First Hit: A funny, well executed, action filled film which young and old will find satisfying.
I love Robert Downey Jr. as an actor and it is so satisfying that he’s made the choice to stay sober and bring us his gift of quirky intelligent acting.
As Tony Stark, a very intelligent and billionaire quirky arms dealer, he is excellent.
The film begins with a demo of Stark’s newest destructive device called Jericho which flattens whole mountains. After the demo to military brass, he is kidnapped by a terrorist who wants Jericho for himself and tells Stark he has a certain amount of time to build this device for him or he and another captured prisoner die.
While making the captors believe he’s building another Jericho, Stark actually builds a crude Iron Man suit to escape his captors. The suit works but gets wrecked along the way. Being imprisoned was a terrifying experience and makes Stark realizes that making weapons of destruction isn’t what he should be doing, so he decides to do something about it.
This runs counter to his clients, the US Military, and the Stark Enterprises CEO played by a shaved headed Jeff Bridges. This puts these two on a path for the ultimate fight between Iron Men.
As I previously said, Downey is top notch as Tony Stark. It would be hard to believe that all of his lines were scripted, therefore his impromptu dialogue, off the cuff lines, and remarks created a smart irreverent character that embodies a purpose, was brilliant. He brings a true sense of genius to the Stark role. Jeff Bridges was an interesting choice as the CEO who turns on Stark. There is an intensity with Bridges that was well used in this part. Gwyneth Paltrow plays Stark’s right hand person, possible love interest, and is enjoyable upon her return to the screen after having two children. The glue that held this all together was Jon Favreau’s direction. It made excellent use of the story line, special effects, and the characters. Also, I really enjoyed the scenes where Stark was testing the new Iron Man suit with all its pitfalls.
Overall: \Fun filled entertaining film for everyone.