Bravo Favreau!

Rating: 8/10 (1 May 2008)

Right from the start (perhaps even beforehand) I was expecting this to be quite special. As usual entertainment is my only requirement of a film for me to like it and this was fabulous. There are so many elements that make it work. In terms of the storyline, there is at least just enough of everything to make it hang together well: enough background to qualify Stark's naivety and arrogance (plus enough of Downey Jr's boyish charm to make him a believable celebrity industrialist!) besides his genius; enough of the water torture scene to make his submission acceptable (and enough visible anger to both drive and carry his deception); there is enough chemistry between Downey Jr and Paltrow to hint at the relationship that never quite blooms; and finally there is enough left hanging to betray a sequel possibly already on the table. Downey Jr largely carries the film in terms of the acting; Paltrow is on fine form but hardly used to her full potential (for a rare but wonderful glimpse of this I recommend "Proof"). Favreau's almost Hitchcockian cameo is downplayed sufficiently for it not to seem either contrived or haphazard. Ultimately, though, I think my hat is off to Jeff Bridges as possibly the most hate-able villain of the Marvel franchise so far.
The use of heavy metal-esquire music for the soundtrack is quite appropriate given the title! And to conclude, the transformation/revelation of most of the characters is remarkable: Stark from self-involved to regretful, Potts from indulgent and condescending to affectionate, Stane from colleague to nemesis. I recognise the possibility of a sequel justifying it, but this didn't quite get to 9 for me purely because the ending is a little too unclosed. That tiny thing aside, this was magic; enjoy!