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Bookmark this pageIron Man (2008)
Director: Jon Favreau
Synopsis
The latest Marvel comic book to receive a big screen adaptation, this one stars Robert Downey Jr. as the titular tycoon-cum-superhero.
Movie review
From Time Out London
Playboy weapons magnate Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) is a greased amalgam of Howard Hughes, Hugh Hefner and C-3PO, complete with an enviable battery of glib banter and a goatee you could set your watch by. On a routine sales trip to the Middle East, his Humvee is ambushed by a terrorist cell and he is dragged away to a cave, where he is forced to reproduce one of his high-powered missiles with some scrap metal and a soldering iron.Instead, Stark uses those materials to construct a suit of robotic body armour and flee from the extremists’ clutches. This channels his epiphany – perhaps long overdue – that profiteering from weapons is far from the Promethean zenith of overarching compassion he once thought it was. He returns a changed man and, with the help of his svelte assistant ‘Pepper’ (Gwyneth Paltrow) and best mate Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard), builds a shiny suit of armour with which he plans to put an end to warfare for good.
All this liberal hand-wringing comes much to the chagrin of the sinisterly named Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), Stark’s devious benefactor, who doesn’t shine to his peacenik jabbering one bit. Stane sports both a bald pate and a beard, a red flag combination in comic-book land if ever there was one.
Actor-turned-director Jon Favreau has proved with his past directorial efforts, including buddy comedy ‘Made’, Christmas film ‘Elf’ and kids’ fantasy ‘Zathura’, that he has a keen eye for character and can spin a decent yarn. Sadly, these two qualities are rarely apparent here, replaced instead by quick-fix one-liners and predictable set-piece gags. Like Iron Man’s suit, Favreau’s film feels like it has been meticulously assembled rather than lovingly formed. It’s little more than an elongated, episodic and sporadically charming introduction to the life of this mechanised millionaire superhero, light on both CGI and moral quandaries, and possessing neither the zip and sparkle of a ‘Spider-Man’ nor the brooding existential subtexts of ‘Batman Begins’.
Author: David Jenkins
Time Out London Issue 1967: April 30 - May 6
User reviews of this film
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- Louise said...
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Posted on Jun 04 2008 21:07
As a female i was not looking forward to seeing this film, as it seems more appealing to men!
do not let it fool you ladiez, i absolutely Loved this film and cannot wait for the next!!!
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- Nick said...
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Posted on Jun 03 2008 12:44
This film was simply amazing. From start to finish i was on the edge of my seat.
Whoever gave this film a bad review is crazy. Or lied about watching the film. - Report as inappropriate
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- James said...
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Posted on Jun 03 2008 12:42
Best film i have seen for along time. Not only is dowey fantasic, he pulls off swave scenes almost as good as Bond. Probably for the older Marvel fans, but atention grabbing from start to finish.
Great film and a must see!!!! - Report as inappropriate
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- UnbeatenMonk said...
- Posted on Jun 01 2008 14:40 The best 'superhero' movie so far. Robert Downie Jnr was am inspired choice for Tony Stark. And lets face it the Iron Man armour is the boy toy to end all boy toys
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- footballer13 said...
- Posted on May 31 2008 14:42 It was a good movie.Funny but a bit far fetched but I would still recomened it.
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- Roz said...
- Posted on May 30 2008 17:03 I think it got a bit corny at times but apart from that the film was wicked and all of the cast did a great job. A truly brilliant tale of heroes and the modern world
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- Benji said...
- Posted on May 30 2008 14:00 average at best
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- CheekyMOnkey said...
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Posted on May 30 2008 13:39
I Am Planning TOo Se This MOvie But With The Mixed EmOtiOns I DOn't KnOw If I'm SOo Sure NOw Can SOmeOne Reasure Me Whether TOo GOo Or NOt.
Help Me..
SOmeOne. - Report as inappropriate
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- ftysjjjjjjjs said...
- Posted on May 29 2008 18:36 mintage
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- jankey said...
- Posted on May 28 2008 12:05 rubbish
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- chris said...
- Posted on May 27 2008 03:06 spot on! it was AWEOSME!!! whoever has slated it really doesn't know a brlliant film when they see one! possibly the best marvel film, but so caringly balanced to hopefully make a perfect trilogy, i think IRON MAN is a movie for adults, a mature marvel film. i don't think someone with the attention span of a 4 year old would enjoy this! hence the negative comments....
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- frank lenz said...
- Posted on May 26 2008 10:04 The coolest film of the year so far.
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- Leslie said...
- Posted on May 24 2008 21:00 surpassed my expections. A must see film!
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- Nuff said...
- Posted on May 23 2008 12:34 Awesome Film. I'm not sure if it's there's going to be an Iron Man 2 or Avengers next but either one will be awesome. I think Will Smith could have played Terrence Howard also but he needs a break. This was definitely worth seeing. Nuff Said
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- Wolfy Girl said...
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Posted on May 22 2008 08:12
That movie was /amazing/ ! I'm going to see it again on Saturday :D I loved it so much & I didn't know about Iron Man beofre ;P
Go Marvel! lol x - Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub, Faran Tahir, Leslie Bibb, Sayed Badreya, Clark Gregg, Tim Guinee full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure
Rated: 12A
Duration: 126 mins
UK Release: May 2 2008
US Release: May 2 2008
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