Yeah, he can fly!

Rating: 9/10 (7 May 2008)

With the exception of Elektra, the first Fantastic Four and Blade: Trinity, there hasn't been one Marvel movie that wasn't at least superficially enjoyable (in the case of Spider-Man 3 and The Punisher, that was almost all they had). Given the high credentials of both director (Jon "Swingers" Favreau, who also acts in the film) and stars (Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges), Iron Man was expected to be one of the superior Marvel flicks, and indeed it is: it doesn't really reach the heights of X2 or Spider-Man 2, but ranks solidly alongside the first installment of either franchise as a great start of what is set to be another crowd-pleasing series.
As expected, the first half of the picture is entirely devoted to the origin of the character. No angsty teenagers or alienated aliens (sorry about that), though: unlike Peter Parker or Clark Kent, Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) is not concerned about anything, except having as good a time as possible. And could you blame him? He is one of the richest men in America, charming enough to bed whichever woman he wants and just so smug that when asked to comment on his nickname "Merchant of death" (he owns a weapons factory) he retorts: "That's not bad". However, things are about to change, as Tony is kidnapped during a business trip in the Middle East and forced to create a missile for a local warlord. Disgusted by the sight of his weapons being used to slaughter innocent people, he decides to find a way to escape, and comes up with a hi-tech armor as a result. Once back in the US, he announces he will no longer produce death machines, and with the help of his secretary (Paltrow) he modifies his suit to make it more effective for his new cause: ensuring peace.
All in all, protagonist aside, there is nothing very original in Iron Man: good vs. evil? Yep. Gorgeous female sidekick? Yep. Tons of action juxtaposed with great humor? Yep. Deeper issues? Let's save them for the sequels, shall we? And yet the film works very well, every single minute. Why? Because Favreau never slows down the pace with futile digressions (the few tender moments are essential in establishing character), nor does he make the fun bits overblown (one of the problems in Spider-Man 3): having obviously learned something from the criticisms aimed at Daredevil, in which he had a supporting role, he delivers a blockbuster that is clever yet accessible, as well as tremendously fun and exciting. Considering his comedy CV (he even appeared in Friends), it was practically granted he would nail the lighter scenes, and he does: just check out the ubiquitous Stan Lee, who gets mistaken for Hugh Hefner (yes, you read that right). Even better, Favreau does miracles when it comes to combining laughs and special effects, deserving comparisons with Sam Raimi's work on the Spidey flicks. And the real action? Well, there's the entire third act, a marvelously executed piece of entertainment.
The film scores another bunch of points casting-wise: after a series of pretty much unseen roles, Paltrow finally hits it big again with the sweet, helpful Pepper Potts (terrific name), Terrence Howard is a suitable mix of authority and hilarity, and Jeff Bridges is excellent playing the bald, goateed villain. But what really makes a difference in this movie is Iron Man himself, easily listable as one of Downey Jr.'s Top 10 performances. Sure, he is equally great in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Zodiac, but there is a distinct feeling he was born to play Tony Stark, and not just because of his similarly excessive past lifestyle: a lifelong fan of the comic-book, Downey squeezes every drop of humanity he can find out of what could otherwise have been reduced to a playboy caricature and portrays a real person, albeit a (super)heroic one, in pure Marvel fashion.
And yet, for all these combined treats, the film falls a bit short of perfect for being, ironically for the genre, too short, even at 126 minutes: the ending comes off as abrupt and somewhat sequel-baiting, though less irritating than the conclusion of The Matrix Reloaded. But hey, if Iron Man 2 means another two hours of Downey Jr. in the red-and-gold suit, bring it on: the first film is one of the most fun cinematic experiences of 2008, and more of the same can only be a good thing, right?