A few of us went to go see Ironman the other day and it was a pretty impressive movie. Robert Downey, Jr. does an amazing job playing the self-obsessed billionaire Tony Stark. Since I used to be a major collector of Marvel Comic Cards about 20 years ago (disgusting that I remember things that are 20 years old now), I thought this would be a hard comic book character for the audience to get into in any great degree. I was wrong. Downey is excellent in a performance that has got to earn him an Oscar nomination in some category – I think his performance was that good.
On a different level, Gwyneth Paltrow also turns in a great performance as Pepper Potts – Stark’s assistant. There is the obligatory love story underneath the larger story of the movie, but hey, the filmmakers had to find a way to bring the women into the theaters! I commented to my roommate that the reason I liked Paltrow in this role is that it was a change from the generic, ditzy chick flick role that she sometimes gets cast in. Chick flicks – ugh.
And it is completely unfair to talk about this movie without mentioning the great performance turned in by Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane and later as the Iron Monger. Excellent – just excellent. The opening sequence in the movie really sets the stage for the close relationship that the audience believes exists between Obadiah and Stark. The opening sequence alone was worth the trip to the movie theater as was the ending battle between these two characters. Did anyone else feel like Jeff Bridges was channeling Jesse Ventura in this role? I did!
All in all, this was a brilliant movie with great performances. The use of the Afghanistan locale and the prisoner of war scenario was also a good move (and for those of you that may not know, that is pretty much the same Ironman story from the comic books). In today’s society, pitting an American against a terrorist cell is sure to make movie goers happy. I liked the added intrigue of the terrorists using Stark’s own weapons in their fight against the Americans and the innocents of Afghanistan. More good writing!
If you have an opportunity to go see this movie, then I highly recommend you check it out. Great performances, great story, great movie.
Yeah, I just looked it up on YouTube. Nothing major there at the end, but it would explain why no one in my row at the movie theater would get up after the movie ended!
I also missed the post-credits scene at the end of the last Pirates movie because I left early. But I guess that’s why we have YouTube!
Spot on Joe, Great acting and casting. Absolutely Venturaesque (?). Anything Bridges is in is watchable IMO. I went to see it yesterday with the Mrs. and my oldest daughter. They both loved it and my daughter loved the writing especially.
I especially lioved that the character in the first part of the movie is so like the the prehab Robert Downey Jr. Such a natural fit. As for the love story, well I am sure the woman folk were left wanting and I will leave it at that. BUt the best part of the character that I found was that he is a thinking man who discovers his conscience/heart metaphors aside. Great movie. The one wierd thing about the movie is the leadin to the next film which you have to wait thill the end of the credits to see (like 10 min.). You might want to watch it online somewhere. I only learned about it from Stern.