Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Iron Man: A Review

"Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart"
"Heroes Aren't Born. They're Built"


These phrases would sound familiar to you if you have watched Iron Man. Yes, the long awaited Marvel Production movie is out!


The story revolved around a super-genius named Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), who inherited from his late father a multi-million worth company that manufactured weapons for US Defense. During his trip to Afghanistan to test his killer weapon, the Jericho, he was assaulted and captured by a terrorist group named The Ten Rings. In the process of escaping, he built himself a metal armor suit super-powered by his Ark Reactor, enabling him to power up the suit and at the same time power up a magnetic coil that would stop shrapnel fragments from entering his heart (due to an injury sustained from the assault). After he was rescued and transported back to US, he decided to shut down the weapons manufacturing plant, and dedicated himself to perfecting his metal armor suit. A series of happenings threw him into action in the suit, hence Iron Man was born. His direction and determination had pissed off certain people, and out of deceit, unleashed was the villainous Iron Monger, much bigger and more powerful, rivaling Iron Man. Who would eventually win - the smart guy in red/golden suit or the mammoth machine?


I didn't read any Marvel comics, so frankly speaking, I did not know anything about Iron Man before the movie. However, after watching the movie, I did find it awesome, amazing, and brilliant! Not mentioning comedic.

The movie was so action-packed that the 2:06-long movie appears passing by very fast. Nevertheless, the action was coupled with funny scenes that made this movie interesting. The funniest part that I found is when Stark tried the flight system of Mark 2 (code name for his experimental prototype silver suit). "3-2-1-go!" He ricocheted to the wall behind him, hitting on it some 10 feet above ground and fell. As he landed, Dummy (his worker robot) sprayed on him as if he has caught fire.


Also, another funny scene was when he ended his later-perfected flight with Mark 2. However, as he powered off the suit on the roof of his house, the armor was so heavy that it crashed open the concrete roof, down one floor with a grand piano, and another with a sports car. What an extravagant experiment! Haha!!

And, Pat, truly, Burger King's there. They publicized it!!

The poignant scene was when Stark realized that the weapons that he manufactured eventually did harm to humankind. "I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them," he said. That was when he decided to call an end to the weapons manufacturing division.

One scene I found gruesome - much to D's disbelief and retort - was when the Ark Reactor to Stark's heart was detached revealing a hole in his chest, and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) had to dig her hand into the hole where the heart was supposed to be. Of course I know it was fake, but I just couldn't bear the imagination of me having a hole in my own chest - a vivid picture in my mind during that particular scene.


Robert Downey Jr had portrayed very well as Stark / Iron Man. I was actually very skeptical about him, after starring as the ***SPOILER*** villain in U.S. Marshalls, serious-and-not-very-funny investigator in Zodiac, and another villain in The Shaggy Dog (he was indeed funny in this one though). However, in Iron Man, he was humorous, glamorous, and romantic... but also, lonely. After watching this movie, I felt that Downey fit the role quite well.

I would give a nine (out of ten) for this. And, I am looking forward to its sequel - I'm sure there would be. Which Marvel's superhero movie blockbuster did not have sequels?

And, if you are really watching it in cinema, wait till the end credits are over. If the cinema personnel chases you out, spend the end-credit-rolling time arguing with him - yell at him, "I pay for every second of the movie!" You'll indeed get paid off.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Haha, I agree with you on the "Pepper-putting-her-hand-into-his-hole-in-his-chest" scene. It was disgusting. :)

Yeah, me and B were laughing our heads off at those 2 same scenes!!! I pity his car...and the grand piano! XD

Anonymous said...

u forgot to mention that i was explaining some of the important stuff about the character so u could understand better... =p

David Chan said...

Haha... yeah... thanks... :-P :-b

Second round tonight!! Whoo whoo!!!

Ian Ling said...

Haih