register |  login
› ARVADA
Loading Ad
Visit Other Hubs:
ADVERTISEMENT
Loading Tower
RECENT STORIES

Uncle Bob's movie reviews - Iron Man

Contributed by: Bob Hudson on 5/9/2008

IronMan takes the superhero/comic book genre to dizzying new heights and scores a cinematic home run!

Once and for all the insulting quips and 1960s camp humor that have plagued the Batman series are gone. Gone are the cardboard cutout characters and torturously sarcastic bad guys like Gene Hackman's embarrassing version of Lex Luthor from the Superman films. These characters have depth, realism and true dimension - just as you'd expect from any other dramatic interpretation of a written work. The fact that they're pulled from comic books is incidental.

Jon Favreau directs this film from a respectful standpoint. His aim is clearly to bring life to a favorite character whom his viewers have loved since childhood. He does this with panache, warmth, humor and passion. With the help of Robert Downey Jr's formidable acting talents, Favreau breathes life into Tony Stark and gives us a perfectly plausible and reasonable introduction to Ironman as a fully fleshed-out character who is a reaction to political upheaval in our modern world.

The context is firmly established and not glossed over - Ironman exists for good reason. Tony Stark has created Ironman for the same reasons Dirty Harry shoulders his pistol and wears his badge. The world's a screwed up place and this is his way of taking out the trash. You root for him.

Downey is brilliant. He grabs the character of Tony Stark with both hands and rewrites him in three dimensions. He's flawed, he's arrogant, he's rich, vapid and oily. You want to slap the martini out of his hand and spank him. Without spoiling the film's premise, Stark faces his inner demons (as Downey did on a personal level) and comes out the other end of the tunnel retaining his bad boy charm but with new depth and focus. He discovers his soul ... and you cheer him on.

He creates his version of top cop with infectious enthusiasm.

From there the film moves into Sci-Fi Action Thriller with the most flawless special effects imaginable. As a viewer you're pulled in without the slightest concern that anything you see on screen might not be absolutely real. Favreau pulls out all the stops for gritty, high-tech, jaw-dropping realism. He brings a little kid's imagination while reading a favorite comic book into fully realized adult reality. The cool factor is off the charts as Favreau integrates fantasy and science fiction into the real world so seamlessly that there's no question on the viewer's part. Ironman is real.

Once that reality is firmly established the film takes off like a rocket on a joyride and you're in the front seat yelling "Yee Hawwww!!"

The bad guys are scary but human and complicated. The good guys are lovable and Gwynneth Paltrow is an adorable gem. Jeff Bridges sneaks up with good old boy charm like a Pit Bull wagging his tail to get you closer to his teeth. The action scenes are cinematic widescreen at it's finest. Yes, it's a comic book brought to life but it's done with brilliance, intelligence and warmth. The dialogue is adult but the core is Gee Whiz.

Ironman is a 2 hour grin. Get lots of popcorn.

I'd have to give this movie a solid "A". It's that much fun!



SUBMIT COMMENT

Rate the above story



Current Rating
Based on 2 user ratings.

Talk Back : submit comments to the story

*Note: you need to log-in to add a comment or rating.

Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
Submitted By: Stan Dyer
posted on 5/9/2008 @ 2:31:52 PM
Rated Story
I agree. The movie rocks!
[Report as objectionable]
Submitted By: Rudy Sherman
posted on 5/9/2008 @ 12:03:27 PM
(Not Rated)
Now here is an articulate review that actually makes me want to see this movie! Sounds like a lot of fun! I look forward to more of "Uncle Bobs" movie reviews!
[Report as objectionable]
Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Bob Hudson

Arvada , CO

Bob Hudson has posted 8 stories and 1 comment since joining on 9/18/2007. Bob Hudson 's average story rating is 5.
SAVE AND SHARE THIS STORY
STORY RSS FEEDS
WANT TO WRITE FOR YOURHUB.COM?
Want to see the stories you write and the photos you shoot featured in the YourHub.com Thursday print section available all over the Front Range and with home subscriptions of the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post? All you have to do is register, then post a story or column, start a blog or tell everyone what events are happening in town. We will print the best stories, columns, event listings, photos and blog entries in our print sections.

ADVERTISEMENT
Loading Ad

Loading Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Loading Ad

This YourHub.com community is produced by The Denver Newspaper Agency
Web Development and Channel Analytics provided by Indigio

terms of use //  privacy policy
the staff //  advertise //  help & faq
buy photos