Forgivable flaws, great action time...

Rating: 8/10 (6 January 2009)

It's hard for me to say if this is the best comic book adaptation because I really don't know so much about Iron Man. But, as a movie lover, I can say that it's a great action movie based on a comic book most of all for its cast and for bringing to reality something that comic book lovers were so desperately wanting. The story itself has some flaws, but that's also predictable as it's impossible to tell a great story and also be an action movie and ALSO a blockbuster within 2 hours.
As said before, 2 hours is a very small time to tell Tony Stark's story and how he became Iron Man in a acceptable way as happens, for example, in Batman Begins. Jon Favreau made miracles, but it's kinda hard for me to accept in the movie the fact that Tony, from one day to another, created a complex iron suite like playing Lego and learned how to fly in a few tries, it doesn't matter how much intelligent he is, it doesn't fit. Not even Super-Man could learn how to fly in a so small time as Tony or Obadiah, this one a lot worst because he learned how to fly in minutes. But that's okay... this abstraction of time is forgivable. Also, it's hard to imagine that he could just insert something on his chest or a woman could just put her hand into it and he never died of infection. Tony Starks knows a lot about science but nothing about medical precautions. How smart he is!
The cast is interesting. When I heard for the first time that Downey Jr. would be playing Iron Man I thought that producers were crazy because Downey Jr. has nothing of a hero. But, yeah... after watching the movie and understanding the character's personality, now I understand why he fits so well in the character. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts is kinda funny. I'm not a fan of Gwyneth's work because I think that every time she performs, she's performing not a character, but Gwyneth herself. But for the first time for me seems that she's performing something a little different from Gwyneth, I mean, she has facial expressions in here and not that watery face, dead eyes and inexpressive voice as usual, she just seems different, I don't know exactly why. Anyway... Jeff Bridges is good as always, kudos for him once again.
The direction is effective, linear as the plot. Jon Fefreau plays it safe during entire movie. I would never imagine that he, as an actor or a not so known director would make his first 150 mil blockbuster. I would do the same if I was in that condition.
The visual effects are just perfect. There wasn't any moment I stopped to say "That's a CG! That's not...". Iron Man is not a CG doll as Spider Man seems sometimes, it really seems that there is a real someone inside that iron suite. Also, they did an excellent job working on it and creating an armor that seems a lot realistic.
For the fans, I could imagine how they felt when I was watching the DVD. The option screen shows Iron Man in a 360º angle, it's just awesome!
It's a great action movie, Iron Man is a little unusual from all the heroes out there and Downey Jr. increases its personality. The flaws are there all the time, but they can be forgivable. Just enjoy it like popcorn.