Iron Man

I work with complete comic book fans. I would say more than fans...I would say true believers that know every story line and incarnation of every super hero there ever was. And when Iron Man came out they told me it was the best adaptation of a comic book hero they had ever seen. With that being said - I had to see this movie. I should mention that I am not a comic book person. My knowledge of the comic book super heroes is from cartoons, live action TV shows and movies. I don't base my opinion on whether or not the movie is true to the comic (with the exception of the Phantom which I loyally read in the paper every day and was a great movie). I just love an entertaining movie.
Iron Man delivers! And a franchise is born!
Iron Man is not for someone that just wants to see complete action and effects. Iron Man is what I would call a thinking person's action movie. Robert Downey Jr. (BRILLIANT!!!) plays the flawed main character - Tony Stark, a womanizing boozer, who develops high tech weapons for the military and owns the company. Stark is in Afghanistan giving a preview to the military of one of his weapons when he captured by militants and kept captive for months. The captures want him to use their stockpile of weapons (his weapons - which makes him wonder how they got them) to make a missile. But instead Stark makes his first Iron Man suit and his own artificial heart. After his ordeal Stark is a changed man who is obsessed with his Iron Man concept and improving it. This is most of the movie - the character development. I won't go into much more...since you are going to see this movie!
Downey is a joy to watch on screen and you cheer for this talented actor's big comeback to the big screen. He is a naturally funny guy, he brings the same kind of warmth and playing off the irony of things that Michael Keaton did as Bruce Wayne. Be a serious hero but realize that the whole concept can appear a bit absurd to the outsider.
Side note: As a movie watcher it is interesting to see the history of who our bad guys are in hero movies...it was the Nazis, then Russians or Chinese (Communists in general), rouge Russians/Eastern Europe and now middle easterners...basically whoever we envision at the time as the worst possible enemy we could have and do have. Usually for super heroes it is a mad scientist or brilliant criminal mind...
Iron Man is much like Batman in the fact that he doesn't possess any real super powers (other than his heart generator that runs his suit). He wasn't born with powers or fall into a vat of toxic waste. He has a mission and toys to get it done. I like movies that focus on the development of characters as long as it is done right. I really wasn't crazy about the last Batman movie - at least not as crazy about it as other fans. I think it spent way to long on the character's personal journey and you know what? I really don't care! We already know what Bruce Wayne's motivation was...I didn't need to see him in his full training sessions. That is why there didn't need to be three Star Wars prequels - one and half would have been fine, thank you. Back to the movie...
Iron Man basically rocks! And comic book fans MUST sit through all the credits until the end (like X-Men 3) and you will see a glimpse into the future of this franchise and give the comic book folks a thrill. With a good supporting cast including Jeff Bridges and Terrance Howard this movie will leave you ready to rock out...Black Sabbath style.
MMMMM (out of 5 M's)