hero as much as possible, and “Iron Man” is certainly no exception. A detailed background and origin provides that needed depth to the character, thus connecting more personally with the audience. Sadly, as most of the time is spent building the hero, the villains in these types of films are often conveniently-shady characters from the hero’s past that can be established with a minimal amount of exposition. But without that convenience, there wouldn’t be enough time to accurately portray the evolution of the protagonist from zero to hero. And hey, setups like these set the stage for much better villains in the sequels.
All in all, “Iron Man” is a lot of fun. The acting was spot-on, the action was huge, and the overall message of being accountable for your actions is keenly relevant. The movie is just over two hours long, and features scenes of violence, but not much other adult content and hardly any foul language. Check this one out while it’s still in theaters, you’ll be happy you did.

Judd Morse can be reached at jmorse@adaeveningnews.com