‘Iron Man’: More than just special effects

By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

LIKE previous movies based on Marvel comic book characters, the first film about a particular Marvel superhero is an origin story. The goal is to come out with a film that mostly stays true to the comic book version to satisfy longtime fans, while also appealing to a new audience unfamiliar with the source material. This is a formula that has been wildly successful for some Marvel films (i.e. “Spider-Man” and “X-Men”), though some have been less than spectacular (i.e. “The Punisher” and “Daredevil”).

“Iron Man,” Marvel Studios’ latest comics-to-Hollywood production and also its first self-financed film, follows the same formula, and thankfully this is a movie that will satisfy fans without melting the brains of the uninitiated. Marvel Studios tapped the directorial services of Jon Favreau, who made sure that the audience will care about the characters even without having read the comic books. It helps that the talented Robert Downey Jr. plays the role of fictional playboy billionaire industrialist Tony Stark and his alter ego Iron Man.

This review will of course contain spoilers, so those who would like to watch the movie without knowing anything about the plot should stop reading. The movie starts with Stark, whose company designs state-of-the art weapons for the US military, being kidnapped by a group of terrorists in Afghanistan. In a flashback, we learn that Stark is in Afghanistan to demonstrate his company’s latest weapon, the Jericho missile system. The terrorists now want to force Stark to create a Jericho missile for them, using parts from Stark Industries weapons that they have gathered.

Instead, Stark makes his first armor, which he uses to escape. His imprisonment makes Stark realize the full extent of the death and destruction his weapons are wreaking, and in his first public appearance he announces that he is shutting down his company’s weapons division. After the board of directors opposes his decision, Stark fashions two new armors, the last one carrying the more familiar red-and-gold color scheme of the comic book version of Iron Man, which he uses to battle his former captors who have overrun a village.

It is here that the full arsenal of the Iron Man armor is seen, as Stark uses a variety of weapons, particularly the repulsor blasts that come out of the palm of his hands. He uses a rocket launcher attached to his arm to destroy a tank, while a shoulder-mounted multi-barrel gun shoots several enemies at once with pinpoint accuracy. Iron Man’s armor is also tough enough to absorb the blast from a tank round, and he is also shown outmaneuvering fighter jets.

Unfortunately, Obadiah Stane (played by Jeff Bridges), who was the partner of Stark’s father and who headed Stark Industries before the younger Stark took over the reins, turns out to be the villain in this movie. He manages to get hold of the plans of the first Iron Man armor Stark used to escape the terrorists as well as the remaining pieces of the armor, and orders the scientists at Stark Industries to create the behemoth Iron Monger armor. (Editor’s note: The armor wasn’t referred to by the comic book name Iron Monger, though Stane has a line early in the movie about the company selling weapons because they are “iron mongers,” just as Stark initially did not refer to himself as Iron Man until after he saw the headline of an article that used this moniker.) This sets the stage for Iron Man and Iron Monger, with Stane inside controlling the armor, to face each other man-to-man and iron-to-iron.

Apart from the special effects (the movie tapped George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic to do most of the digital effects in the movie, and visual effects master Stan Winston to create the Iron Man costume), the film makes sure that audiences will enjoy watching the characters.

Downey gives a good portrayal of Tony Stark, though Downey injected a welcome dose of sarcasm. There is also a lot of comic relief in the form of Jarvis, Stark’s artificial intelligence program (as opposed to the butler in the comic books), who clearly matches Stark’s attitude. One particular toy in Stark’s arsenal is a fire-extinguishing robotic arm that Stark keeps berating due to the machine’s over-enthusiasm in extinguishing even the smallest fires while he tests his rocket boosters.

Gwyneth Paltrow plays the caustic but dependable Pepper Potts. The movie versions of both Stark and Potts stuck true to their comic book sources as Potts and Stark have always had a strong sexual tension, much like James Bond and Miss Moneypenny.

Meanwhile, Terrence Howard plays a good role as Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes, who always gets into debates with Stark but remains loyal to him. In one part of the film, Rhodes sees the Mark II suit in Stark’s mansion and seems to consider wearing it, but then says, “Next time.” This is a reference to his wearing the War Machine armor in the comic book series, and indicates the possibility that War Machine will be part of the next Iron Man movies.

As you can see, Favreau made sure the movie has plenty of references that comic book fans will recognize, and in fact Favreau himself has a small, if not recognizable role in the film as Stark’s driver Happy Hogan, who is his longtime friend in the comic book. The legendary Stan Lee, who was one of the creators of the original comic book Iron Man, of course also makes a cameo in this movie, as he has in other Marvel films. So does S.H.I.E.L.D. (Editor’s note: The movie also has a reference to longtime Iron Man foe the Mandarin, in the form of a line referring to the foreign fighters aiding the terrorists as the Ten Rings. In the comic books,  Mandarin is a villain who has ten actual rings, each with a different power.)

All in all, Iron Man is a good popcorn movie filled with much-to-be-expected action sequences and special effects. While some might just watch it for the visual treat, the movie also features good performances from the actors, a smoothly flowing storyline and lots of humor. It surely deserves a sequel.

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