231 replies to this topic

[Dell Deaton]

Just saw Iron Man, and here's the grade my 9-1/2-year-old and I give it:

A

[JimmyBond]

Another film I'm indifferent towards is The Incredible Hulk. They aired a longer trailer before the film. Still indifferent. It would be nice to come away from that film being pleasantly surprised. We'll see.

The trailer is actually really interesting with Edward Norton on the run from the military, really shows a lot of promise, then once he becomes the Hulk it loses steam. In fact once it was revealed he was the Hulk I heard someone say "Well now I'm not going to see it." Not saying it will be a bad movie, I just don't think the marketing has been that up to snuff. And isnt this supposed to be a reboot of the franchise, the trailers so far lead us to believe it's going to be a continuation?

As for Iron Man, what can I say, I enjoyed it. Not sure it's going to become a part of my DVD library, but as far as summer fare is concerned, it was pretty good. Sadly the film was dwarfed by The Dark Knight trailer, now that looks like a helleva film!

[Tarl_Cabot]

I saw Iron Man today and my conclusion is it's one of the best if not the best comic book films we've seen since X-Men revidalized the genre. I have to see it again to make a final ranking but as of now I'll place it higher than any Marvel film other than the first two Spidermans. I would easily rank it as the best Marvel ever if there was a better climatic battle but the origin and set up are my favorite of any super hero film since Donner's Superman. Iron Man is fun. The movie is funny and entertains to adult audiences better than any super hero movie so far.This is a first rate summer popcorn movie. Tony Stark really drives the movie and you don't get impatient for Ironman to appear because your so invested in his journey from lovable jerk playboy to born again hero. It's a very entertaining 'arc' and when Iron Man does show up to kick he doesn't hold back anything-he is the most violent hero since the Punisher but is so much more dangerous. Stark doesn't have any Dudley Do Right superhero hang ups about wasting bad people and that's refreshing for a PG-13 "kids movie". I will buy the DVD when it becomes available and that's the highest compliment I can pay a movie.

So, we have a potentially excellent series now instead of mediocre dissapointments like Daredevil,FF and the Punisher from Marvel. I hope TDK is everything it's cracked up to be because that will make this summer season a truly exceptional one. Comon Indy, don't blow it!

[Dell Deaton]

I saw Iron Man today and my conclusion is it's one of the best if not the best comic book films we've seen....

Excellent review; exactly what I would have said.

Again, went to see it w/ my son. It was one of those few movies that balanced completely between keeping him and me fully engaged. I realize that emotions can get a little "warm" when comparing, so I'll leave it to say that this one is gonna be hard to beat!

Absolute kudos to Downey for carrying the film. And, altho I haven't seen much on this, the chemistry with and contribution by his love interest was spot-on.

[Professor Dent]

I saw this last night & really liked it. Outside of the trailers, I avoided a lot of the spoilers out there. The movie was much better than I expected it to be. Downey did an excellent job in the Stark role & his humor was spot on perfect. Gwyneth Paltrow did an equally good job as Pepper & I can't say that I can remember her looking better than she did in this movie. For Jeff Bridges, it was a little weird seeing the "Dude" without hair. I kept waiting for him to ask for a Kahl

[HildebrandRarity]

I saw it last night with my lady (who has a Nordic background and normally loves independent, art-house or European films) and she said she was pleasently surprised by how good and funny it was and that she enjoyed Gwenneth Paltrow and Robert Downey's performances.

My take on it is that Iron Man is the closest "superhero" we've gotten to a James Bond-type character: He loves his drink, bedding sexy women and is big on technology.

I give the movie a solid 8.5 out of 10.

This movie has kicked-off the 2008 movie season for me in style and it was about time!

I'm seeing it a second time later today with my 12 year old!

[HildebrandRarity]

...five years ago he went to a California beach, threw all his drugs in the ocean and sat down with a Burger King burger, convinced his career was kaput. Five years later, the article points out, we can go to BK and buy a Downey action hero toy.

The Burger King in-joke's made its way in to the 2nd act and the movie seems all the more funnier for it.

Silly question I know, but this is something I would like answered. Is Black Sabbath's Iron Man played in the film itself? That would just be the icing on the cake

Only the instumental middle section of the song makes its appearence and plays over the very cool first part of the end credits as the film fades to black.

[jaguar007]

This was a movie a few months ago I did not care much to see, but after all the great reviews, I did go see it and I enjoyed it very much. I took my 17 year old daugeter with me and she loved it too. TDK will have to be very good to live up to Iron Man. My daughter is a big BatMan fan and thinks TDK will be the best movie EVER, but she clearly admits that Indiana Jones will kick all of thier asstroturf at the box office.

[K1Bond007]

Saw it last night. Pleasantly surprised. Exceeded my expectations. Awesome movie. Right up there with Batman Begins as one of the best comic book movies.

[Harmsway]

I can't make up my mind whether or not to see IRON MAN. A lot of people seem to think pretty highly of it, but they also seem to be the same people who have very high opinions of SPIDER-MAN 2 (another superhero flick which got stellar reviews), and I think that movie is abysmal.

Is it a movie where what you see in the previews is pretty much what you get in the film? If so, I think I'd rather not bother, given that the trailers and clips failed to impress me.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I saw it last night with my lady (who has a Nordic background and normally loves independent, art-house or European films) and she said she was pleasently surprised by how good and funny it was and that she enjoyed Gwenneth Paltrow and Robert Downey's performances.

My take on it is that Iron Man is the closest "superhero" we've gotten to a James Bond-type character: He loves his drink, bedding sexy women and is big on technology.

I give the movie a solid 8.5 out of 10.

This movie has kicked-off the 2008 movie season for me in style and it was about time!

Tony Stark is Marvel's closest counterpart to Bruce Wayne but in terms of his enjoyment of life he is more Bondian while Batman spends his off time brooding in melancholy. I didn't get to see that Batman trailor yesterday but the new Adam Sandler comedy looks great unlike Mike Myers'.

I was really hoping for Rambo and Iron Man to be great movies and so far 2008 is 2 for 2. Imagine if Indy, TDK and Quantum of Solace all live up to hopes/expectations?

I can't make up my mind whether or not to see IRON MAN. A lot of people seem to think pretty highly of it, but they also seem to be the same people who have very high opinions of SPIDER-MAN 2 (another superhero flick which got stellar reviews), and I think that movie is abysmal.

Is it a movie where what you see in the previews is pretty much what you get in the film? If so, I think I'd rather not bother, given that the trailers and clips failed to impress me.

Go see it Harmsway. I promise you will be entertained. The film has lots of escapist eye candy as Stark has the best toys we've ever seen. The final battle between Iron Monger was underwhelming but the movie was so much fun up until then that I give that a pass.Besides, when Iron Man makes his first appearence it's pretty frickin awesome. He's got some serious weapons and capabilities that we haven't seen from other heroes. Neat stuff harms. Just go. it doesn't have to better than_______ to be worth your time right? if anything it'll get you juiced up for Indy...

[Harmsway]

it doesn't have to better than_______ to be worth your time right?

Actually, it does. With movie prices being what they are, I'm cutting back on theatrical viewing (even though I'm a big fan of movie theaters). In order for me to go see it, I need to be relatively sure what I'm seeing is genuinely something great, not just passable entertainment. If IRON MAN isn't a real step up from the so-called "cream of the crop" of Marvel superhero fare (ala X2: X-MEN UNITED, SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-MAN 2), I'll wait for Netflix.

[WC]

I can't make up my mind whether or not to see IRON MAN. A lot of people seem to think pretty highly of it, but they also seem to be the same people who have very high opinions of SPIDER-MAN 2 (another superhero flick which got stellar reviews), and I think that movie is abysmal.

Is it a movie where what you see in the previews is pretty much what you get in the film? If so, I think I'd rather not bother, given that the trailers and clips failed to impress me.

Go see Iron Man. It's better than Spider-Man 2 IMO, although the two are really quite different creatures. Iron Man plays out less like a traditional superhero movie and more like a military thriller (albeit with humour) which non-comic fans can certainly relate to. Just think of James Bond crossed with series like JAG or NCIS to get an idea of the tone, but with a highly technological suit also thrown in there (which is completely believable). Yes, a lot of people do have very high opinions of it, but they're not all the same critics who thought Spider-Man 2 was great, and even if they are, many of the reviews are praising Iron Man simply for being a good movie, not just a good superhero movie.

it doesn't have to better than_______ to be worth your time right?

Actually, it does. With movie prices being what they are, I'm cutting back on theatrical viewing (even though I'm a big fan of movie theaters). In order for me to go see it, I need to be relatively sure what I'm seeing is genuinely something great, not just passable entertainment. If IRON MAN isn't a real step up from the so-called "cream of the crop" of Marvel superhero fare (ala X2: X-MEN UNITED, SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-MAN 2), I'll wait for Netflix.

It's not only a step up from those movies, but I think it definitely raises the bar considerably for all future superhero movies. If you think those ones are the cream of the crop, then Iron Man is the cream of a better crop.

[Harmsway]

It's not only a step up from those movies, but I think it definitely raises the bar considerably for all future superhero movies.

You think so, WC? What, in your estimation, does IRON MAN do that the rest of those don't?

Because some other trusted movie geek friends have suggested otherwise, that it's (to quote them) "your typical 2000's era superhero flick full of CGI and silliness. Unfortunately that's all it really is throughout - never doing anything to escape that popcorn, garden-variety blandness (save Robert Downey Jr). The film is paced awkwardly with a seemingly monstrous exposition, a soundtrack straight out of a Ford Focus commercial, and some 'meh' CGI. " Doesn't exactly sound promising to me, and their assessment fits with what I thought of the movie clips and advertisements.

[Tarl_Cabot]

it doesn't have to better than_______ to be worth your time right?

Actually, it does. With movie prices being what they are, I'm cutting back on theatrical viewing (even though I'm a big fan of movie theaters). In order for me to go see it, I need to be relatively sure what I'm seeing is genuinely something great, not just passable entertainment. If IRON MAN isn't a real step up from the so-called "cream of the crop" of Marvel superhero fare (ala X2: X-MEN UNITED, SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-MAN 2), I'll wait for Netflix.

I'm quite fond of the first two Spidermans but that's cuz I had a lifelong attachment to Spiderman. It's the first entertainment I ever recall experienceing-the 60s cartoon and comics handed down to me from my older brother. Spiderman was the character that got me into comics as a kid but when I discovered other properties I realized I prefered the more adult heroes like Daredevil, Dr Strange and Iron Man(sorry, I didn't get into DC). So, I would guess that if I saw Iron Man in 2002 and Spiderman yesterday I would rank Iron Man considerably higher.Go see it becuase I'd love to hear your take on it.


your typical 2000's era superhero flick full of CGI and silliness

Well you can't achieve this film without CGI but it's well done and the movie has alot more humour than the typical superhero movie(this beats the pants off Superman Returns fyi).

[WC]

It's not only a step up from those movies, but I think it definitely raises the bar considerably for all future superhero movies.

You think so, WC? What, in your estimation, does IRON MAN do that the rest of those don't?

Because some other trusted movie geek friends have suggested otherwise, that it's (to quote them) "your typical 2000's era superhero flick full of CGI and silliness. Unfortunately that's all it really is throughout - never doing anything to escape that popcorn, garden-variety blandness (save Robert Downey Jr). The film is paced awkwardly with a seemingly monstrous exposition, a soundtrack straight out of a Ford Focus commercial, and some 'meh' CGI. " Doesn't exactly sound promising to me, and their assessment fits with what I thought of the movie clips and advertisements.

Actually most of the special effects have been rendered practically with CGI only used to compliment the action (they built the actual Iron Man suits for the film). It's hardly fake-looking like the Hulk movie or even some of the shots in the Spider-Man movies. The transition from practical effects to CGI is more or less seamless, and the flying sequences are far above anything seen in Superman Returns.

As for being the typical 2000's era superhero flick, I've already said that it's different from that. I've told you that it has a much more real-world tone akin to JAG, NCIS or Bond, or even some Tom Clancy-type films. Iron Man has a good character journey and some well acted scenes as well as an enthralling story even without any of the superhero elements in it. If you can sit through some of the recent Bond entries which are admittedly full of CGI and silliness (like DAD), then surely you can stomach something like Iron Man, which would probably be more akin to the Casino Royale of comicbook flicks.

You can hold onto your prejudices against it based on previous comic movies or you can go see it for yourself. It's up to you, since nothing positive seems to be able to open your mind (and there are hundreds of positive reviews), but the few negative reviews simply serve to reinforce your already existing conclusions on the movie without having seen it for yourself. But just think: if you believed that Casino Royale would be just the same as all the standard paint-by-numbers Bond movies that had gone before, you would've missed out on that film too.

[Harmsway]

If you can sit through some of the recent Bond entries which are admittedly full of CGI and silliness (like DAD), then surely you can stomach something like Iron Man, which would probably be more akin to the Casino Royale of comicbook flicks.

I would have thought BATMAN BEGINS was more like the CASINO ROYALE of comic-book flicks (for my money, BEGINS is the best superhero flick since the original SUPERMAN, and a step in the right direction for the genre).

You can hold onto your prejudices against it based on previous comic movies or you can go see it for yourself. It's up to you, since nothing positive seems to be able to open your mind (and there are hundreds of positive reviews), but the few negative reviews simply serve to reinforce your already existing conclusions on the movie without having seen it for yourself.

Oh, I'll eventually see IRON MAN. That's not in question. It's just a matter of whether I bother seeing it in theatres or wait for DVD. I'm pretty sure the film is, in and of itself, thoroughly watchable and entertaining. The sheer amount of positive reviews confirms that much. But the only movies I've resolved to see in theatres are the ones that I anticipate being truly great.

But just think: if you believed that Casino Royale would be just the same as all the standard paint-by-numbers Bond movies that had gone before, you would've missed out on that film too.

Sure, but CASINO ROYALE didn't look like a standard, paint-by-numbers Bond movie.

[Thunderfinger]

See: Last post by Harmsway.

[WC]

I would have thought BATMAN BEGINS was more like the CASINO ROYALE of comic-book flicks (for my money, BEGINS is the best superhero flick since the original SUPERMAN, and a step in the right direction for the genre).

Well Iron Man is more like Batman Begins than Spider-Man or X-men. BB had not only that realistic feel as if it could take place in a non-fantasy world, but also that learning curve of becoming the Dark Knight and putting all the parts of his Batsuit together (or assembling the tumbler). Iron Man is similar to that and a much more adult take on the comic book genre.

Oh, I'll eventually see IRON MAN. That's not in question. It's just a matter of whether I bother seeing it in theatres or wait for DVD. I'm pretty sure the film is, in and of itself, thoroughly watchable and entertaining. The sheer amount of positive reviews confirms that much. But the only movies I've resolved to see in theatres are the ones that I anticipate being truly great.

I definitely think Iron Man warrants watching on the big screen. If you like Batman Begins (a DC superhero) then that's your choice, but I would say Iron Man is definitely the best Marvel movie out there (although I would still place it above BB which is a little too dark and brooding for my tastes).

Sure, but CASINO ROYALE didn't look like a standard, paint-by-numbers Bond movie.

Well neither is Iron Man. It's certainly not mindless action whatsoever. In fact, the film's strength lies in the character development and interaction. You forget you're watching a superhero movie very quickly. It's more like if you had Bond suddenly using one of these military exo-skeleton suits which are completely believable in real life. Here it's not something implausible like being bitten by a radioactive spider or being some mutant - Iron Man seems much more like it could actually happen, just like Batman Begins did.

[Harmsway]

Iron Man is similar to that and a much more adult take on the comic book genre.

If true, I'm glad to hear it. I just didn't gather as much from the previews and movie clips, which seemed rather juvenile and not at all reflective of a more adult take on the genre. Even the very positive reviews tend to point to its kid-friendly nature.

It's more like if you had Bond suddenly using one of these military exo-skeleton suits which are completely believable in real life.

Aside from the fact that the Iron Man suit is about as believable as Bond's invisible Aston Martin in DIE ANOTHER DAY.

[WC]

Iron Man is similar to that and a much more adult take on the comic book genre.

If true, I'm glad to hear it. I just didn't gather as much from the previews and movie clips, which seemed rather juvenile and not at all reflective of a more adult take on the genre. Even the very positive reviews tend to point to its kid-friendly nature.

Nope. Fantastic Four is a kid-friendly movie. Even the Spider-Man films are more kid-friendly movies. Iron Man is definitely more of an adult piece, the closest thing being Batman Begins, but with more of the style, panache, wit and intrigue of Bond (which is why it is more accurately the Casino Royale of comic films than Batman). And as for the reviews, well I've actually been reading them all day and most of them don't point to its kid-friendly nature at all, but emphasise brains, intelligence, superb acting, adult themes, subtle political messages, riveting drama and excellent characterisation, in addition to top-notch special effects (which are used sparingly). In fact, some of the reviews even question whether it will actually appeal to kids, since the actors aren't that young, and the kind of themes expounded as well as the more dramatic pacing isn't your standard popcorn fare that requires MTV cuts to hold one's attention span every few minutes.

Nearly all the reviews essentially say "move over" to all the other comic films, as Iron Man gives a lesson on how a good superhero flick should be.

[Harmsway]

Iron Man is definitely more of an adult piece, the closest thing being Batman Begins, but with more of the style, panache, wit and intrigue of Bond (which is why it is more accurately the Casino Royale of comic films than Batman).

Others who have seen IRON MAN care to verify? If so, I'll definitely be checking IRON MAN out.

Nearly all the reviews essentially say "move over" to all the other comic films, as Iron Man gives a lesson on how a good superhero flick should be.

Well, let's not exaggerate. I've been sitting here leafing through review after review, and the vast majority of the reviews of IRON MAN are positive, but there's a lot of variety as to how great the reviewers actually pin IRON MAN as being. Just a brief survey of the reviews over at Metacritic (IMO, a better barometer of review qualities than the "is it positive or not" approach taken at RottenTomatoes) establishes that much.

[WC]

Iron Man is definitely more of an adult piece, the closest thing being Batman Begins, but with more of the style, panache, wit and intrigue of Bond (which is why it is more accurately the Casino Royale of comic films than Batman).

Others who have seen IRON MAN care to verify? If so, I'll definitely be checking IRON MAN out.

Ultimately it probably depends on what you personally like. If you're into films like DAD then you might prefer something more juvenille or low level. If you prefer a more intelligent, well-acted thriller then Iron Man is probably more up your street. I can imagine some kids saying that Iron Man just isn't as smash-em-up, wall-to-wall action as they had hoped for but far too much conversation and dramatic bits in between. I disliked DAD with a passion and any of these other brainless works like xXx or juvenille pieces like the Thunderbirds movie, that Alex Ryder movie etc. I remember seeing a trailer in the cinema for Speedracer and thinking how awful and kid-oriented that looked.

As a writer of novels myself, and someone who appreciates good storytelling and characterisation over mindless, juvenille action, I personally found Iron Man to be far more enjoyable and engaging than these other comic book flicks I've mentioned before. I hated Spider-Man 3, and both FF movies seemed rather dumbed down when they could've been far better if they had utilised higher-calibre actors (eg Bruce Greenwood would've been better as Reed Richards than Ioan Gruffed) and hadn't gone for an MTV-style vibe. Batman Begins felt like you had watched an intelligent movie that just happened to have some fantastical elements, but all within the realms of possibility. This is the same feeling I got with Iron Man.

I can't really say I'm a fan of Robert Downey Jr, but he did put in a stellar performance and brought far more gravitas and flair to the role than I had expected, kind of like how many point to Daniel Craig with Bond. The same with the other cast members like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard (all Oscar winners/ nominees).

Nearly all the reviews essentially say "move over" to all the other comic films, as Iron Man gives a lesson on how a good superhero flick should be.

Well, let's not exaggerate. I've been sitting here leafing through review after review, and the vast majority of the reviews of IRON MAN are positive, but there's a lot of variety as to how great the reviewers actually pin IRON MAN as being. Just a brief survey of the reviews over at Metacritic (IMO, a better barometer of review qualities than the "is it positive or not" approach taken at RottenTomatoes) establishes that much.

Well I've been googling "Iron Man movie reviews" and read a range of different articles from various newspapers. Just going through page after page, many do point out how it is a breath of fresh air or a cut above the usual standard superhero fare. There are a number which also compare Iron Man to Batman Begins, except of course it isn't as brooding.

[jaguar007]

harmsway,
I felt the same way about the trailers as you did (see my post above). Due to the great reviews I decided to check it out. I really enjoyed it. Yes, it is a big budget summer popcorn flick, but one of the better ones at that. Unlike Spiderman or Batman, it does not look like all the sets and everything was CGI. There was great humor without being silly.do yourself and us a favor and check it out and let us know what you think.

[Righty007]

I just saw it and loved it!

[K1Bond007]

I can't make up my mind whether or not to see IRON MAN. A lot of people seem to think pretty highly of it, but they also seem to be the same people who have very high opinions of SPIDER-MAN 2 (another superhero flick which got stellar reviews), and I think that movie is abysmal.

Is it a movie where what you see in the previews is pretty much what you get in the film? If so, I think I'd rather not bother, given that the trailers and clips failed to impress me.

I thought Spider-Man 2 was okay, I'm not really a big fan of those films. I don't understand why '2' got so many stellar reviews and Spidey 3 just sucked.

Up until last night Batman Begins was my favorite comic book movie. And it still is in many ways, but Iron Man really gave it a run for it's money. It's a really good flick. If you like superhero movies at all, I can't fathom you not liking this one. It wouldn't make any sense to me.

[Harmsway]

Okay, I relent. I'll go see IRON MAN and let you all know what I think.

[Righty007]

Okay, I relent. I'll go see IRON MAN and let you all know what I think.

It's the best Marvel film I've ever seen and the "easter egg" is awesome!

[HildebrandRarity]

So, I saw Iron Man for a second time this afternoon (this time with mu 12 year old) and I was taken back by how funny the movie movie really is.

I find it strange that people go endlessly on about Indy Jones 4, The Dark Knight and Bond 22 but could care less about a fun popcorn flick that even the mainstream critics seem to like.

O well, I like the Big Screen / Big Sound experience and when a movie that lends itself to that kind of experience comes along (and one has not come along since the bleak of winter, i.e. "I Am Legend") then i'll take it in a heart beat.

And, Harmsway, don't expect perfection if you do indeed decide to check it out. But don't expect perfection from Indy 4, TDK, Wall-E or QOS either...because you might get dissapointed.

[Harmsway]

And, Harmsway, don't expect perfection if you do indeed decide to check it out.

I wouldn't. I don't think BATMAN BEGINS (my favorite superhero film) is anywhere near perfection. But I just want to make sure I'd get good returns on the money I'd have to invest in seeing the film.