2008 | Dir. Jon Favreau | 126 Minutes
"I shouldn't be alive unless it was for a reason. I'm not crazy, Pepper. I just finally know what I have to do. And I know in my heart that it's right."
Terrorists abduct billionaire arms developer Tony Stark in Afghanistan, armed with the very weapons Stark created. Seriously injured, with shrapnel traveling to his heart, Stark and fellow captive Yinsen build and install a sophisticated energy reactor in his chest to save his life. Forced by their captors to build an advanced missile, the two engineers instead craft a powerful suit of armor to aid in their escape. Tragically losing Yinsen in the process, Stark returns to America determined to stop his company from manufacturing weapons while he tirelessly upgrades his armor to personally destroy his weapons that have fallen into enemy hands.
Expertly paced and true to spirit of the Marvel Comics source material, director Jon Favreau brings old "shell head" to the silver screen with style and levity. The action sequences are well-orchestrated and truly thrilling, from Stark's escape from the Afghan cave firing missiles and flamethrowers in the crude Mark I suit, to the first flight of the more advanced Mark II armor, to Mark III Iron Man taking out aggressors and outracing fighter jets. Sharp and witty but organic, the natural dialogue grounds the film's many larger-than-life characters in a relatable though heightened reality. The film unfortunately stumbles during its somewhat shoddily-assembled climax that conveniently pits one suit of high-tech armor against another in a brief fight that is more of a flying contest than a captivating battle.
Thanks to a truly superb casting move, Robert Downey Jr. owns the role of Tony Stark completely, turning an often blandly-written Marvel Comics hero into an articulate, arrogant, and charismatic socialite. Gwyneth Paltrow turns in a light and fun performance as Starks' faithful assistant Pepper Potts, really selling the skittishness, wide-eyed wonderment, and resourceful confidence of the character. The excellent chemistry between Downey Jr. and Paltrow is decidedly more comedic than romantic. Terrance Howard plays James Rhodes, Stark's buddy in the Air Force, in a rather subdued performance, at his best when called upon for indignant reactions to Stark's antics. Stark's traitorous business partner Obadiah Stane is portrayed by Jeff Bridges with fun folksy aplomb that devolves into exaggerated gravelly menace when he goes full-on supervillain during the second half of the film.
Providing an appropriate amount of emotional heft as a key component in the hero's origin story, Shaun Toub plays Yinsen in a sharp and moving performance during the film's second act. Clark Gregg appears as Agent Coulson in a handful of memorable scenes with a hint of humor in his eyes, a spy sent by a clandestine organization to monitor Stark and his associates. Rounding out the supporting cast are director Jon Favreau as Stark's comically no-nonsense bodyguard Happy Hogan, Leslie Bibb as a tenacious Vanity Fair reporter, Faran Tahir as the scowling terrorist leader Raza, and Paul Bettany as the flawlessly glib electronic voice of Stark's computer system JARVIS.
Doing a fine job honoring the titular character's Marvel Comics roots but remarkably accessible to movie audiences, blending high-flying action and a liberal dose of humor, Jon Favreau, Robert Downey Jr., and president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige breathe new life into superhero cinema with Iron Man. With this first film, Marvel Studios establishes its reputation as a significant creative force, providing a truly excellent introduction to The Marvel Cinematic Universe.
POST-CREDITS STINGER
Tony Stark steps into his darkened living room where the director of SHIELD, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), informs him that he has entered a larger universe, introducing him to "The Avenger Initiative."
STAN LEE CAMEO
Stan the Man appears as a Hugh-Heffner-type ladies' man with several supermodels before Stark enters a charity ball.
FRAGMENTS
- Faran Tahir appeared in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek as Richard Robau, captain of the USS Kelvin, and his first mate George Kirk (father of James T. Kirk), was played by Chris Hemsworth who eventually took on the role of Thor in the MCU
- The musical score is composed by Ramin Djawadi, currently providing the iconic score for Game of Thrones
- The Las Vegas sequence after the cold-open features an arrangement of the theme tune from the 1966 Iron Man cartoon, the same tune can be heard chiming from Rhodey's cellphone as his ringtone for Tony
- Television personality Jim Cramer appears as himself on CNBC financial program Mad Money, berating Stark's decision to stop producing weapons
- An incomplete version of Captain America's shield can be seen hidden in the background of Stark's lab
