Movie Review – Iron Man (2008)
With the highly anticipated release of The Avengers in two weeks, it’s time to review the previous Marvel superhero movies that culminate into The Avengers.
First on the list is 2008′s hit movie, Iron Man.
Iron Man tells the story of how Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey, Jr.), wealthy inventor, engineer and CEO of Stark Industries, becomes the Iron Man. He goes from being a millionaire womanizer and playboy into a masked superhero.
Iron Man beings with Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) showing off the latest of Stark Industries’ weapons to military officials in Afghanistan. The missile, nicknamed “Jericho,” is capable of an incredible amount of damage spread out over a large area. We see an example of the Jericho missile as it launches and destroys nearly half a mountain in a massive display of firepower.
Tony Stark’s logic seems simple: Bring a bigger stick to the fight and nobody is going to challenge you. His latest weapon is shown to be a success.
While riding in a humvee with some soldiers, the convoy is ambushed by a terrorist group called Ten Rings. They kill all the soldiers, and Tony Stark is critically wounded in the attack. It takes some emergency surgery in a cave network to save his life. The only way to save Tony Stark’s heart from the shrapnel is with an electromagnet built directly into his chest.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
The man who saved Tony is Dr. Yinsen (Shaun Toub), another captive of the Ten Rings terrorist organization. After waking from his surgery, Tony Stark learns that the Ten Rings leader wants him to build them one of his Jericho missiles. Initially refusing to build it, Tony is tortured until he reluctantly agrees.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
With the help of Dr. Yinsen, Tony Stark uses scrap weapons and begins to work on the massive project. Unknown to the terrorists, Tony instead plans on building a massive powered suit and not the Jericho missile. He reasons that the powered suit is the only way that he and Dr. Yinsen can safely escape as the terrorists would most likely kill them after he builds them a Jericho missile.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
Tony Stark and Dr. Yinsen first build an electric generator called an arc reactor. The incredibly powerful power source is a miniature version of one that powers Stark Industries. They then quickly construct the powered suit, but time is ticking as the terrorists begin to suspect that something is amiss.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
When the terrorists finally attack, Tony is ready. Dr. Yinsen sacrifices his life fighting them and buying Tony more time to power up the suit. When it’s ready, Tony launches an all-out attack on the terrorists, beating and killing all who stand in his way. After fighting them outside the cave, he uses his rocket engines to fly away to safety. He’s later rescued by his friend, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes (played by Terrance Howard), and transported to a local air base.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
After returning to safety, Tony Stark issues an immediate press conference. There he makes the stunning announcement that Stark Industries will no longer produce weapons, the company’s primary product. This announcement shocks the reporters along with the company’s number two man, Obadiah Stane (played by Jeff Bridges). For Stark, this is more of a personal vow. When the convoy of American soldiers was attacked, he noticed that the terrorists were using weapons furnished by Stark Industries. In other words, the very weapons produced by his company were being used to kill American soldiers.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
Upon returning home, Tony Stark begins work on a new arc reactor and powered suit. In one particularly interesting scene he has his assistant, Virginia “Pepper” Potts (played by Gwyneth Paltrow), swap his original arc reactor for a more powerful one. She later mounts his original arc reactor in a display and presents it to Tony. In the meantime, Tony develops and test flies the second version of his powered suit, going as far as taking a joy ride in the night sky over southern California.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
A reporter later informs Tony Stark that weapons furnished by Stark Industries, including Jericho missiles, have been given to the Ten Rings terrorists, and Dr. Yinsen’s home town have been under attack. Tony dons the latest version of his powered suit and flies halfway around the world. Once in the town in Afghanistan, Tony kicks ass against the terrorists, neutralizing them and destroying their weapon compound.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
While flying back home, Tony Stark is intercepted by two F-22/A Raptor fighter aircraft. While dodging them, Tony is forced to call his Lt. Col. Rhodes and tell him that he’s the one in the suit, revealing his secret identity. He then successfully escapes the U.S. Air Force and flies home.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
Back at home, Pepper walks in as Tony Stark is changing out of his powered suit, and she discovers his secret identity. On the other side of the world, members of the Ten Rings discover the remains of Tony’s first powered suit out in the desert. They give Stane the material, and he has his men kill the last of the terrorists. Stane then takes the parts to have them reverse-engineered and constructed into a new powered suit, something bigger and badder than Tony’s current suit.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
But that’s just part of the thrilling story of 2008′s Iron Man.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
Along the way we’re introduced to agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.), and Tony Stark has his epic confrontation with Stane in his powered suit. It’s a massive battle as Tony finds a way to outwit Stane and defeat his bigger and better powered suit.
Iron Man was the first of a series of films designed to introduce us to the grouping of superheros in the upcoming movie, The Avengers. Instead of releasing The Avengers first, the film makers decided to instead release individual movies to introduce the characters. One of the neat things is that you’ll notice little things that connect each movie, such as Captain America’s shield in Tony Stark’s laboratory, and the introduction of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson, who also pops up in other movies.
Iron Man (2008) – (c) Paramount Pictures
At the end of the credits in Iron Man we’re treated to an additional scene. Tony Stark returns home only to be greeted by S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson). Fury informs Tony Stark that he’s not the only super hero in the world, and that he wants to discuss something known as the “Avenger Initiative.”
Iron Man (2008) – movie trailer #1
When Iron Man was first released, I had doubts as to how well it would preform in the theater. From the previews it just looked like yet another super hero movie. But once I saw the movie for the first time, I’ve been hooked.
Iron Man (2008) – movie trailer #2
I really like the way that they’re doing the Marvel super hero movies these days. Iron Man was a fantastic movie and just a ton of fun. The folks at Marvel Studios just did an excellent job with this movie. Yes, the movie does have a few minor annoyances here and there, but as a whole it works.
Iron Man (2008) – movie trailer redone with clips of the 1960′s The Invincible Iron Man cartoon
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Black Sabbath – “Iron Man” music video
And of course, thanks to the movie the Black Sabbath “Iron Man” song is very popular once again.
Pepper Potts (walks in on Stark’s robots trying to get him out of his powered suit) – “What’s going on in here?”
Tony Stark – “Let’s face it, this is not the worst thing you’ve caught me doing.”