The best superhero movie of 2008

Rating: 8/10 (29 August 2008)

And no, I'm not one of those people who hated The Dark Knight. I'm just one of those people who liked Iron Man better.
It all plays into that age-old debate about whether or not art should transcend politics. Some say yea, some say nay. Personally, I feel that politics have become such an inextricable part of our daily lives that any movie that feigns indifference ultimately deludes itself. The Joker's ruminations on good and evil and the ethical dilemmas of heroes are fascinating, but they're still predominantly abstract and apolitical. By contrast, Iron Man, in its brooding take on weapons control, terrorism, and the corruptive influence of the First World, is more specific, more relevant, and, in my opinion, significantly gutsier. The Dark Knight spins one hell of a good yarn, one of the best of the year, but in the final analysis, there's nothing especially original in its underlying message  that heroism is relative, and that all souls are crooked. As far as messages go, there's nothing especially original in Iron Man either, but at least it has the fortitude to keep its feet on the ground, to not be another one of those Hollywood blockbusters that distracts its viewers from what's actually happening in the world.
Lucky thing, that's not all the film has going for it. Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Robert Downey Jr. are all perfectly cast in their respective roles, and the dynamic between them - the bookends in particular - is perfect. The Dark Knight and Batman Begins take themselves way too seriously, seeming to forget to the fact that, when all is said in done, their lead character is still a man in a bat suit who drives a campy car. The Iron Man, to its credit, recognizes the inescapable cheesiness that will always exist at the heart of a superhero film, and pokes fun at its own genre, even while keeping its sights on the seriousness of its subject matter.
If I gave the movie an 8 instead of a 9, it's only because I was a little underwhelmed by the final battle sequence, but then again, this movie isn't really about battles, and neither was The Dark Knight. Neither felt the need to capitulate to cheap thrills, which is why both movies, regardless of which film you ultimately endorse, deserve to be remembered among the finest in the genre.