Better Than Average Superhero Movie!

Rating: 7/10 (5 May 2008)

*** This review does include SPOILERS! Don't worry, I'll tell you when they begin! ***
"Iron Man" is a combination of great acting and good direction combined with an average script and mediocre film score.
The best thing is clearly the choice of Robert Downey, Jr. in the lead, along with all of the supporting casting. Lots of great actors and all good performances.
Jon Favreau does a good job, here tackling a much larger production than he has in the past. He's said to be an actors' director, and that proves true here. The characters really pop off the screen and that's what makes this superhero movie unique! Of course, Favreau really should have stayed out of the film himself. He has a strange, small role that just makes it seem like he wanted to be in the movie, with no real purpose for doing so.
What I didn't like as much was the script. Lots of good elements, but it's weighed down by what I would call Origin-Story Syndrome. By having to tell us all about how Iron Man came to be, the movie kind of becomes a procedural. Lots of explanation, and not as much time for adventure as you'd like.
It is weird that there are still problems with this. The first major superhero movie, 1978's "Superman" got it right the first time. Why all subsequent superhero movies couldn't take its example is beyond me. "Superman" laid out the origin part of its story in the early part of the movie, and got done with it. The rest of the movie was a straight adventure, with the origin stuff all done.
But, one movie after another since then didn't get the message. "X-Men," "Batman Begins," "Fantastic Four," etc. all got weighed down by Origin-Story Syndrome. Too much going over how the superhero(es) came to be and not enough straight adventure.
The other element that I wasn't excited about was the film score. Not something everyone would be concerned about. But, that standard rock-pop music stuff just has no real energy to it. Good film composers are pretty much non-existent these days, and this movie's no exception! Too bad, because a good film score definitely would have helped make "Iron Man" more fun and more exciting.
*** SPOILERS START HERE! ***
Okay, now to comment on plot points and stuff. I thought it was kind of weird to start with Tony getting hit and abducted in the beginning and then flashback 36 hours or whatever to see his life just before. Immediately, the movie's rhythm is knocked off kilter. Didn't understand that decision.
Stark's escape from Afghanistan takes a while to come together. This once again goes into the whole Origin Story problem, where we're taking a lot of time getting to the adventure part of the movie.
The following part with the whole corporate espionage stuff almost feels like "Star Wars: Episode I" did with all its political stuff. Also, the final confrontation between Iron Man and Iron Monger kind of felt like the ending of "Fantastic Four" with a battle confined to a city street at night. Kind of small scale for a big-budget movie like this.
The film does have lots of good ideas. The problem is with the pacing and the energy. It just seems like things are kind of casual and Stark at times seems a bit laid back about what's going on. Even in his final line, "I am Iron Man" he seems a bit low key. C'mon Tony, say it loud and say it proud! The script and the direction just could use more snap and energy. I got the feeling that the screenwriters and director seem like they are working hard at getting the job done, and not enough time getting into the material and feeling it.
*** END OF SPOILERS ***
Overall, a good superhero movie. Now that the whole origin story is over, let's get to a straight adventure story and have some real fun with it!
******* (7 Out of 10 Stars)