Note: This story will be tacked at the top of the front page until Sunday Night…
So you’ve seen Robert Downey Jr. in action as the man beneath the robotic metal suit. Movie critics are calling Iron Man not only the best comic book movie of all time, but the best movie of the year so far. But I want to know…
What Did You Think?
Voice your opinion in the comments below!
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
It was better than I ever thought it would be. Even after all the clips and footage I saw online, the film was so much more than everything that was spoiled ahead of time.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Went to see the special screening in Santa Monica last night at the Aero, and not only was Favreau there, Robert Downey Jr stopped by! All and all a badass night, and I have to say, the movie was gang-busters. There are a couple small, really small nitpicks for me, basically just that it was a little “too” pop-corny, but regardless, head and shoulders above so many comic movies, I just wish the next one would come out NOW. Bring on Acadamy Award winning The Dark Knight!
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I had really huge expectations and was still blown away by Downey’s performance as Tony Stark. They need to go into production on a sequel, RIGHT NOW!
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Was nice to see Iron man finally getting his due. was always one of my fave comics. Hopefully they won’t incorporate the alcoholism angle into the films.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Jerry: I disagree - Demon in a Bottle is perfect for the sequels, just as much as Spider-Man No More was perfect for the Spidey sequels. It makes sense.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Saw it twice in a twelve hour period yesterday. Once at a tech screening, and then the midnight show. Seeing it in such short period like that didn’t kill its awesomeness at all. Iron Man is easily the best of the Marvel movies, and all I can really say is that I hope they incorporate the entire universe to exist together, as it should be. The entire cast of this movie were excellent, and the effects were nothing short of brilliant. Even that really horrible CG clip from the Super Bowl commercial looked a million times better on the big screen.
Jerry: No alcoholism? Isn’t that how they get Rhodes into the suit, and isn’t that why EVERYONE thought Downey Jr. would be best for the role? It seems to me like Stark’s alcoholism is a huge part of his character arc and is a great story to be developed for the sequel.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I felt it lacked the intense action scenes I was expecting going in, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved Robert Downey as Tony Stark. He made the movie. And agreed - Demon in a bottle would be great for the sequels.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I enjoyed it. It was similar to the original Spiderman in that it was 75% backstory and lacking in action. It’s good to get that stuff out of the way so the sequel can be wall-to-wall asskicking. Downey was great, but the real surprise to me was Jeff Bridges… I had no idea he was in the film until my wife nudged me and excitedly said “That’s the Dude!” Good times.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:24 pm
My family took me out last nigt to this for my birhtday and it did not disappoint. Very awesome, couple of nitpicky things but I put it up there with the first Spiderman. Actually, it was better. I agree with Anthony and Ironmonger, demon in the bottle would be perfect! He’s just a regular guy, no super powers like Batman. Can the Dark Knight top this?
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
This was hands down the best superhero movie ever made. It met and surpassed every expectation I had for it. If this is how Marvel Studios is going to make comic book movies, I think we have a lot to look forward to in the future.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Saw the sneak peek on thursday. I, like Flimmaker89, was actually impressed that they did not spoil the entire movie for me in the trailers. There are bits and pieces that you do not expect and that made the movie very enjoyable for me.
While I do not think the Tony Stark character has the potential level-of-sympathy that comic book characters Peter Parker or Clark Kent have, Fergus and Ostby’s script really developed Tony Starks personality and made the audience care about Tony’s plight to build and pilot the super armor that we call Iron Man. That well-crafted character development is what most comic-book movies are missing.
The movie does have some flaws in places but over all Iron Man is a solid adaptation and I highly look forward to seeing the sequel in 2 or 3 years.
In the words of my own girlfriend… “Iron Man is a fun action film with a bit of heart and intelligence”
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I’ve seen it twice now and plan on seeing it probably three more times (various friends, etc.) before Monday. I totally agree, Iron Man is the best of the genre and lays an incredible foundation for the next two films in the trilogy. I can’t say enough about the cast and what an incredible job they all did, but especially RDJ - he is Tony Stark in my mind now and I can’t imagine anyone playing the character better. Heck, I would even say that RDJ made Tony an even better character than he was in the comics and how many times have we been able to say that?
The thing I really found amazing about IM was the credibility, unlike any other comic book movie before it, IM felt so real. Like this could actually happen, maybe not today, but soon. Like other “garage builders” before him, Stark saw a need and built a solution himself, using his own hands. That was a very refreshing angle and unexpected realism that really added to the effect of the movie.
On the subject of “Demon in a Bottle”, I think it would be a crime NOT to explore that story arch. Imagine RDJ playing a drunken hero and all the drama that could be explored by doing so, alcoholism is a real problem and it’s about time these films started dealing with real problems in addition to the fantastic ones. I for one think this would be brilliant, to mix the genre with the drama. That could be something we’ve never seen before - maybe, just maybe even an Oscar worthy performance in a comic movie?
Congratulations to Marvel Studios on their first outing! Well done.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:33 pm
As both a comic retailer (Isotope - the comic book lounge in San Francisco) and a life-long Iron Man fan, I gotta say I’m kind of pissed that these Hollywood scriptwriters serve up a better Tony Stark than he has ever been written in the comics.
Nice job giving us a great movie… but screw them for making us look bad!
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Did not disappoint. Saw it last night. Awesome!
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I’ll say this: It held it’s own and gave respect to the audience and the comic book nerd alike. Solid flick.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I loved it. Great fun.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I was much more impressed with this than I expected. Good to see Jeff Bridges. Gwenyth’s chemistry with RDjr was amazing. and romantic, but not cheesy at all. They seemed to genuinely enjoy each other, and that came across well onscreen.
Robert Downey Jr owned the role. He was funny, sarcastic, bitchy, defiant, joyous, and hundreds of other adjectives. The special effects were seemless, and the translation of the suit from comic to film is the best I’ve seen. It even had a few ‘geek out’ moments for the comics readers, and the crowd I saw it with applauded and cheered more than once.
I will gladly pay to see this again, most likely tomorrow or sunday.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Thought it was great. The ending was not what I would have expected it t be but still good nevertheless. The post-credit teaser was awesome as well. It definitely stirred up a lot of chatter and cheering about an Aveingers movie, however I think that it was just meant to do exactly what it did - make people go crazy! RDJ was awesome.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Thought it was great. Best comic book based movie in quite a while.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:01 pm
It was wonderful. I felt great after it was over. You know I didn’t feel cheated out of my money.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:01 pm
A+ Best comic book movie yet…hoping that The Dark Knight is ever better!
I’d give a detailed review, but I’m in the middle of finishing a final due at 6…so I shouldn’t even be on /film.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:11 pm
@IronMonger I highly doubt they’ll bring in the alcoholic aspect of Stark… they’re trying to keep it family oriented. Having a superhero with a huge drinking problem just screams at the impressionable kids and the studio probably realizes that. Even in the PG-13 direct to DVD avengers movies he hardly drank.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Fantastic! Just got back. First thing on my list today.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:22 pm
It’s already reported by Favearu that they will bring in the alcoholism into the next sequel which will allow Rhodes to become War Machine, and a third film to bring about the Mandarin if possible. Everyone is just on standby signed for the two sequels.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
action does not make a movie good. character is and always will be the most important part of a movie. favaeru knows this and put a lot of great character development into this movie and it payed off big time. this movie is excellent. hopefully the sequels continue developing the characters and don’t fall into making them just balls to the wall action because the character development is “out of the way”.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
it was really solid… but for me, I think it could’ve been sooo much more.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
it was really solid… but for me, I think it could’ve been sooo much more.
agreed
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Robert Downey Jr definitley made the movie……..the special effects helped too lol. One of the best movies ive seen.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Only Question I have is why did the bring in the Avengers tie in at the end. Are they planning a movie before the next sequel or are they gonna do the captain america and thor movies before the avengers movie?
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
It was utterly fantastic.
I think the alcoholism arc should be done next myself, it causes a lot of things to happen and such, so it’d be crazy not to do it. Just wouldn’t make sense.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
By far the best comic book hero adaptation so far. Where the original Batman was dark, this was fun. You got a real sense of adventure from the film and RDJ didn’t disappoint. Amazingly, I even loved Paltrow as Pepper Potts. A lot of great little geek out moments, especially after the credits. As the crowd is leaving the theater, someone started talking about an Avengers movie. There was a shout from the crowd “Ant-man beats his wife”. There was a collective laugh at the shared knowledge among the geeks, but it was topped off by another yell from the crowd. “We ARE GEEKS!” Hilarious.
So we’ll see War Machine in the next one, and possibly Mandarin as well. What will truly excite me is that the Thor movie will go full steam ahead, and the last script I saw puts it right up next to Iron Man.
God bless Robert Downey Jr… god I need a drink.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I’ve seen Iron Man and I was far from disappointed. This has now become my favorite superhero movie of all time! I love it so much I’m tempted to see it again, but I’ll probably wait until the DVD comes out later this year. It did not just match the hype, it exceeded it, largely on the strength of the acting and direction.
My review here:
http://www.photontorpedoes.com/archives/2008/05/iron-man-my-new.php
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Loved the movie. Everything I could have hoped for with a lot of nods at the comics for the geeks. My only complaint is how short the Iron Monger vs. Iron Man fight was.
This particularly bothered me as Stane’s comic book death in Iron Man #200, makes for a staggering ending to one of the greatest “single issues” in the history of Marvel comics.
Can’t wait for a sequel.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I liked it a lot. Possibly even loved it. I’d say it’s top 3 comic book movies for me, along with SM3 and B. Begins.
I really need to see it again though, because the theatre didnt turn the lights off until about 5 minutes into the movie, so with that along with people behind me talking, The Dark Knight Trailer was ruined for me. I was pissed.
Also, it’s the first time i’ve been to an opening night in years. I remember why now…too much talking!!!!!! It’s not your living room people.
THE ONLY thing I thought was weak was the music. Sounded like WWE walkout music.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:24 pm
One of the best superhero movies ever!!! Downey and “The Dude” Bridges were amazing, as was much of the cast. The CG and compositing was spot on.
That said, STAY AFTER THE CREDITS if you want to see Nick Fury and his “Avengers” business.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Like everyone else here… I pretty much loved it
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:52 pm
great all around movie for comic and non comic fans not a spoiler but stay for the hole credits great cast great movie
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:54 pm
My only complaint was that it wasn’t immediately followed by Iron Man 2. I’m also confused on whether they’re going to do sequels, a Captain America and Thor film before an Avengers movie or if the bit at the end is to imply that one will be on the horizon.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:59 pm
top 5 comic book films (IMO, which will soon change after tdk & watchmen)
-spider-man 2
-batman begins
-x-men 2
-ironman
-sin city
ironman is as solid of a movie as they come. the reasons i feel it’s #4:
-obediah vs stark doesn’t touch parker & doc ock, on an emotional or fighting level.
-nolan’s storytelling/execution of origin is the best of any comic film.
-the way singer juggled all the super-characters in x2 has set a standard yet to be matched.
i won’t diss ironman at all. it was fun as hell, downey jr is one of our finest actors ever, and most importantly - it had a kick ass STORY!!! towards the release date, i was getting burnt out on all the mega-marketing around every corner, but oh well - they’re proud of their work, as they should be.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Hey Guys,
I just saw the film in Dublin Ireland and thought it was really really good - one thing that bugged me was that the ‘evil’ suit could fly straight away without any of the development that stark went through.. I think I saw too much of the film, online though before it came out.. still and all it was really good - though I came out of Transformers with more of a wow factor!! bring on the sequel!!
John
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I went with low expectations but I really enjoyed it. It was a very solid, entertaining film and Robert Downey Jr was brilliant in it. The only bad thing I have to say about it is that I thought the fight scene at the end could have been a bit longer, Very good movie though.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
As good as Batmen Begins but not as heavy, of course. As good as Spider-Man 2 although the climatic battle could not measure up to the Spidey-Doc Ock subway clash. At the end my son complained that the movie was too short! The 125 mins had whizzed by for him - proof positive of an engaging film! Robert Downey Jr was superb… an excellent super-hero film, who needs to read comic books anymore?
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I just got back from seeing it two times in a row. It’s just so perfect in every way, and I was a fan of Robert Downey Jr. to begin with. The ending was amazing and during some scenes I was so immersed in the movie I forgot I was watching one. It just seemed so damn real. Arguably some of the best special effects went into that movie too. Two words: Kick. Ass.
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Great movie! Best Marvel based adaption to date. It execeded what I thought it would be. Glad I read yesterday to stay at the end to see Fury. Especially glad it wasn’t Hasselhoff. Even I knew it wasn’t going to be I had the dread that it would be. And Paltrow was pretty hot with long red hair. Bring on #2!
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:13 pm
this movie had never a dull moment, RD jr is tony starkect, GP she was hot in this movie also perfect as Pepper, I could go on with war machine, the military extras from edwards afb…this movie rocked, I was in the movie theater with a bunch of comic geeks (who were insulting every comic movie ever made) it had them clapping….at the end go figure…..
Iron man 2 HULKBUSTER>…….its got to happen
worth the money to go watch it…….10 out of 10…
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:19 pm
If I had to rank the top 5 comic book adaptations (and I am not a fanboy of any of them) I’d go with:
-Batman Begins
-Iron Man
-Spider-Man 2 and X2 tied.
-Spider-Man
Obviously, this is before The Dark Knight and The Incredible Hulk; the former looking awe-striking and the latter looking pretty good.
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:21 pm
IRON MAN was fucking awesome!!!
sorry SPIDEY but IM JUST KICKED
YOUR ASS!!!! can’t wait til’ 2010 for part 2
(and the CRIMSON DYNAMO!!!!!!)
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:39 pm
It was the best comic book film since SPIDER-MAN 2!
Still can’t wait to see THE INCREDIBLE HULK and THE DARK KNIGHT, though…
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Belongs in the top tier of comic book movies, alongside A History of Violence, Sin City, Spider-Man 2 and what’s sure to include The Dark Knight. Absolutely mesmerizing. Does everything a summer movie should do and more.
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
my new favorite comicbook movie. but i did wish rhodes had put on the suit that would have been so cool
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I’m sorry, but it’s not as crazy of a movie as every one makes it to be. It was very well done..but people are treating this like it’s Casablanca. I still think TDK looks more enticing.
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
omg! i just watched this last night and it went above and beyond my expectations!! downey jr. was perfect for this role! this movie was great start to finish. and im definitely excited for the sequel!! and samuel jackson as nick fury!!! am i the only one thats excited for that!?!
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I think this film would have been a little better without seeing any trailers or anything. Most of what was in the trailers was in the film. So there weren’t very many surprises.
Overall I thought it was the best comic book movie.
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
This is easily the best comic book movie since Batman Begins. Every character was likable and fun, the story was cool and the gadgets…oh the gadgets! I did not expect this movie to be as good as it was.
This is what a popcorn movie should be. The Summer Blockbuster season has officially begun with Iron Man.
Oh, and I loved the scene at the end of the credits. Pure genius.
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:45 pm
It was definitely a really good movie. Really funny, really clever, and engaging. The biggest issue was how predictable the conflict and plot were. The antagonists were pretty boring and unoriginal.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:03 pm
MF is my dad wrote:
“I’m sorry, but it’s not as crazy of a movie as every one makes it to be. It was very well done..but people are treating this like it’s Casablanca.”
Iron Man was better than Casablanca.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I just saw it. I’m actually kind of surprised the reviews are so positive. I definitely liked it, but it was only really, really good in short spurts - like whenever he was blowing shit up. The rest of it was pretty typical comic book movie for me. I definitely wasn’t better than Spidey 1 or 2, or X-Men for that matter. It’s a good comic book movie, but it’s certainly not a great movie movie.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Flawless. That´s the word.
Nice written, nice acting…just perfect. Is the best marvel movie.
And one of the best superheroes movie ever…(yet..lol).
Robert Downey is perfect…the guy do serious acting!!! just amazing
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Robert Downey Jr. is an amazing actor and he fits the part like a glove. i thought that the final fight was the weakest part of the movie for me and that him building the first suit was one of the most entertaining things i have seen in a very long time.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:41 pm
AWESOME!!!!
IRON MAN… IS THE NEW SPIDY…
welcome back… Robert…
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Very well done. Favreau did an excellent job maintaining the tone of the flick, start to finish.
I did not feel clubbed over the head with CGI, i.e. episode III, and
unlike other hero films, the romantic angle did not seem tacked on, instead was quite honest and sweet.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
This is the BEST super hero movie I’ve seen in a long time. This is now tied for 1st place with Batman Begins and the original Xmen. (I know 3 movies for 1st place?) I think that Downey is the absolute perfect cast for Tony Starks, and he did an amazing job being the billionaire playboy. What I really loved about the movie is that it’s not some stupid attempt to make the same cliche comic book plot… where the guy becomes a hero, the girl falls in love with him, bad guy takes the girl, he rescues her, and they kiss and live happily ever after. I think they actually did a great job showing who the main character is, and why he is the way he is. Story & character development are mixed brilliantly with a touch of comedy in this flick. I also loved the fact that they didn’t just put random explosions or have something just blow up for no reason. The action was just enough to keep you excited, but not overdone like Spiderman 3… where you’re just trying to fast forward time to skip an action scene. I especially LOVED the cgi effects of the suit and flight scenes. I actually felt like a 10 year old kid reading comics again when I first saw him gear up in the suit… and take the flight.
Like I said before, I think this is one of the best super hero movies… if not THE best. I never write any kind of review for any movies, so trust me when I say it’s good. If you haven’t seen it already, you simply should.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I loved it! its behind BB as my favorite comic book film.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:09 pm
I walked in timid because of the sheer volume of short clips released, I was afraid I had seen the whole film. I was definitely impressed in the end. One of my favorite superhero movies yet. I’ll probably go again tomorrow.
One thing I noted, I like that Tony Stark is one of the few superheroes without a secret identity.
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I couldnt agree more with everyone, A classic solid movie, i was so anticipating this movie and wsant disappointed. the only complaint i think i could have is that it seems that it could have been longer and that maybe a little more fun or exploration could have been had with the suit. cant wait for sequel!.
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Robert Downey jr.’s best performance to date! Gweneth Paltrow was better than i thought she’d be, she was very real. This was a million times better than any of the Spiderman movies because it WASN”T umm CHEESY! It is probably the most realistic comic book hero movie to date and was quite enjoyable. I already had high expectations for the special effects and they were exceeded. But as we all know CGI is at its best when it involves anything metallic as we saw in Transformers. I thought Favreau did a good job except from the beginning to before he builds the 2nd suit i felt the camera was a bit choppy at times. soo…..
From 1 to 10
ACTING: 10!
EFFECTS: 13!
DIRECTION: 9!
STORY:10!
ROBERT DOWNEY JR: 20!
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Thoughts/Criticisms:
-I gotta say that the Trailer is the best thing about this Movie. Whoever edited the Trailer they should hire to Direct the next Movie.
-I don’t know if it’s Gwyneth Paltrow’s character or just Paltrow in general but I found her annoying and real “smiley”, just always smiling. Her performance as the character wasn’t strong enough to make me stop thinking: “She’s married to the Coldplay guy and her daughter’s name is Apple”, which is what I thought basically anytime she was on screen.
-End Fight Scene was pretty weak.
-Agree totally with the comment that the music felt like WWE entrance music.
-I think Marvel is Strong on Costume/Set Design as well as Strong on making the Science of the whole Superhero thing seem somewhat Real/Plausible(By ‘Strong” I mean ‘Often Better than DC’). But I think they can be Weak on Character and both Paltrow & Bridges Characters’ felt 2-D. I mean, I’m not looking for ‘Hamlet’, but they had 2 years to make this thing–being generous–and those 2 Characters just seemed cookie-cutter.
-The movie is Highly Entertaining, but I gotta say that IMO it’s getting Way Way Over-Hyped.
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Jerry to the Biggy Butler
Did you also enjoy RAMBO?
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I really enjoyed watching Stark go through the extended process of his creation. This arguably takes up a large part of the film, but for whatever reason, I could have watched even more of his trials and efforts to put it all together.
Perhaps, it’s like watching a bike/car building show on steroids. Maybe it’s just geeking out on Tony Stark’s computer rigs and AIs. I dunno.
I think I would have liked the story conflict to be a little wider, but I guess that is for another day.
Fun time. Too bad there wasn’t much for a film score among all of the metal riffs.
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I think it’s just a regular movie, it’s insane to give it the honors it’s been given, on the other hand, after seeing this movie I just realized writers don’t have any imagination for comicbook flicks, the new Hulk movie is the same plot as Iron Man, I mean, Iron Man basically had to fight against somebody with his similar powers, isn’t Hulk the same ? Hulk fighting against somebody with the same powers?
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:35 pm
MF is my dad wrote:
“I’m sorry, but it’s not as crazy of a movie as every one makes it to be. It was very well done..but people are treating this like it’s Casablanca.â€
Go watch that freaking march of the penguins….again loser
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:38 pm
I think it’s just a regular movie, it’s insane to give it the honors it’s been given, on the other hand, after seeing this movie I just realized writers don’t have any imagination for comicbook flicks, the new Hulk movie is the same plot as Iron Man, I mean, Iron Man basically had to fight against somebody with his similar powers, isn’t Hulk the same ? Hulk fighting against somebody with the same powers?
hes called abomination one of hulks biggest enemies and stronger than him in normal state..
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I went to see it mainly just for amusement and some time off from all my school work (im in my final year of school). I honestly didn’t expect it to be that good and was expecting to see some sort of crappy, aimed for little kids movie. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. I LOVED this movie. The effects were awesome, the dialogue was funny and it was sophisticated enough that I didn’t feel like an idiot for being a 17 year old girl watching a comic book movie (not that I haven’t seen them before). I highly recommend that you go see it
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Great flick. I was surprised that with all the trailers and clips out there, so much of the movie was new to me.
Maybe I just wasn’t paying close enough attention to the trailers.
Anyway, Thumb gives this two thumbs up.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:52 am
Great solid movie! It was fun (espically with the fun crowd). The sad thing was that the new Dark Knight trailer didn’t play with it.. :(
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:06 am
Iron Man was awesome! I loved the dialogue, everything was very clean cut but still so entertaining. Thumbs way up!
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:28 am
OK….here goes….the movie was better than most comic book movies that came out during the last 10-12 yrs. It was a little too pop corny, the special fx were as real as can get when you think that the animators had to deal with mecha rendering and polished metal surfaces 95% of the time….at other battle scenes, were humans were hurtled thru the air by I.M. the cgi was not renderd all the way thru, and was dissapointing in relation to all the rest of the cgi.
R.D.Jr was sleek and light and a little too sarcastic, but well done….jeff bridges was totally mis cast in this film..should’ve taken someone else for that role.
all in all, a good balance existed between the action scenes and the origin arc of the story…and I didn’t find it boring on 1st view, although 2nd viewing will fast forward some scenes.
I still believe “the dark knight” will be better than Ironman….maybe I like the darker sides of comicdome….
p.s. what is wrong with Samuel L. Jackson???? the guy has turned into a z-side movie whore!!!!! snap out of it, man!!!!
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:38 am
I’m still trying to figure out exactly how I feel about this movie, but I did like it. As a movie it ticked off all the right boxes: great acting, no cheesy special effects, good plot (although a tad predictable). But I was missing something.
Most of the time with movies I love, I come out of the cinema with this giddiness, this movie high. The more I loved the movie, the longer the high lasts. And I wasn’t giddy after this movie. I don’t understand why or how, but I guess I didn’t get as emotionally involved in the movie as I’d normally do.
So yeah: good movie, great comic book adaption, But not a movie I loved.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:01 am
fuck! i don’t want to see downey jr struggling with alcoholism in the next movie. havent we already seen that with downey jr a million times? less than zero? anything he made in the 90s? his actual life.
downey jr was PERFECT. It would seem out of character to me if he bacame an alcoholic. He just plays up this whole perfect american dream cocky billionare playboy. He owns the role. And then weve got him in an iron suit flying around blowing shit up. Everything else is inconsequential. GREAT RIDE.
if i thought about it too much i’d probably come to the conclusion that it was really lacking in writing and logic… but… i didn’t and thus i loved it.
Long live the Robert Downey Jr summer star. Next up: Tropic Thunder.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:12 am
great start to the summer movie season, like everyone else i thought it was great and more props to RDJ
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:42 am
Okay, so I’m kind of drunk, but my roommate and I decided this is fighting for the top spot from Batman Begins. And I’m drunk so thats honest. Enjoy.
May 3rd, 2008 at 3:15 am
Excellently done. I don’t think this movie would’ve been half as tolerable to watch had they cast anyone else in the roles. And the content of the story is timely on so many levels, it would tak e me too long to analyze every issues they touched on (whether they knew it or not).
I will say that my only (and I mean ONLY) gripe with the movie was Gwyneth Paltrow’s portrayal of Pepper Potts. She regresses from smart-as-a-whip assistant who doesn’t take crap from Stark to damsel-in-distress in a blink. And though I would nearly fault the writing on that one, I think it’s partially Paltrow’s depiction of the character that makes Potts a tad less than credible.
But I’m reaching for something bad to say here. Paltrow’s acting, though slightly off-center, is still great. And I nearly didn’t recognize Jeff Bridges, even after the amount of publicity stills and trailers I’d seen him in.
It’s funny, because I want to compare this movie to “Tron”. And no, not because Jeff Bridges is in both. There’s a shared philosophy between both movies, and I’m trying to flesh out the thought in my head right now, but I could just be grasping for something that doesn’t exist. LOL
And I have to say that the scene of him testing out the flight capabilities of the Mark II’s boots was classic. Predictable, but that’s what made it so hilarious!
May 3rd, 2008 at 3:26 am
Watched it on Opening Day in Hong Kong and it was awesome. Packed theatre, and though not all the people understood it, i can tell then had one hell of a time.
For me, hands down the best comic book adaptation ever. Bravo to Marvel studios for not messing this one up. This is going to be an awesome franchise, as long as everyone is back for more!
Cheers,
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:12 am
I find people incredibly entertaining, especially those that have decided several months in advance, that a movie they haven’t seen yet, have no clue about other than the marketing, will be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Isn’t that odd?
Don’t get me wrong, Dark Knight will probably rock and rock hard, but I don’t actually know that yet - since I haven’t seen it.
just thought that was funny.
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:20 am
Best comic movie EVER.
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:24 am
Shit was tits as fuck.
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:29 am
Firstly, directing a movie like this is no small task and there is so much delegating that it must be a herculean task to keep up with it all. Jon Favreau did better than most. That being said, Jon Favreau, like many other blockbuster filmmakers, didn’t realize that in the final cut(whether a period drama or an superhero action flick) it is a believable story that makes the grade. It is easy to be wowed by the robot suit and I also thought Robert Downey Jr’s performance was excellent given the script.
However to compare it to Batman Begins which is far more nuanced, intelligent, and more importantly, believable, is just unfair to Christopher Nolan whose mature, studied approach to Batman is a cut way above this movie. The directors who handle this material best(Nolan and Raimi) are those who understand that the superhero reflects the man and not the reverse.
I thought the movie was good not great.
NITPICKS: btw, did anybody else notice the almost absent sense of time? The terrorists wanted the missile in 2 weeks but then Tony’s actually there 3 months and after Stane gets Tony’s plans he has a working prototype which he knows how to use in like 2 days?! which does not look like any of the plans?? It may seem nitpicky but all of the sudden he had parts to assemble that no one had built. For anyone who has actually built anything in the 3 dimensional world, it’s enough to make you twitch.
Okay, yeah, i’m being nitpicky.
May 3rd, 2008 at 9:12 am
Batman Begins is just a boring stupid pretensious piece of shit. Its the cure of insomnia.
And Iron Man is the best comic book adaptation to movies ever. Everything related with this movie was perfect since the day thay start the cast and go on with the official photos, trailers, and the movie itself. Iron Man is a new classic, compare this with Batman Begins its the same that compare Angelina Jolie with Rosie O´Donnell.
May 3rd, 2008 at 9:15 am
Is it bad for me to still have liked Spiderman 1 more??
Not saying anything bad against Iron Man it just didnt do it for me as much as Spidey did
May 3rd, 2008 at 9:20 am
This is in reply to Anandaman - First, your nitpicks. The time in which he was there making “the bomb” I was taking for Stark and Yin Sen delaying them “we need more time” etc, but honestly, I don’t remember clearly the precise dates mentioned in the movie. As for stane, do remember that he had a WHOLE TEAM of engineers working on it. Tony did everything on his own while Stane had god knows how many people working on it. Also, keep in mind that with the Mark I suit, Tony didn’t have a test run either. He had to just jump in it and kill some terrorists.
Also, to give Favreau back some credit, whereas I understand where you’re coming from with Chris Nolan, Batman Begins is a different animal. Even BB, which I love to death, has its problems. For one, Chris Nolan apparently doesn’t know how to coreograph or shoot a fight scene. Also, anyone familiar with Raz Al Ghul knows that they took some liberties. I think that most people are seeing Iron Man as the most perfect translation of a comic book. I’m only wowed by the robot suit, as you say, because a) it doesn’t look like cgi and b) its fucking iron man! it is my comic book literally brought to life. And no other movie has made me feel like I’m truly watching a comic book as a movie.
I’m also a bit sad that you listed Raimi as a “director who handles this material” Did you see the suckfest that was spiderman 3? I’m actually convinced that raimi is a so-so director with a crazed hardcore fanbase.
May 3rd, 2008 at 9:36 am
Saw it on wednesday, when it premiered here, and I absolutely loved it. I wasn’t too sure about how good this movie would be when I first herd about it, but the trailers got me very excited and this movie definitely did not disapoint!
Funny, clever, good acting, great action!
May 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 am
Best comic adaptation movie ever!!!!!! saw it opening day here in the us and a in houston tx.
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
One of the best superhero movies! Quite possibly THE best, and this is coming from a die-hard Spidey fan. Robert Downey Jr. was FANTASTIC!
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:15 am
it never dragged. never dumb down. edited real nicely. funny at the right moments. amazing cast except terrence howard, he didnt seem the military type. overall, the film was in so much good fun. LOVED IT!
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:17 am
I had ridiculously high expectations when I went into this movie and it surpassed all of them.
It was definetly the greatest comic book movie ever made (at least until Dark Knight comes out ahah). And I will probably be seeing it at least once more in theaters.
There was very little about it that I didn’t love which doesn’t happen that often.
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:44 am
i thought it was great , very mild action but the action scenes they did have made up for the wait. it was funny and good acting and i loved the faverau tricks to have us wanting more like when rhodes(terrence howard) looks at the other iron suit and says next time the crowd went crazy and the last minute shield reference oh i was like heell yea i want the whole shield storylines to come into the iron man universe within the movies it would be awesome
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:24 am
Best comic book movie ever. In fact, Iron Man might gain a spot on my top 5 favorite movies if it holds up to repeat viewing. I’ve always been a huge fan of Iron Man comics, and they did a wonderful job with it. Everything about it was perfect, 100% — I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever.
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:42 am
the very last part where Nick Fury comes out to talk to Tony about the Avengers initiative was so sick hahaha i smell an Avengers movie cooking up hahaha
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:45 am
I’m having a hard time placing this movie. I think it nudges just above Batman Begins and X2 and is just a hair under Spiderman 2 - but that’s only because the subway train fight is one of the greatest action sequences in any film. There’s so much about it that was just so right - the casting, the writing, the directing - and the effects? Growing up on stories like Demon in a Bottle, I never thought I would see a credible live action Iron Man movie. It just looked spot on. Of course there are moments of predictability, but it’s a comic book movie, not Citizen Kane and they managed to make a comic book movie with heart and character. Like a lot of people, I walked out of the theater wishing Iron Man 2 could open next weekend. I’m really intrigued by how they’re going to represent the Mandarin. The ground work is there - the Ten Rings organization - the way Raza twisted the ring on his finger - but is Raza the future Mandarin? Or is the real leader of the Ten Rings yet to be revealed? And just how will they conceptualize the Mandarin? He’s at the top of Iron Man’s rogue gallery, but doesn’t he seem a little silly for a movie so grounded in real world technology? I’m sure Favreau and Co. will find a way to make it work though.
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:48 am
Ironman surpasses The Bible and The Complete Works of Shakespeare combined!!! This may in fact be the start of a New Religion!
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:59 am
does anyone think that Nick Fury will make an appearance in the Incredible Hulk? It seem like the two movies are close enough in time where they could possibly do that. Overall i loved the movie, personally my favorite comic book movie, even tho TDK might change it. RDjr owned the role, he was perfect.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I think there’s a better than good chance that Nick Fury shows up in Hulk. If the rumors are true, we may even see a glimpse of Tony Stark and/or Iron Man.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I’ve seen this movie 5 times now. And yes, it gets better each time
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Not only did they bring justice to an incredibly complex character, but in some ways they surpassed what I’ve read in the comics.
Iron man is a dark character, it’s a dark story, and I can only hope that they explore this in a sequel.
Hands down the BEST comic book adaptation to date. I had tears in my eyes.
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Fantastic movie! Like many are saying, best comic book movie adaptation yet. I just got back from the theater and want to see it again! Wow….just wow…they need to start working on part 2 right away. Paltrow was excellent too! She looked amazing and her role wasn’t over done. Yeah….I need to see this again.
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
fuckin hell, it was just GOOD. you would think it was the second coming judging by some of these comments. its all been done before, and had none of the flair or Spiderman 2 or Batman Begins. it was just solid, good filmmaking, admittedly elevated by the performances.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Awesome. Loved the scene after the credits.
Only wish Jarvis would’ve been a human.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:13 pm
It was amazing. Really good.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:26 pm
RDj is responsible for 99% of the films greatness.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Never have I ever been caught with my mouth wide open during a movie. Never, and with this film I was in straight up awe of the spectacle and character in it. Favreau is great and this movie just further showcases his talent. RBj btw played the character very well. The after credits scene received great applause in my theater. Great set up to a possible Avengers movie.
May 3rd, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I’m sorry but I think it was just okay. There were to many cheesy parts and bad jokes, and the final battle was anti-climactic. This is definitely the most overrated movie I have ever seen.
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:03 pm
On the alcoholism:
- its a major part of the story, bottom line. Let’s please have a few comic films that stay close to the real story.
- the duality of that lifestyle takes a toll.
- it would make for an excellent arc, and a good way for fav & downey jr to develope stark. Not everything is flashy cars & fun parties.
- one of the few things the movie is missing is a true dark side, which would push it from great into excellence.
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I just saw it again. Is it “illegal” for us to chat about the scene after credits?
Obviously there is no legal issues but I don’t know if this is a spoiler friendly post
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Spiderman 2 this was not, however it was still a good to very good movie. The biggest strength was the acting, everybody brought their A game. I think the film could have benefitted from maybe one more set piece, i felt the previews give viewers a good idea of how the money scenes play out. But that minor gripe aside, it was a good movie. RDJ owns as Tony Stark.
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Ya know to be honest with you i thought it was… Amazing. To see RDJ out there is awesome keep it up.. Love Jon Favreau’s cameo in the movie.
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I saw the movie fearful of being disappointed, but i was far wrong. The acting in this movie was what satisfied me the most. Of course Robert Downey Jr. improvisation skills are at all splendor in the movie, but that wouldn’t be enough without the interaction with great actors like Terence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges ( which surprisingly makes a great villain, remember the scene with pepper in the office?).
Another strong point of the film was the special effects because most of them were almost imperceptible. When looking at the flying scenes it felt real, not like I was watching a Pixar movie.
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I actually would only give Iron man about a 7.5, The action was great, it was VERY funny, but it was just a little TOO unrealistic in some parts, and there wasn’t much character development overall. Again, it WAS a good movie, there SHOULD be a sequel, but unfortunately I’m not “Raving†about it like so many others are. Sam Jackson as Nick Fury was Awsome!
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:24 pm
PETER
The DK trailer was attatched to the Iron Man screening I saw today but not to the one I saw Thursday. Whats the deal with that?
May 3rd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
im looking forward to extremis next and more drunkenness.
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Absolutely loved it. I give it a 9.5. I was annoyed at the beginning. They started it, then went back 36 hours, instead of just starting 36 hours before. I guess it made a better start of the movie, but it was lost time when they reshowed it.
But, the rest of the movie was bad ass. Jeff Bridges also did an amazing job. I was so pissed off at his character.
And Gweneth Paltrow is even back in my good graces again. I haven’t liked her in anything that I can think of since Se7en.
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Best comic book movie ever…hands down! I can only justify this by telling you guys that I went to see it with a budy of mine that knows nothing about comics, their for new nothing about Iron Man. He loved it and thought it was worth every penny he spent. He even loved the final bit at the end of the credits though he didn’t understand its meaning. Once I explained it to him he liked it even more because of the future that’s coming for the franchise. Amazing on every level and satisfying to watch. I’m already dreaming about the DVD.
May 4th, 2008 at 12:57 am
Loved it. Well played by everyone and an exciting script.
May 4th, 2008 at 2:59 am
Downey was excellent but the movie was a little stupid.
May 4th, 2008 at 4:21 am
to be frank when i went for the movie i expected something like Fantastic Four (ie: BAD) ….but almost 2 hrs later im scratching off Spiderman off the top spot of all time greatest superhero movies ever!!!!!!!!!! The char build up was top notch,; instead of going for mindless action, they spend good time trying to connect with the audience, (and boy , they did connect)………
the only regret was that (not against the movie,) the theatre bums decided to stop the screening halfway thru the credits, so i MISSED the nick fury appereance!!!!! :(
May 4th, 2008 at 7:14 am
RIDICULOUSLY ENTERTAINING.
I HOPE THE SUCCESS OF THE MOVIE MEANS MORE ROBERT DOWNEY JR., LESS, “MCDREAMY”.
HE TRAINED HIS ROBOT BUTLER TO UNDERSTAND SARCASM?
OH, WESLEY.
May 4th, 2008 at 7:34 am
I am a big comic fan, and I can only say awesome. Well written directed, and the cast was simply incredible. IT was the first time a director didnt try to make changes for change sake and let the charectors “LIVE” as we know them. I agree with many of the poster on this site that they should begin a sequel right away, so they do not lose the vision they currenly have. This is the best adaption of a comic to film I have seen. I noticed kids and adults alike in awe and nothing but smiles afterwards. I felt like a kid again.
May 4th, 2008 at 7:57 am
I saw Iron Man Saturday and I have to admit it is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen!! The story, the flying, the fighting was phenomenom. I really hope Dragonball is going to be good like this.
May 4th, 2008 at 9:32 am
I saw the Iron Man movie Saturday afternoon and I have to say that I enjoyed the movie. There were some parts that actually made me laugh and the action and story line was pretty good as well. The cast members did a good job too. Should have no problem with the 60mil or above opening weekend. It wasn’t the best comic book movie I’ve seen, but it was very entertaining and enjoyable. Iron Man is not a one timer movie. I would pay to see it again. I saw the movie with 4 of my friends and my 12 year old daughter and we all agree that it was a “fun” movie to watch. Very enjoyable.
May 4th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Really good movie all in all. Enough RD jr. ability to plaster over an enjoyable but bit-too-convenient plot line. Would have liked to seen a bit more social commentary regarding the military-industrial complex outside the caricature Team America terrorists. still, very watchable, rock on 2010.
Little concern, hasn’t Hancock already cornered the market for a ‘Demon in a Bottle’ superhero flick!?…
May 4th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Hancock looks RETARDED!!!!
May 4th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
The movie was fantastic!
Robert Downey Jr, has that bad-boy look and attitude, that suits the role of Tony Stark to a T!
This is one time, that we hear of a man made invention, and not genetic mutation, actually, being of much use, IN A GOOD WAY OF COURSE!
The cinematography, the dialogue, the action sequences… wow!
The two iron men combat sequence, reminded me of Transformers, and that was great!
and i am looking forward to the sequel, if Marvel, decides to make one, for sure!!!
5 Stars!
Movie of the Year!!
May 4th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
This was so good that it’s the only movie I want to pay to watch again in theaters. Usually I watch something, and I’ll wait for it to come to cable or DVD. Best comic book based movie so far, IMO. I know nothing about the comic book Iron Man, but this was good, really good. It also had the only bearable and not as cliche romance bit among all the comic book movies I’ve seen.
May 4th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I had some high hopes for this film and thankfully I was not disappointed. I LOVED this movie!!! I’m looking forward to making a second trip.
May 4th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I’m just glad I don’t have to read about Iron Man CRAP anymore. I was going insane with rage.
May 4th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
all 3 spidermans sucked
this movie was AWESOME
May 4th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
MOVIE BLEEDING OBVIOUS #37: Casting is everything in superhero films…
May 4th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
On par with the Spidey movies. So … one of the top two super hero movies out there.
May 4th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
I watched this last night, and walking out, my first thought was “damn… I want one of those”. My second thought was “damn… the wire attaching the power core to the suit was rather thin…”. That just about sums up the movie for me. You really have to be willing to turn off all logic and reason in order to enjoy it, but if you do, its a pretty entertaining if obviously predictable (except the very end) movie. And yeah… Robert downey Jr pretty much carried the movie.
May 4th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I saw Iron Man on the third, not only did I watch it with a couple people i knew but i also watched it with Robet Downey, and favreau. It was an excellent movie; kudos to Favreau Downey Jr. both for an asstounding job and movie.
May 5th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Could have used a little more dark / flawed Stark, to balance out some of the clownishness - which I liked, I was just looking for a little more of the transaition from bastard to hero. As it plays, Stark is comes off as just a charming womaniser and it might have been a real life grown up movie had someone fattened that up a bit.
May 5th, 2008 at 5:02 am
Is it too early to think that a superhero movie be nominated for Best Picture??
May 5th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
iron man was a awsome movie a must see also the best movie so far in 2008 i cant wait for the dvd!!!!!