My Iron Man Review (and a facebook observation footnote)

Went to watch a movie last night staring Sam Rockwell with supporting roles performed by Robert Downey Jr, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johannsen’s butt, Mickey Rourke’s gold fronts, and Samuel Jackson’s right eye. Oh, and there was some action too. You might have heard of the movie, it’s called Iron Man 2, sequel to the 2008 blockbuster. I have to say, I went in with some expectations, not necessarily “high”, but some none the less. I’m not one of those guys that was CRAVING the “Demon in a bottle” storyline that is much loved throughout the Marvel fanboy community, namely because I was never a heavy follower of Marvel.


I am, and always have been a DC comics ran. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, etc were always my favorite. I connected with the characters and story lines a bit more for some reason. But when it comes to Marvel, I was always partial to Spiderman (particularly the Mcfarlane years), X-men, and Iron Man. When the sequel was first announced, I immediately wondered what path Director Jon Favreau would take. With their approach to the first movie (it began filming before they finished the screenplay, which hit it’s mark with the intention of feeling more natural in regards to dialogue), I wondered if this would feel as natural. In my opinion, yes & no.

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Don’t get me wrong, I think the movie as a whole stands on it’s own two feet quite well. Robert Downy Jr is exceptional in his roll as pompous & loud take on Tony Stark. There are a few moments in the film that were played for laughs, yet still had an uncomfortable feel to the moment as you find Tony Stark at his lowest. And then there are the times where his zest for being in the limelight, doing his own thing, and in his own words, “pleasuring himself” is perfectly portrayed.  Tony Stark does take pride in his work. But he also takes pride in himself. And being that his work has been integrated into himself, that makes for double trouble with the United States government. 

The supporting characters all turn in great versions of the characters they portray. Namely Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Sam Jackson, & surprisingly enough Scarlett Johannsen. Let’s start with Sam Rockwell first though. Face it people, he is one of those actors that nails every single role he plays. From his role as “Guy” in Galaxy Quest, to Zaphod in Hitchhikers Guide, from the troubled astronaut in Moon, to Justin Hammer, Sam Rockwell has a versatility about him that can be rambunctious and subtle in the same breathe. Sometimes you don’t know whether his character is serious, or if he really is goofing off. Here, his portrayal of Justin Hammer was that of a businessman trying to be “the popular one”. Imagine if you will Bill Gates trying to rock the Steve Jobs Turtleneck while introducing Vista. Just doesn’t create the same type of buzz that Jobs would and, like in the movie, would usher quiet, confused applause.

And just like many villains in comic book lore, I personally feel that Tony Stark had a hand in creating the problems he faces with Hammer. The constant ridicule, public embarrassment that is forced upon Rockwell’s character is definitely provoked. But in the end, it goes to show what happens when you THINK you’re the smartest apple in the bunch.

Lastly, the story. The long and short of it, this was a revenge/puzzle action movie. And a popcorn actionneer.  You can shut your brain off for a bit and enjoy some time with your friends while watching super machines go nuts on each other. The special effects were above grade (which REALLY could have messed things up), Mickey Rourke during the Monaco Race was impressive, and Scarlett & Favreau’s assault on the Hammer Compound was one of the best moments of the whole movie.  And be sure to stay after the credits for a teaser for things to come in the Marvel Universe (DC, you REALLY should be taking notes if you want to give the fans what they’ve been craving. A Justice League movie). Definitely worth your time. And do yourself a favor, go see this at an IMAX theater. It’s an experience!

On a detox note, last few movies I’ve went too, I’ve tweeted in line, and before the movie previews started. It was interesting watching people around me doing exactly what I normally do. Listening to the conversations around me about what was going on on facebook/twitter while we waited for the movie to go on, there is a ton of “social engineering” material that’s out there because of this. People really should watch what they say in public about their personal lives… I have some info I’ve been gathering about the privacy issues surrounding Facebook. Really eye opening. And really making me push harder to make a local social network I’ve created into a great alternative with privacy in mind! Oh, and it was brought to my attention that my twitter account posted yesterday from momentile, and Digg posted to my wall on facebook on my behalf. Don’t worry… I’m not cheating :D…

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