JCM Cinema
Capital

MOVIE BIASES: Pre. SOLD!
MAJOR PLAYERS: Robert Downey, Jr. (Chaplin), Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love), Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow), Jeff Bridges (Seabiscuit), and director Jon Favreau (Elf).


"Constitutionally incapable of being responsible" Tony Stark (Downey), a genius billionaire industrialist by day and relentlessly shallow playboy by night, is captured by an Afghani ambush after demonstrating his lethal weaponry to the U.S. military. While under forced coercion to duplicate his wares for a terrorist army called the Ten Rings, Stark turns the tables, creating a hi-tech armored suit with which to kick copious amounts of bad guy ass. After busting out and returning to LA a changed man, Stark devotes his energy to fighting the evil he'd help create as the "Merchant of Death" weapons manufacturer only to find do-no-gooders closer to home than he had thought.

"I am SO geeking out right now!" So quoth the movie critic to his screening partner, who bobbed her head enthusiastically in agreement. And this is only a third of the way into the movie. Boys and girls...the summer has officially begun!

Shinier than its "hot rod red" suit, "Iron Man" is the perfect modern day comic book action hero movie. Beautifully scripted (by a credited committee of four, nonetheless) with production values off the chart, Marvel's first foray into film financing (this is their first fully funded venture out of their own pockets) is just flat-out fun from start to finish. It's laden with all the good, pertinent "isms" - terrorism, patriotism, altruism, and then some - while serving up a techie's wet dream of special effects; think "Minority Report" on meth. It will print money but, even better, it DESERVES to.

The Academy nominated cast doesn't hurt, either. Beefy, bald, and bearded Bridges glowers his way through every frame with the very comic book-ish halo of distrust over his grill as Obadiah Stane, Stark's business partner. Adorably strawberry-tressed Paltrow doesn't just mail in her Oscar talents, playing beyond spunky yet giving as good as she gets as Stark's Girl Friday personal assistant Pepper Potts. Even Howard shows signs of life despite a fairly background role as Stark's best friend Col. Jim Rhodes (yes, fanboys, we even get a hint at what's to come for Mr. Rhodes in the sequel (there WILL be a sequel, right?) with his longing glimpse in the third act at a War Machine suit).

Even though he claims to "not be the superhero type," Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark is one of the most inspired pieces of superhero casting since...well, maybe ever. Tailoring the script's fizzy, contextual humor to his own rapid fire, subversively dry wit, Downey is BUILT for this. Especially early on, Tony lives so large, is so over-the-top playerish, he makes "Big Pimpin'" era Jay-Z look like Gary Coleman. His whips are tight, his clothes are fly, and his plane is just sick (think a party bus - in the air). Downey's Tony Stark is a 21st century superhero: flawed, a little sarcastic, yet solid enough at his core to accept his shortcomings enough to put them aside for the moment when duty calls. Attention, Hollywood: Having credible actors like Paltrow, Howard, and Downey only make such scenes like Stark's come-to-Jesus about weapons manufacturing moving and lactose intolerant. Just because it's a comic book movie does not mean it has to be cheesy.

Therein lies its universal appeal. Zigging when our cynical audience predicts it will zag, Favreau directs "Iron Man" with enough comedic zest, gearhead cool, and popcorn flick frenzy to complement every ounce of Downey's snarky charms. It also takes you to another world, a far more entertaining one in a surreal-rich LA that probably exists but I've never seen, whizzing by in two hours to deliver upon the lofty promise of its commercials. Cackling with childlike glee at Stark's attempts to fly, I once again leaned in to whisper, "Sign me up for 'Iron Man 2!'" And 3. And 4...


@@@@ REELS
(FOUR REELS)
An urban legend/instant classic.



© 2008, Edwardo Jackson