Review of Iron Man (2008) by Thecomicdoctor . — 12 Aug 2015

Hollywood opened the superhero floodgate, but this one stands out over most of them. This movie has done an amazing job of popularizing Iron Man, and that is understandable with how good this movie is.

I do not like the character of Tony Stark's character. Initially, he is intentionally dislikable but even as his character finds a new purpose and undergoes a transformation; it is still hard to warm up to him.

Robert Downy Jr. is right for the part; he captures Stark's humorous quick wit, sarcasm, arrogance, and well-concealed vulnerability. Without Downy Jr, I am not sure how successful this movie would be.

The story properly develops his character, showing his brilliance, his insecure façade of arrogance, and a concealed good heart. Jeff Bridges is also good as Obadiah Stane, but I wish there was more attention given to his back-story.

Unfortunately, I want to understand him better. There is little information about Stane's origin, what motivates him and causes his unquenchable thirst for power. On a similar note, the Iron Monger villain fleshes out relatively late in the movie.

This shortchanges the opportunity for a series of epic showdowns between the hero and the main villain. The movie has strong themes of how invention and technology are power, and with greater power, humanity becomes more important.

The costume and visual design are excellent, and the heavily utilized CGI effects look fluid and natural. It has several aspects that can be nit-picked, but overall it is a high quality and enjoyable superhero movie.