I AM IRON MANNNN!!!!

Well, I’m not. But after seeing this movie, I wish I was!

I’m actually Ambush Bug from AICN Comics. Having read almost every IRON MAN comic since the original series and reviewed my fair share of Iron Man-centric books through the years, one might say I’m a bit of a fan. Although I’m not a fan of the way Tony Stark has been portrayed recently in comics (as a complete control freak fascist/nanite infected robot-man/out of control douchebag), I do have to say, I was stoked when I found out I’d have a chance to see the film last Monday at AICN’s Chicago Premiere put together by Capone. All of the previews I had seen continued to inspire hope that the people behind this one would get the movie right. So when the lights faded and I saw the movie start right in the middle of the action with Tony Stark being caught in the blast of an enemy missile bearing the name of his own company, I have to say, I felt pretty good that the stoked feeling I walked in with wasn’t going to fade.

And I’m happy to say it didn’t fade throughout the entire film.

I know by now there have been numerous reviews on this site by Mori and Harry and the rest—all giving their personal takes. But having been a comic fan through most of my life and having been burned by Hollywood most of that life too, I thought I’d offer another perspective to the site as a die hard comic book fan savvy to the Iron Man of old all the way up until the latest issue that dropped two weeks ago.

Let me get this in right now. I’m not a big fan of the origin film. I know every audience must be introduced to the character, but although the originals were good, I prefer SPIDER-MAN 2 to the first film. Same with X-MEN. I think once the origin is out of the way, the people bringing the comic to life on screen have more freedom to explore, expand, and make it a thing unto itself, rather than just shot for shot remake the actions from the comic. Although, I hate changes for changes sake where the filmmaker wants to make this his SPIDER-MAN and not THE SPIDER-MAN (can we say organic webshooters, Mr’s Cameron and Raimi?), I do understand that when a comic is translated into film, certain tweaks must be made for that transition to occur.

Happily, that’s really not much of the case here. Director John Favreau and his writing team have taken the core elements of the story and schmelded them with a hammer and tongs in a cave somewhere in Afghanistan and created, to me, a pretty rock solid super hero film.

What makes this film so good first and foremost is the acting, but I’ll get to that in a minute. First, Favreau has to be commended for being a director that shines in two particular ways:

1. Favreau knows his strengths and uses them well. Favreau has proven he can make with the fun, witty and light banter. There are quite a few scenes where Favreau lets the actors have fun with the characters. There’s some Mamet bullet-speak in there. There’s some Sorkin over-talk that isn’t taken to the annoying level STUDIO 60 often went, but made it seem as if these characters interacting with each other knew one another for quite some time. Both the script and the direction made the characters in this film seem lived in and whole to me, allowing the actors to really shine.

2. Favreau knows when to get out of the way and let those who excel at what he doesn’t excel in do what they do best. It takes a humble director to stand back and let the special effects guys handle the effects shots so well. Having seen ZATHURA, I can’t say I had high hopes for the action shots in IRON MAN, but the more often I see these types of CGI style films, the more I think this comes from some techie behind a computer desk instead of the mind of the director. I’m sure Favreau had his input and everything was ok-ed by him, but Iron Man moved like he should move or at least in my mind, in the movie in my head, which often unspools while reading the comics. Favreau let the special effect guys shine in this film, but doesn’t weigh the film down with unnecessary effects spectacles. Sure there were a few short scenes in the final fight that moved a bit too quickly where the action was obscured, but these are minor details made even more minor by the quality of the rest of the film.

On top of Favreau’s two best qualities, he also peppered a lot of fun throughout the entire film. The use of Tony’s robots were often hilarious. Seeing Stark cavort around; drink in hand and pants eager to drop at the sight of any pretty face made the entire audience burst out in laughter every time.

And that’s one of the things I want to point out with this film. Do you know that moment in just about every comic book movie (good or bad), where some little tidbit is added that makes the comic book fan inside of you (the one that somehow wants to communicate to the world why you like comics and why they should too) cringe and die a little--like every time Peter Parker dances down the street or when Mr. Fantastic does a dance scene or when the Bat-nipples stand erect or howzabout when Superman throws the big S decal? Do you know those moments? Don’t you hate them. I do too. Well, I was preparing myself for a moment like that in this film and it never came. This is a comic book film that makes me proud to be a comic book fan. It took things seriously while making it into an enjoyable popcorn experience as well.

I loved the tidbits dropped throughout that hopefully (and looks to be likely) will be elaborated on in a sequel. I loved seeing Rhodey eye the spare Iron Man suit. I loved the hints as Tony’s out of control drinking. I loved the Ten Rings and what that means for future villain possibilities. The people behind this don’t wedge in these nuggets of joy. They look like natural extensions of the story.

So I mentioned acting earlier and again, going into this film, although I was stoked, I did have fears that some of the actors may slum it through this to make a paycheck. But none of them really seemed to.

Robert Downey Jr. makes the film, of course. His snide wit and flippant mannerisms would make James Bond blush. The way he either screws or buys his way out of everything doesn’t really set him up to be a hero someone is supposed to identify with like Peter Parker. He’s more like what every geek WANTS to be. Everyone wants the hot arm candy, the millions of dollars, the fast car. Downey makes this role his and and does so in a manner that makes you want to play that role yourself in real life.

I was surprised by the supporting characters as well. I’ve never seen a bad performance from Terrance Howard and I can’t wait for his character to have more to work with in the sequels. Here he plays Stark’s Jiminy Cricket, warning him that he is out of control, but as seen in an early scene, not above letting loose and having fun himself.

Gwyneth Paltrow shocked me though. There was a bit of light coming from those cold, dead eyes of hers. I liked the banter between her and Stark. There’s a longing behind those sad, waif eyes, but also too much pride to give in (and maybe a little fright) to become another one of Stark’s conquests.

Jeff Bridges is menacing and powerful, but never plays it over the top. Sure his Obediah Stane has been retrofitted into this origin, but it’s a natural fit in and Bridges' performance which could have easily gone hammy, presents as pure rage for the money Stark is losing him—money he feels he deserves due to a lifetime commitment to Stark Industries. He’s a constant presence throughout the film. In the background ominously, then making shady dealings behind Stark’s back, not confronting him until the last act, of course.

This film wasn’t without its faults. The aforementioned ambiguous, all-too-fast action shots near the end. The device that comes out of the blue in the third act that renders a person paralyzed. The fact that Stark goes on a killing rampage once he finds out about his weapons (but this was just as he starts out as a hero and according to Hollywood 101, comic book heroes are supposed to have a few deaths under their belts before developing that whole “respect for all life” thing).

But when I walked out of the theater, I found myself enjoying the movie. And a few days later, I’m still liking it and planning on seeing it again this weekend. Most importantly, it made me want to check out some of my old IRON MAN comics. So now that the origin is out of the way, where Favreau will go from here is questionable. I hope to see more IRON MAN films. You’ve got the ARMOR WARS (which even though this is touched on here, would still make a kick ass film as Tony takes on a bunch of villains that have stolen his tech) and the classic DEMON IN A BOTTLE storyline (dealing with Stark’s alcoholism and Rhodey’s rise as his replacement). Or will Favreau do a 360 and go medieval and incorporate the alien-ring wearing Mandarin and maybe the giant alien dragon in short pants, Fin Fang Foom into the mix? With this cast and crew behind it, I’d be first in line to see versions of any of these storylines on screen.

So from this die hard comic book reader’s perspective, IRON MAN is a winner. Although not completely perfect, the positives far outweigh the negatives and the performances, effects, and pure fun throughout is going to make it a hard act to follow for the rest of the summer super hero movies.

If you’re as Iron-Stoked as I was after seeing the film this weekend, here’s a list of books I’d recommend you check out at your local comic store.

IRON MAN: ARMOR WARS Trade Paperback (TPB)
IRON MAN: DEMON IN A BOTTLE TPB
IRON MAN: INEVITABLE TPB (a very fun miniseries with amazing art by Frazier Irving)
ESSENTIAL IRON MAN COLLECTIONS (where you can see the origin from the film and some nice early stories with Fin Fang Foom, the Mandarin, and other villainous villains)

I’m not a big fan of the current IRON MAN series written by the Knauffs (the minds behind CARNIVALE), but you might want to check that out those issues too. Some people like the EXTEMIS storyline by Warren Ellis and Avi Garov (the guy who designed the look of the armor), but I’m not a fan and rumor has it, neither is Favreuau. But some of today’s kiddies like it, so you might want to check that trade out too. And more recently, I really dug the first issue of IRON MAN: LEGACY OF DOOM #1 (reviewed by me here ) where Iron Man faces off against the evil FF enemy, Doctor Doom.

Good Iron Manning, folks.