A superhero movie directed by Jon Favreau and starring Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow? Oddness abounds. I can't say I understand why any studio would bank on this highly talented but commercially moot trio to launch a franchise. But the bravery pays off big time. This team has it in spades. Favreau, working from a screenplay credited to Mark Fergus (Children of Men) among others, sells Iron Man as a surprisingly timely tale of a war profiteer turned moral avenger. Even more impressively, he is not brought down by the impulse to handle this material with a numbing level of seriousness. Downey is as cheeky as ever, making a fool of himself, mocking Iron Man canon blithely, and then saving the world with all the fun and heroism you can want from a comic book avenger.Tony Stark (Downey) is the foremost inventor of modern weapons of war. He is a self-proclaimed merchant of death and a gossip column staple for his misbehavior and womanizing ways. During an on location trial run, he is kidnapped by a terrorist group whose affiliations are purposefully, and appropriately, left murky. In the end, this is more of a film about greed and corruption than it is about world politics. Tony braves three months in captivity before making his daring escape in a metal suit that makes him something close to invincible. Upon his arrival back in the United States, he finds himself reformed. He does not want to contribute to death but instead save lives. He builds an even better suit, after some comically unsuccessful trial runs. With this new technology he sets out to stop those who aim to use his weapons for cruel and violent purposes. He's aided by snippy, flirtatious assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) who lends moral support to her wounded, emotionally frazzled boss. Soon enough she's in on the game and helping Tony to stand up to his own corporation, which has fallen under the control of former mentor Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) and lost its way.
As an origin story, the central narrative is understandably burdened by exposition and development with a very minimal pay off in the film's predictable final showdown. But the groundwork for a very satisfying franchise is laid here. And even when we're watching Tony's early trials and other time consuming scenes that are needed to explain the complex mythology of Iron Man, we're treated to the charm and pluck of Downey. Even when left to himself or forced to act against glitching lab robots, he's a winner. He turns Tony Stark into a morally solid but personally iffy character who does what is right but feels no self-righteous angst over the way he betters peoples lives. Most satisfyingly, he is a character who is not shy about acknowledging how cool the events of the film are. Unlike the savvy, jaded Bruce Wayne or the eternally stone-faced Clark Kent. Tony Stark hoots and hollers as he takes flight for the first time. His discovery mirrors our discovery and we're left feeling like there is a very real, very flawed man hidden beneath that metal suit.
Iron Man is not exactly a revolutionary feature in the Marvel filmography but it's a fun and likable launch pad for a very interesting addition to the cinema heroes of our time. It may be an action adventure film, but it's heart is very much in the tradition of screwball comedy. Downey and Paltrow are smart, ultra flawed star crossed lovers struck down by the complications of their circumstances. It's a sharp twist on the formula that allows for charm and comfort alongside messages about corporate misconduct and modern violence. Favreau has set the tone for something special that is likely to be a long lasting summer tradition.
Grade:B+
