Iron Man (2008)

Name: Iron Man (2008)
Director: Jon Favreau
Released: 2008-04-30
Duration: 126 min

Stephen Orr · Apr 30, 2008

As of Wednesday night, has a 94% Fresh at Rotten Tomatoes....

Brent M · Apr 30, 2008

I've seen several reviews that rank this flick alongside Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins as one of the best superhero movies ever made. The 94% rating at RT certainly helps to corroborate that. I can't wait to see it this weekend.

JonZ · May 1, 2008

James Bs review.He really gives the film alot of praise....

ReelViews Movie Review: Iron Man

Stick around after the credits......
(Rumored mild spoiler)
For the Nick Fury scene

Chris Atkins · May 2, 2008

8.5/10

Likes:

-RDJ as Stark
-Anything involving any suit
-the prologue
-Paltrow in non-action scenes
-Jeff Bridges
-Howard

Dislikes:

-the score
-Paltrow in any action scene
-Stark's one-dimensional transformation (some may say sissification) concerning his company's weapons development
-the suspension of disbelief necessary to believe he could actually develop the first suit in the covert way he did and with the materials he would need

A solid comic book movie, but not one of my all time favorites. I would put it in the same league as the first X-Men or first Spider-Man movies. Nice, fun origin stories but not genre busters. I look forward to the sequel.

JonZ · May 2, 2008

Wow its at 95% at RT. The only other film like this that I can remember such a high rating is The Incredibles.

Chuck Mayer · May 2, 2008

I understand the high rating, but I would bet that The Incredibles (and most Pixar films) was primarily getting it's percentages with 4 star reviews, and Iron Man is doing it with 3 star reviews. Same effect at RT. And deserved.

Iron Man is certainly better than each of the blockbuster event films from last summer (unless you count The Bourne Ultimatum), and it's been a while since there was a BIG FUN film.

Zack Gibbs · May 2, 2008

I thought it was fun and a nice origin story, but I don't get comments like "best comic book movie ever" or "On the level of Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins." It's clearly not, it was good--but light. They have a really solid ground to work with now and I look forward to at least one good sequel.

I'm surprised by this, you said you enjoyed the film, you don't think Favreau had anything at all to do with that? I, like a lot of people, had problems with the direction in Batman Begins, but I sure as hell didn't want the director replaced.

Brett_M · May 2, 2008

Clearly to you, maybe. For me, it is on their level. I know I have no interest in watching Spider-Man 2 ever again. That whole series is sour now.

Superman and X2 have been the high water mark for me and Iron Man easily sits alongside those as one of the best comic book features I have ever seen.

I think what sets it apart from most other comic book films is that all involved in its production took it seriously. The material was well-written. Moreover, there is respect there. It looks great. The performances are uniformly excellent. The film is exuberant . Ghost Rider and Fantastic Four (both of them) pale in comparison -- they are trash. Batman Begins, while tonally the polar opposite, has the same exuberance -- great writing, design, and performances.

Todd H · May 2, 2008

Favreau and Downey hit it out of the park. Best comic book movie I've seen since Batman Begins. More please.

Patrick Sun · May 2, 2008

For me, I enjoyed the directorial tone and effort much more by Nolan on Batman Begins, than Jon Favreau. There's this thing missing in Iron Man, it's the way the action scenes are cut together that don't quite provide tension and suspense given the amount of firepower and capabilities that the suit gives Tony Stark (plus the camera doesn't move as fluidly as I'd like), and even the early escape sequence wasn't shot or put together all that well. Favreau just doesn't quite have the pacing and editing panache to make really gripping cinema to my eyes. Nolan's just operating on a different playing field. I've loved to see what Alfonso Cuaron could do with a nice-sized budget on the next Iron Man.

I didn't like the "world" of Tony Stark when he interacts with the real world, it had the same blandness of the scenes from the Fantastic Four films, it just feels false. It's the little touches that separate films that feel like they are in their own headspace when you watch them, versus ones that are too concentrated in the principle characters, so much so that the rest of the backdrop feels inert and lifeless.

Zack Gibbs · May 2, 2008

I agree about the look of the film, it just doesn't have any style. And I don't think Favreau is the greatest director, he's always been competent but uninspired. I kind of think he just got lucky when Swingers was a hit. Still, he's lightyears ahead of Tim Story IMO, and I know that he's not just a schlock for hire-- from the sound of it he takes great care with his projects.

Also, Favreau was on an episode of Monk a season or two ago as a dentist. He must have weighed 100 pounds more then. So props to him for losing all that weight and finding all that hair.

Stephen Orr · May 2, 2008

Batman Begins is the touchstone, but Iron Man was pretty much equal to Spiderman, in my opinion. I just got back from seeing, and it will hold a proud spot in my movie collection, right next to The Incredibles (on my superhero movie shelf.)

The cameo following the credits was great, although I knew what was coming, just what the Man said was awesome. We can only hope that Marvel will follow through on what that cameo promises.
_______________

Ric Easton · May 2, 2008

Doh! Can someone describe to me in detail what that last scene was? I left too early!

Richard_D_Ramirez · May 2, 2008

JonZ · May 2, 2008

I liked it.

Not as good as Superman, Batman Begins,X2, Spiderman2 or Superman Returns but better than most.

I agree with those saying its about even with the first Spiderman.

Ric Easton · May 2, 2008

Thanks, Richard! Man, I gotta start staying through the whole credits!

Adam Lenhardt · May 2, 2008

Best final line (not counting the post-credits scene I missed) ever. And completely keeping with the tone of the film. I genuinely did not see that coming.

This thing was structurally probably the best superhero movie ever. Every action scene gave you a reason to care about what was going on.The Swiss assistent in the cave, the boy and the father in Afghanistan, the obsolete power generator during the final fight sequence
And the pacing was dead on. Everything played out at exactly the speed it should. I didn't need wall-to-wall action because the stuff going on in between was actually more interesting.

Most importantly, as Chuck said, it was FUN. Last summer was full of bloated popcorn movies that took themselves to seriously. This movie kept it to just the right length and never stopped being fun. I liked every character in this film.

drobbins · May 2, 2008

Just came back from the movie. Great effects! I liked the story, but I thought it could have spend a little more time in the final battle, or had more than one battle with Obadiah. Good movie to take the kids to.

DanielKellmii · May 3, 2008

Don't we need a new thread to review the movie?

It was great. Fun, well paced and it made sense. So much better than Spiderman 3. I am just aggravated because the print or camera was dirty. I spend the extra money to go to a Muvico and still get hair, smudges and dirt. I saw the 10:00 show on the first day, so the print should be nearly perfect!!!

Jose Martinez · May 3, 2008

[sarcasm]Great way of selling the movie![/sarcasm]

I refuse to watch someone else's camcorder recording of the movie (even if it's only that scene)! This movie needs to be seen on the big screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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