As we've all seen by now Iron Man has rejuvenated Robert Downey Jr's career, torn apart the box office, and continued to stay in the Top Ten movies since opening on May 2. But what did I think of it? Well since I know you're all asking yourself this very question I thought I'd finally post my review.

Iron Man is simply the best movie I've seen this year. Hands down, most entertaining, most bang for your buck film to hit screens this year. It's better than Indy (I promise that review sooner rather than later) and in my opinion it could stand to be nominated for some awards next award season (although it won't because it's a comic movie).

The movie introduces us to billionaire playboy Tony Stark (played to perfection by RDJ in what might be the best performance of his career since Chaplin). Stark is the womanizing, hard drinking head of a global weapons manufacturer. On a trip to Afghanistan (Taking the place of Vietnam in the original comic) to show off his new Jericho missile, Stark's entourage is ambushed by a small militant (read terrorist) group, who just happen to be using Stark industry weapons obtained on the black market.

Stark is injured and taken hostage. When he awakes he finds that fellow detainee, Yinsen has used a car battery and a magnet to keep the shrapnel in his body from making its way into his heart. The terrorists demand that Stark build them their own Jericho missile, to which Stark eventually agrees. Instead Stark and Yinsen bond over making Stark a new light weight device to keep the shrapnel at bay, and then a large weapon, just not the one the terrorists think he's building. Instead Stark builds a bullet proof suit of armor, complete with flame thrower, and thruster boots to use to help him and Yinsen escape. It is during this time that Stark learns of the horrors created by his own inventions which have been showing up on the black market.

The escape doesn't go as planned and only Stark manages to escape. Once back safely in the US he calls a press conference and announces that Stark Industries will no longer be making weapons. His mentor Obadian Stone is none to happy and proceeds to not only take the company out from underneath Stark, but also begins to make his own suit build from the original which was left in the Afghani Dessert. Stark himself begins to work on recreating the suit in his own personal laboratory, which he eventually uses to help save lives and become a hero.


The movie combines politics, romance (Between Stark and his assistant Pepper Potts (the beautiful Gwyneth Paltrow)), action, adventure, comedy, and super heroes into one amazing package.

In the past I've named Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins as my favorite comic book movies, as each has gotten everything almost perfect. Iron Man now sits aside these two as another example of near perfect translation from page to screen. But I honestly think Iron Man is an even bigger success than the other two because it not only is a near perfect comic movie, but it has taken a character that is not as known as Batman and Spider-Man and build an audience for him. I also have to admit that I've never particularly liked Iron Man and the fact that this movie made me what to go out and pick up some back issues of the series is proof of it's quality.

As I said in the beginning Iron Man is the best movie I've seen this year. And while I'm looking forward to The Dark Knight taking over that title, I'm glad that Marvel's first movie under their own production company is such a huge success.

Oh and make sure you watch after the credits if you go see it again or for the first time, especially if you're a Marvel fan.

Labels: Iron Man, Review