ajperez81

7/10

Spoilers

Many things that don't make sense: – How does one live with a huge hole on his chest? Is he inmortal? – How does one survive a high altitude fall into the sand, with no protection? He _is_ inmortal. – Why would Obadiah want Tony Stark murdered? After his kidnapping and change of heart, sure, but _before_? He is the golden goose... even Obadiah admits it so! – Also, why would he keep the incriminating video messages on the company server? For a criminal mastermind, he's pretty dumb :joy: – Why is Tony breathless and weak when the chest thingie is off? The magnet is supposed to stop the sharpnel inside his body from reaching the heart... it's not powering the heart itself! – By the way, how does a magnet near the heart stop sharpnel from reaching the heart? Doesn't the magnet _attract_ the metal? Closer to the heart? – Isn't there anything else in the human body that could get pierced by sharpnel and kill you? Lungs, liver, stomach, arteries... :rolling_eyes: – Why does the generator run out of power? 20%, 15%... it's a generator, not a batery! Anyway, good movie, fun to watch without thinking too much... and great start for the Marvel Universe, who would have thought all that was to come after this? :nerd: (Not Terrence Howard, that's for sure :zany_face::joy:)

TatskyNuki

6/10

Spoilers

Like the very much anti-imperialist slant Iron Man is somewhat going for, but I do find it a bit confused. Tony Stark realizing his weapons are just propagating the terrorism from home and how the US generates the war effort from weapon manufacturers, but it still has a messy lens from Bush-era politics of intervening still because "it's personal", where it seeps in somewhat as a creator mad at its misuse because it's on his conscience (Gulmira is a personal attachment from Yinsen and his weapons are still being misused), rather than a climb to sanity towards the tools of destruction, although it does go a few steps forwards on this, and it's one person rather than the military. Still an imperialist justification innit? I like how Stark is confronted character wise on his arrogance, but it doesn't get rid of his smarminess and it makes him mostly unlikable for me even with scenes with Pepper that are heartfelt. At least he's called out for it, dumbly trying to right himself and the film exposits it as a messy road with consequences despite his well-intentions (he almost gives Obadiah tools of even bigger destruction if he wasn't there to intervene in the end). Pepper really showcasing the weird, awkward, and slightly yikes power gap in the relationship of an employer and their employee. I get that the movie lampshades this by having Pepper literally point it out, even trying to close the power gap a bit with how he "wouldn't even be able to tie his shoes" without her, giving her quitting more possible weight to the other firing her, but it's still weird! The few soundtrack choices are excellent (Suicidal Tendencies... perfection), but the score itself is weak as hell. I don't know a single musical score for a film from Ramin Djawadi that was ever any good, the closest being Pacific Rim and that wasn't even all him (Tom Morello helped out on a few notable songs)! Only good stuff is for TV a la Prison Break, Game of Thrones, or Westworld, and the last one is mostly orchestral covers even if they're used well. Maybe it's because he doesn't put up much of a fight with directors like Favreau when it comes to temp tracks in film? Not sure. Still very weak, impossible to note. Even for the scenes' use it's very disappointing, barely adding anything save for the strings coming through in the mix at very predictable times for something "epic". It's so nice to see a film that isn't grey as fuck color grading, but also the nighttime itself isn't that pretty. I don't need CG lens flares but it's too muted for the most part. There are pretty shots like the "Jericho" presentation and Iron Man falling down from a tank shot, and the IMAX Enhanced version does add a bit more depth to some shots like the mountains. Not that huge of an improvement, but noticeable! CG is also great for the most part save for some spotty parts in the end (bobbing head with Obadiah), but the Iron Man suit... master class. I think the film is mostly well shot for action pieces, but other than the last fight and the mass explosions of the weapons at the end of the first act, I wasn't super impressed. Felt like the action was just underbaked in terms of how it's showcased and written, or maybe my bar is too high. It's neat though to see gadget-y things like the targeting in the hostage situation. At least it's not CUT CUT CUT. For a film that's clearly trying to stay away from an R rating, laughing really hard at the... "interesting" POV from the bus in the last fight to look visually stimulating. Iron Man gets hit into the bus, and the cut into the view from the bus gives visual information that somebody is looking outside AT him, implying there are people in there... and then the bus is blown up with no bodies. The explanation comes earlier, there's a scene with people mass evacuating from the bus, but I think it's interesting visual confusion. Top tier performance from Jeff Bridges. The meme of a box of scraps is probably because it's such a killer performance of the line. I also like RDJ, Paltrow, and Howard, really funny in particular to hear Howard say "humanitarian" so loudly, a parallel to Bridges calling the peaceful people "hippies", performances really hammering in that point. Bridges is so good in a villainous role. Breath of fresh air to have a MCU film that isn't wall to wall in quips. My sister pointed out that the quips are mostly from RDJ, while the rest are mostly visual gags like harsh cuts, which is my fav humor in the film tbh. I love the setup-punchline of it ("No I won't be drinking...." 1 harsh cut later and he's completely drunk), wonder if that's what Favreau is known for. The quips are also characterized, where RDJ is more of reactionary quipping as he's clearly not in full control ever (constantly missing timelines, emotionally wrecked internally, etc.). I don't think quips on their own are bad. Think facing adversity with humor is just a very human thing in general (a la Rhodes with "how was the Fun-vee?"), but I also think it's better that it's rare instead of all the time. Frankly would've edited that entire scene of Iron Man saving the military guy with his parachute out of the film. It's tonally confused in the concept of him trying to run away from the military/going rogue by himself, and it barely gets any weight so the payoff is worthless. I'm totally up for superheroes saving the common guy, there's a funny moment after saving the people in Gulmira with leaving the person responsible for gunning them up without his gun, in the middle of a crowd that's absolutely going to do some avenging (hehe), but you can't make the military trying to shoot him and then "help save me" the next second. To sum it up, messy anti-imperialism theming but mostly decent film with a good character direction for Tony Stark. Rewatched on Disney+, IMAX Enhanced Edition

Manuel São Bento

0/10

The true miracle of Iron Man isn't just that it launched the biggest cinematic franchise of all time - it's that it works so well on its own terms. Made without a finished script and relying heavily on actor improvisation, the film somehow emerges as a cohesive, emotionally resonant origin story that still holds up nearly two decades later. Robert Downey Jr. doesn't just play Tony Stark; he *is* Tony Stark, embodying a character arc that transforms a narcissistic billionaire into a man of purpose with surprising nuance and authenticity. His natural wit, emotional intelligence, and lived-in charm carry the movie, but it's the grounded direction - practical suits, real locations, restrained CGI - that gives Iron Man its timeless grit and weight. The first suit-up scene alone remains one of the most satisfying moments in the entire MCU. Jeff Bridges gives Obadiah Stane just enough calm menace to make his escalation feel earned, even if predictable. And Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts deserves more credit - not just as the emotional anchor to Tony's chaos, but as an active player in his survival. The emotional beats - from Yinsen's death to the rescue in the desert, from "don't waste your life" to "it's going to be okay" - hit harder than expected, enhanced by a surprisingly effective score. Iron Man remains a testament to character-first storytelling, and even after 30+ entries, it still comfortably sits in my MCU Top 10. Rating: A

The Peruvian Post

0/10

When director Jon Favreau and Sarah Halley cast Robert Downey Jr, they glimpsed something magnificent: a more-than-skilled actor who faultlessly portrayed the role of Tony Stark. Despite Favreau's initial decision in choosing a fresh face, he ended up delighted due to his charismatic, natural and comfortable attitude. He did not realise it yet, but he was moulding with the right measures a whole superhero cinematic universe which lasted until today and still goes for more. The filmmakers took the proper time to introduce a character whose production was undecided since New Line Pictures argued that the main character [Iron Man] had no potential to be brought up to the theatres. Therefore, planning from scratch a prosperous superhero who was not related to the typical Fantastic Four, X-Men or Spider-Man [famous superhero films of the 2000s] was quite a challenge. However, the director unquestionably demonstrated his skills at the visual effects, the rock metal music, the accurate dialogues for each moment and finally, the remarkable development of each persona. How exactly? Establishing the visual effects of a high-speed-altitude enthusiast was marvellous, considering the time of the creation. The way Favreau adjusted the Iron Man gave numerous innovative perspectives of a superhero while in battle. If we first watched the 'Spidey Sense', then it was time to behold the flying upper and upper. What an achievement ladies and gentleman! Taking into account the sound effect, it was splendid in every single way because it gave decent time to evoke emotions, from sadness to awesomeness, it permitted to feel the sensation of building a strong armour or flying as fast as possible. Man! That AC/DC hard rock music was well-defined to this fascinating character. Did I mention that Downey's son is growing on music? He has a band, and it's called "The Dose Band". Just watch the School of Rock's report. Probably there is where the influence came by. On the other hand, this film gives such iconic quotes which will live on our memory: "Is it better to be feared or respected?", "Sometimes you gotta run before you can walk", "I am Iron Man". WOW! What potential we have got here! Finally, but not least, the impeccable action scenes and drama ones were the highest achieves Iron Man had got. The sequence in the cavern traped with Dr Yinsen serves to the protagonist time to reflect on himself and the responsibility he has in protecting the world against high-tech diseases. Plus, the very unusual but gorgeous chemistry between Tony Stark and his secretary/companion Pepper Potts is another striking feature which is not considered at all was. When Kevin Feige, the current president of Marvel Studios, was asked about his desition about casting Gwyneth Paltrow he confessed the following: "Gwyneth is the embodiment of a leading lady. She brings intelligence, poise and an incredible range of talent to this role". Throughout the movie, these two characters happened to be facing their professional and sentimental relationship naturally owing to the Iron Man. The way Pepper Potts clings on to the fact that his beloved boss is in troublesome scenarios, it's just pure tenderness and shows how much potential this couple has. The cast assuredly introduced not only convincing performances but strong characters which will be handy for the following Marvel instalments, just watching Jeff Bridges as the badass Iron Monger is superb! The film producer nailed it! If someone asked me about the flaws it has presented, probably I would say the dark tone, some petit explicit scenes (bearing in mind there are children as spectators) and the lack of sense of humour at times. Still, it is mostly pure perfection. [83/100]

The Peruvian Post

0/10

When director Jon Favreau and Sarah Halley cast Robert Downey Jr, they glimpsed something magnificent: a more-than-skilled actor who faultlessly portrayed the role of Tony Stark. Despite Favreau's initial decision in choosing a fresh face, he ended up delighted due to his charismatic, natural and comfortable attitude. He did not realise it yet, but he was moulding with the right measures a whole superhero cinematic universe which lasted until today and still goes for more. The filmmakers took the proper time to introduce a character whose production was undecided since New Line Pictures argued that the main character [Iron Man] had no potential to be brought up to the theatres. Therefore, planning from scratch a prosperous superhero who was not related to the typical Fantastic Four, X-Men or Spider-Man [famous superhero films of the 2000s] was quite a challenge. However, the director unquestionably demonstrated his skills at the visual effects, the rock metal music, the accurate dialogues for each moment and finally, the remarkable development of each persona. How exactly? Establishing the visual effects of a high-speed-altitude enthusiast was marvellous, considering the time of the creation. The way Favreau adjusted the Iron Man gave numerous innovative perspectives of a superhero while in battle. If we first watched the 'Spidey Sense', then it was time to behold the flying upper and upper. What an achievement ladies and gentleman! Taking into account the sound effect, it was splendid in every single way because it gave decent time to evoke emotions, from sadness to awesomeness, it permitted to feel the sensation of building a strong armour or flying as fast as possible. Man! That AC/DC hard rock music was well-defined to this fascinating character. Did I mention that Downey's son is growing on music? He has a band, and it's called "The Dose Band". Just watch the School of Rock's report. Probably there is where the influence came by. On the other hand, this film gives such iconic quotes which will live on our memory: "Is it better to be feared or respected?", "Sometimes you gotta run before you can walk", "I am Iron Man". WOW! What potential we have got here! Finally, but not least, the impeccable action scenes and drama ones were the highest achieves Iron Man had got. The sequence in the cavern traped with Dr Yinsen serves to the protagonist time to reflect on himself and the responsibility he has in protecting the world against high-tech diseases. Plus, the very unusual but gorgeous chemistry between Tony Stark and his secretary/companion Pepper Potts is another striking feature which is not considered at all was. When Kevin Feige, the current president of Marvel Studios, was asked about his desition about casting Gwyneth Paltrow he confessed the following: "Gwyneth is the embodiment of a leading lady. She brings intelligence, poise and an incredible range of talent to this role". Throughout the movie, these two characters happened to be facing their professional and sentimental relationship naturally owing to the Iron Man. The way Pepper Potts clings on to the fact that his beloved boss is in troublesome scenarios, it's just pure tenderness and shows how much potential this couple has. The cast assuredly introduced not only convincing performances but strong characters which will be handy for the following Marvel instalments, just watching Jeff Bridges as the badass Iron Monger is superb! The film producer nailed it! If someone asked me about the flaws it has presented, probably I would say the dark tone, some petit explicit scenes (bearing in mind there are children as spectators) and the lack of sense of humour at times. Still, it is mostly pure perfection. [83/100]