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| Iron Man (2008) |
Okay, before I get into this review properly, it's worth talking about its origins, and the origins of the MCU in general. Marvel were going bankrupt in the 90s, and sold off the film rights for their more well-known characters to other studios. Sony got Spider-Man, Fox got the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, while Marvel held onto their B-listers, so to speak. So, when Marvel Studios wanted to kickstart a cinematic universe, they couldn't rely on these characters that the general public knew about, and had to pick from their reserves. This, in my opinion, was a very smart way of going about it, rather campaigning or begging for the rights to their A-listers back. By starting off with the generally lesser-known heroes like Iron Man, Thor, etc, they had a failsafe for if the films were poorly received, and could turn these properties into household names. Before 2008, Iron Man wasn't nearly as widely known as he is today, and a lot of that has to do with this film's overwhelming success. Also, by keeping the references to a larger universe fairly constrained in the first few films, should the MCU not happen in the end, they can just be labelled 'easter eggs' and left it at that. Because, let's be honest, an incredibly slim minority of people would have stayed back in the cinema sitting through the credits expecting something at the end. In any case, this film did succeed, and it gave us one of the biggest cinematic empires of our time, and revisiting where that all began was a joy.
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| Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man |
I feel like I should take this review act by act, because this film really is split, in that each act feels very different. It does make the film feel a little more segmented, which is a gripe I have with the movie overall, but for the story they're telling, it was a necessary evil. The first act gives us a glimpse at Tony Stark at peak a**hole, before getting captured be terrorists and left with shrapnel from one of his own weapons stuck precariously close to his heart. It's worth noting in this first section that not only was Robert Downey Jr. the perfect choice for this character, considering his past, but he also absolutely nails the characterisation in this movie. Even from just the first act, we get to see Tony Stark at his highest highs and his lowest lows, and he absolutely delivers on all fronts. Just the fact that the Jericho speech was apparently improvised by Downey and it all feels completely natural and in character is impressive in and of itself. It also helps that this first act is probably my favourite part of the movie. I just like watching Stark and Yinsen hold onto hope and science their way out of a really terrifying situation, and the first Iron Man suit is not only great to watch in action, but also quite scary itself, especially the way that escape scene is shot. It's almost presented like a horror movie, and it's so goddamn entertaining.
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| Shaun Toub as Yinsen |
The second act predominantly consists of Stark perfecting what we would come to know as the 'original' Iron Man suit, and it's also the segment where we really get to see the toll that being taken prisoner has taken on Tony. Right from the moment he gets back to America, it's made painfully clear that he is a changed man, not just regarding his company, but the way he treats people in general. This is highlighted through his relationship with Pepper Potts, and I really like this pairing. Not only does Paltrow do a great job in the movie, but she has fantastic chemistry with Downey Jr., and the relationship between the two characters is a really different one than we usually get in a movie like this. It's a lot more believable, especially considering where the two come from at the start of the movie, and I also love that Potts isn't just an assistant the entire time, and she actually takes proactive steps to resolve the conflicts and assists where needed while not being taken captive even once. For as 'standard' as people generally like to say these kinds of movies are, this was a great breath of fresh air, especially for 2008. Anyway, watching Tony build the suit is great fun, and when he finally perfects it, watching him in action is especially entertaining. The flight scenes are exhilarating, and you can really feel the speed and power of the suit while its in the air. Typically, the 'testing the powers' section of a superhero movie is a lot of fun, and this is no exception.
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| Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts |
The third act deals with the villain and focuses on Stark Industries, and this is certainly the weakest part of the movie. Jeff Bridges does a fantastic job, and he's truly intimidating, but I generally don't have a big interest with what's happening at the company. Part of that is because, for a lot of the movie, neither does Stark, and that is a bit of a problem when that happens to be central to the final act of your movie. I wouldn't say there's anything in this final section that's 'bad'; the final fight is fun to watch, even if Jeff Bridges looks absolutely ridiculous in that giant suit. I guess the biggest problem is that the movie was building up this one terrorist as the villain, and though the bait-and-switch is shocking, it's less interesting. The reveal that Stane was behind Stark's abduction really doesn't add much to the movie overall. That said, one of my favourite sequences in the entire movie is that part where Stark is paralysed and gets the arc reactor taken out of his chest. Not only is it tense and unsettling, but you can almost feel Stark's pain as you're watching it. As it happens, you almost find yourself frozen in your seat as well. A huge part of that is down to the audience's connection with Stark, and this movie does not work nearly as well if this aspect isn't nailed. The film does a fantastic job of highlighting Stark's growth as a character, and redemption stories like this can easily fall flat if the protagonist is either too much of a dick early on, or if his change is unbelievable. Here, it all feels completely natural, and this, I think, is the secret sauce to what makes this movie work so well. Combine that with exciting action scenes, great acting and a unique tone overall, and you have yourself an excellent movie right there.
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| Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane |
It's easy to see why Iron Man (2008) was, and is, so loved by audiences and critics alike. I saw this film in cinemas in 2008 and I was blown away. Of course, at the time, I had no idea what would come next, but even if I'd never seen another MCU film, I'd still be in love with this movie even to this day. 8.5/10.
Next: The Incredible Hulk
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