Brilliantly Kicks of the MCU

Rating: 9/10 (22 April 2016)

In preparation for the upcoming Captain America: Civil War film, I've decided to go back and reexamine Iron Man and Cap's previous entries that I haven't reviewed.
Iron Man is one of those films that gets better with age. Even though I loved it upon first viewing, I wasn't all that pumped about going back another time. There's been so many MCU films now that it's hard to imagine one without numerous Marvel superheroes in them, but that's what is so brilliant about Iron Man. It can easily stand on its own as a singular superhero adventure, but it also presents the universe as somewhere that could have dozens upon dozens of heroes.
At this point, it's hard to think of anyone else in the Iron Man suit but Robert Downey Jr. But it may be equally as hard for Downey to find a role more suitable to his acting strengths than Tony Stark himself. With the recent announcement that Downey will indeed be in the next Spider-Man installment, I can't hope but help he plays this character forever, in every Marvel film. A mixture of humor, wit, sophistication, and absolute charisma, Tony Stark may be the most engaging character in the MCU.
With all that said, we only get to the rest of the MCU films if the first Iron Man works, which it does. I love the way Jon Favreau sets the tone for the MCU as undeniably dramatic but with a good amount of comedic undertones so that it appeals to all ages and demographics. When the plot of the film involves a billionaire who develops tech and weapons that end up killing many innocent people, you need some comedic relief to give the film smooth pacing.
Favreau also manages to develop a romantic superhero relationship that is something you truly care about without overselling it, an admittedly difficult task. Pepper and Tony aren't your typical superhero damsel in distress type of relationship, but they also don't try and turn it into something it isn't. It's teased just enough in this movie to keep those invested something to hope for in later installments.
Of course, Iron Man is one of the best superhero films of all time, but it's also just a really well made film. Sure, the villain, in the form of Obadiah Stane is nothing special, but Marvel has never had the easiest of times creating great on screen villains. But as a whole, Iron Man is phenomenal work of cinema that only gets better with age. It serves as a reminder that you can make a serious superhero film and an enjoyable experience at the same time.
+Downey Jr is Iron Man
+Romantic relationship that you care about
+Perfect tone setting up the MCU
9.3/10