supreme comic-book entertainment; it's also more jaded, and funnier, than most in its genre

Rating: 10/10 (2 May 2008)

Iron Man is about as close to perfect popcorn entertainment as we can expect in this beginning of the summer season. But at the same time perfect in a certain sensibility of entertainment for its audience. One should know what Tony Stark's as a character not exactly the usual 'with great power come great response-yada-yada-yada' thing. He has a more jaded attitude, slightly more cynical than your typical man-of-steel (wait, sorry, iron, or alloy as it is). I'm almost reminded a little of Bill Murray from Ghostbusters, only with the catch of him being like Bruce Wayne without the grieving dead parents aspect.
He has lots of money, lots of technical know-how as a wonder-kid/multi-millionaire, and he drinks and gambles and sleeps with whomever he wants. We as the audience don't identify with him as average Joe- some of us would want to be him for all the hedonistic perks available. And, when the time comes, he can whip up a technological breakthrough under the most dire of circumstances (i.e. under pressure of death to make a weapon for terrorists and instead making his quintessential suit).
But at the same time, when Tony Stark becomes Iron Man, he does have a level of conscience from the start, realizing that the company that is under his name (if not one he entirely runs) has been manufacturing big-time weapons of mass mayhem (dont want to put destruction in there, though it's pretty much that), and wants to not want this any longer. Instead, basically, he takes matters into his own hands as some fantastical figure; instead of some army to take out insurgent terrorists in Afghanistan, he'll come and wipe em out in a jiffy.
In this sense it's pure escapism, but also hitting on current issues (in the comic books it was similar terrain with him practically taking out Vietcong every which way). True, it might be much to imagine, but in the realm of a comic book movie, where we're already on the train of massive entertainment and being along for the ride of this character who can do what he does because he's that damn good.
It's a thrill-ride, and it's very funny for much of the running time. And not unintentionally so like in, for example, Ghost Rider. It's genuinely hysterical to see certain things that make sense for Stark but are still wildly over the top in delicious ways (i.e. the strippers on the plane, yeah you read that right), or in just little things with how Robert Downey Jr. plays it. And make no mistake, this is pretty much a textbook example of perfect casting for a tricky character like this to cast.
You want the charisma and appeal of a leading man, but can he also have something to him that speaks of the moral ambivalence and seedier bits to the character? You can't do it with a George Clooney, but with Downey Jr. it's a match made in not-guilty-pleasure heaven. He's able to bring the audience for the ride as a strong hero, but also hint at the fact that he's playing this character for what he is, and not cheating or skipping around the edges. Without him, it wouldn't work anywhere near as well.
But to give director Favreau some more credit where it's due, also should be noted the near coup of casting Jeff Bridges as the villain - and as a character who is, basically, the "anti-dude" as it were - a dastardly figure who runs all of the shady dealings of Stark Industries and reveals his hand at wanting total domination of Stark's technology for his own means. His is a performance to relish among the great comic-book villain turns. But also noteworthy are supporting players: Gwyneth Paltrow, where'd she come from for this part that works this well? Terence Howard as well, and a couple of other supporting parts, they all seem to click just as well.
Which brings me to the director, who should get credit where it's certainly due; coming from work as an actor/writer, going up through Made, Elf, and the recent bomb Zathura, it's a remarkable achievement to pull this kind of work off. While it goes without saying the script is already set for him to go, he doesn't tinker with it or his style to make it any more aggressively stylish than it needs to be. His is slick, efficient film-making, and even with witty moments to match up the bigger audience laughs (watch how he keeps the camera still through the POV of the lens Stark has up filming his botched 'test' in his rockets). For all the praise that Downey (very rightfully) will get for his work here, Favreau's is probably just as noteworthy in mixing rousing thrills and blockbuster entertainment and action while shamelessly delivering on the cynical side of the story. Just the final line, and how its delivered and in the context, is worth the price of admission.
Oh, and by the way, stay through the end credits. If you're geeky about anything Iron Man (or awesome actors in eye-patches), you'll leave with a huge grin from ear to ear.