17 May 2008

Iron Man (2008) 3 stars

I liked Iron Man.

And that’s mainly due to Robert Downey, Jr.

Downey Jr. plays a high stakes arms dealer Tony Stark with little conscious - a man who has easily put aside the moral implication of designing these weapons and who takes no responsibility for how his weapons are actually used. But after being kidnaped by a rogue rebels, Stark realizes that he must rethink those blurred lines.

The film does take time setting up the premise, reminding me of the effort put into the first Spider Man film. But after that, the action and script falls into many movie cliches. While not even familiar with the comic book this film is based on, it was easy to realize from the beginning that the Beau Bridges character, Obadiah Stane, was behind the kidnaping. So it was no big surprise when it was revealed.

Gwyneth Paltrow is good as Pepper Potts, Stark’s His Girl Friday, but is given little to do other than look pretty. That might work in the comics, but in a film, it comes across as sexist - even though they give her a more strong, feminist mind. Though I’m unsure why they had to have her in high heels, as anyone will tell you walking on the iron grating in nearly impossible.

Still, as a gay man, I’m a still can’t get behind Terrence Howard’s homophobic mind set. Sure, as an actor, he’s very, very good. And though wasted here, when I look at him all I see is his comments he’s made about gay men. In tandem with those past comments, the scene where Downey Jr. makes fun of Howards character about some tranny or something strikes me the wrong way. And then there’s the scene in the beginning, where Stark does not realize that the driver of the Humvee is a woman, which comes across as a slight towards more butcher women.

Still, the film gives a message, or at least tries too, and Robert Downey Jr holds his own and makes the script work. And if the ending (after the credits) are any clue, we’re bound to see more of these films.

Which is already in the works, after it’s worldwide weekend release brought in $200 million. Look for Iron Man II in the summer of 2010 -with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury as the ending (after the end credits) implies.

And because its me, there is one thing that caught. At the end of the film, just before Stark gives his press conference, we see Pepper Potts fiddling with Stark's suit. She makes sure the breast pocket has it handkerchief perfect. It's sticking out like its suppose to. Then, the next scene see's Stark giving his conference, and the handkerchief is no where to be seen.

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