Rating of
3.5/4
Flawed Hero Makes for an Ironclad Film
Chris Kavan - wrote on 05/10/08
More often than not, superheroes are portrayed as too nice or too unbelievable to connect with. Superman has the power, but he’s always such a boy scout and let’s not even get into Spiderman’s recent emo turn. Yet sometimes with the right actor, right director and rights script you get a hero who is also human. I thought Batman was the only man who could show real emotion, but now I’ve found another worthy successor.
With Robert Downey, Jr. behind the mask and Jon Favreau behind the camera, Iron Man becomes one of those rare superhero movies that packs so much more punch because the hero is flawed. Tony Stark is not a hero. He makes weapons of war, is a blatant womanizer, a glib talker and quick drinker. Lucky for the world, his eyes are opened after nearly being destroyed by weapons of his own making while on a demonstration in Afghanistan. After a grueling ordeal, our hero finally emerges.
Combining good fight scenes with good emotional scenes, Iron Man manages to have enough action to satisfy the men but enough heart that women will also appreciate. It’s not too violent, so the younger crowd can watch. Although it’s hard not to think of The Dude when Jeff Bridges appears, his turn as Obadiah Stane is still creepy. Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect as Stark’s assistant, low-key yet stunning. I wish they would have given Terrance Howard a bit more screen time, as his Rhodes character begged for further development.
For a movie that doesn’t even bring out the superhero until the last third, Iron Man manages to keep you entertained with witty dialogue and a compelling story. When he does show up, the action is intense, with good effects. Plus, make sure you stay until after the credits to see the direction this franchise (a sequel is already in the works) is going to take.
All in all, Iron Man can now be placed on par with Batman in terms of emotional depth of character and storytelling. After all, a flawed hero is so much more interesting, especially those that are decidedly human.
