ironman

Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and the first self-produced film by the Marvel Studios, the story of how brilliant inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) builds a suit of armor that transforms him into an invincible superhero. Director Favreau has done an excellent job of translating the story form the pages of the comic to the big screen with a few minor adjustments. For example, Stark's alcoholism is NOT a factor in the film.

Thank the powers that be that Tom Cruise' bid to star and produce the film was turned down.

Of course, Stan Lee, as always, has a cameo in the live-action film of his creation Iron Man. He plays the man with three blondes whom Tony Stark mistakes for Hugh M. Hefner. He later mentioned that it was his most fun cameo.

Iron Man is the nom de superhero given by the media to billionaire industrialist, inventor, military contractor, philanthropist, adventurer and socialite, Tony Stark ( Robert Downey Jr. ) after he transforms himself into a living weapon by donning his revolutionary suit of powered armor to fight crime and injustice. The Iron Man armor gives Stark superhuman strength, invulnerability, supersonic-flight capabilities and access to a vast array of directed energy weapons including Stark's own proprietary repulsor-ray technology. The suit is controlled cybernetically and also features a sophisticated operating system which employs some artificial intelligence. Moreover, the Iron Man armor is constantly being upgraded by Stark and becomes a more formidable weapons platform with each new iteration. The Mark I armor is the original gray incarnation of the Diving Bell Armor Stark is forced to produce while in captivity of a Middle East terrorist. It is bullet resistant and features flamethrowers as its primary weapon. After his escape and rebirth as a defender of the world's peace, Stark creates The Mark ll armor largely based on Bosnian-born comic book artist, Adi Granov's, ablative armor design introduced in the 2004 Iron Man comic book relaunch. It features a more streamlined design, flight capabilities, and directed energy weapons. The Mark II has a monochrome silver/metallic finish. Finally, the Mark III is essentially a duplicate of Mark II with the trademark red and gold color scheme known to the majority of fans.

Stark is aided in his crime fighting efforts by his faithful, but distant girlfriend and assistant Pepper Potts ( Gwenyth Paltrow ) and government agent Phil Colson ( Clark Gregg ) while Stark deals with his Marvel angst. All Marvel heroes have this problem, a major psychological weight on their souls. In Stark's case, it comes from his family's munitions and arms business that he has seen is out of control, the weapons being sold on the black market and used to kill innocent people and American soldiers overseas. Stark also has the Marvel superhero weakness - his heart is damaged by shrapnel during his capture and is now powered by a miniature generator. The evildoer here is Stark's dad's partner Obadiah Stane ( Jeff Bridges ) who is on a power trip of his own and who uses Middle Eastern criminals like Raza ( Faran Tahir ) and Yinsin (Shaun Toub ) to ferry and stockpile stolen Stark Industries stock until he can use them for a major power play with a version of the original Iron Man design called Iron Monger.

Downey is excellent as Tony Stark and uses his own personality to make the guy a lovable, if sympathetic figure trapped by his heritage and unable to fully realize his love for Pepper. Stark jokes about his business and lifestyle and even his romantic chatter with Pepper Potts is witty and believable. The film moves briskly from scene to scene and always delivers a jolt of some kind as the scene unfold like a book you can't put down. Yes, purists may rail at the fact that changes have been made. In the comics, Tony Stark became Iron Man in the Vietnam War, later this was changed to the Gulf War. In this film, the character's origin was changed to Afghanistan, as Jon Favreau did not wish to make the film a period piece but instead give it a realistic contemporary look. Downey himself is such a big fan of Iron Man he has agreed to make any number of film sequels the studio wishes. Stan Lee, the creator of Iron Man, had originally based Tony Stark on Howard Hughes, whom he felt was "one of the most colorful men of our time: an inventor, an adventurer, a multimillionaire, a ladies man and finally a nut case." As a tribute to Howard Hughes, who inspired Iron Man, production was mainly based in the former Hughes Company soundstages in Playa Vista. The scene where the Iron Man Mark III armor was created was filmed in the area where Hughes assembled the H-4 Hercules airplane which holds the record for being the largest plane ever built.

Review by CJ Henderson

Okay, you’ll forgive me, but I’m going to be doing a bit of "geeking out" here. For those not familiar with the term, it’s a reference to those moments when a fanboy just simply can’t help but wax rhapsodic over one of their dorky interests. I am, or at least was in my youth, what was known at one time as a "Marvel Zombie." Simply put, if Marvel Comics, the House of Ideas, put out a comic, I had to buy it.

Now, that time passed a great number of years ago, but like anything one loves in their youth, that certain fondness remains. You would think that would mean now that they’re making movies about Marvel characters left and right these days that I’d be in my glory, but such is not the case. My job is to review films objectively, and most of the ones made about Marvel comics have not been worth seeing.

That, however, I am extremely happy to report, has changed. And the agent of change is "Ironman."

The story: Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) is the billionaire CEO of Stark Industries, the U.S. governments top weapons contractor. A genius who build his first motherboard at the age of four, he is a hard-drinking, handsome womanizer with no direction in life. That changes when, during a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan he is captured by insurgents who demand he make weapons for them. Pretending to go along with them, Stark instead builds himself a means of escape--a high tech suit of armor.

Even with his suit, he is unable to escape without the tremendous sacrifice of his fellow prisoner. This man’s courage, along with the discovery of the fact that his own weapons are being used to murder the innocent, transforms Stark’s jaundiced attitude toward life. When he manages to return to America, he decides to pull Stark Industries out of the weapon-making business. But, there’s a lot standing in his way, and more than one insidious hidden operation working behind the scenes to destroy him.

Let’s not beat around the bush. "Ironman" is one of the three best superhero movies ever made. So you can see where I’m coming from, the other two as far as I’m concerned are "The Incredibles" and "Batman Begins." All three of these films are flawless entertainment packages with every piece in place. As a old-time Marvel fan, it gives me great satisfaction to finally be able to list one of their films at the top.

The film’s quirky director, Jon Favreau ("Swingers," "Elf"), certainly deserves a share of the credit. Where much of his earlier work might not point to an end product of this level, Favreau has made an excellent movie. He certainly seems to know how to work with actors. His pacing is crisp, his camera placement excellent, and his ability to set a mood some of the best ever seen in an action film.

Then again, perhaps much of the credit should go to screenwriters Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby. Their last work, their adaptation of P.D. Jame’s novel "Children of Men," was nominated for an Academy Award, and was declared by most to be the best sci fi movie since "The Matrix." It’s also hard to ignore the casts’ contribution. Downey is joined by Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow, all of whom give excellent performances.
Then again, maybe this is the first truly fantastic film based on a Marvel comic because it’s the first one Marvel Entertainment has fully financed themselves. Perhaps simply being in complete charge for once was all it took for one of their titles to be treated with a bit of proper respect.

Whatever the case, this is a terrific movie. Suitable for everyone, it should be seen on the biggest screen in town. Do not wait for cable, or DVD or anything smaller than the side of a boxcar. You want to see this one under the best conditions possible, and you want to see it before the hype kills your ability to enjoy it.

Fans will love the cameos by Happy Hogan and Stan Lee, the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are on the scene, and that when Tony Stark walks through Las Vegas the theme to the old animated "Ironman" TV show is playing in the background (and, fellow fanboys, tell me the fact the Asian terrorists are connected to something called "ten rings" doesn’t mean there’s a sequel coming our way featuring the Mandarin). People that never picked up a comic book in their lives will appreciate its superb plotting, innovative technology, and compassionate storytelling.

Well scripted, wonderfully filmed, stuffed with terrific acting, great effects and a ton of in-jokes, this is going to be a hard film for the other summer blockbusters to top. And, you want to know how good it is? I’ll tell you.
The paper pays me to see movies. This one, I’m going back to see it when it comes out, and I’ll be plunking down my money with the rest of you.

Our final word: you’d better believe--5 stars out of 5.

Review by Monis Rose

The Players: Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, Shaun Toub, Gwyneth Paltrow

The Filmmakers;
Directed by Jon Favreau
Screenplay by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, Matthew Holloway
Released by Paramount Pictures

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