Saw it yesterday. The unofficial first summer blockbuster of 2008. I guess in the next decade the unofficial first summer blockbuster will happen immediately after Valentine's Day, but I digress...

Movie was decent. First hour was extreme story driven, giving you the background of the character and how it was developed. Theatre I was in (12:15 afternoon show on a Saturday) was about 70% full, about 25% of that was young kids and teenagers. Saw/heard a lot of restlessness from the young kids halfway through the movie due to lack of excitement and action. Even some of the older viewers were kinda looking around, waiting for something to happen.

Starts to pick up a bit once he starts trying out the newer version- the flashy silver one, then the red/yellow combo. Cool stunts, cool special effects, blah blah blah. Still not all that exciteable, but improving from an action/attention getter standpoint.

Final battle was... blah. Lasted only a couple minutes, no suspense through the entire scene. A couple punches, a couple throws, then climax happens and battle is over. I guess I am so used to seeing climatic and epic battles at the end of superhero movies that I was hoping for something a bit more. Thankfully it was not overdone and cheesy, but still.

Overall, will give it a B if you like story driven movies with lots of development of character and background... and C if you like action and entertaining movies. Having not really known the history of Iron Man, I was intrigued by the story and the writing. My date, also not knowing the history of Iron Man, was hoping for a little bit more summer action fare. She liked the story, but was one of the many restless audience members halfway through...

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Coming from a kid who grew up reading Iron Man comics, this movie is honestly tied with Batman Begins as the best Comic Book to Movie done to date.

In an age of Michael Bay style explosion movies, its easy to say that this movie lacks the same amount of pure action/adrenaline that a film like Transformers had. And yes, parts of the story are kind of bland. However, if you look at the accuracy of the translation from page to screen...its damn close to a Masterpiece.

The movie is based on a 'Re-Origin' story of Iron Man, replacing the original Vietnamese captors with a group of Terrorists called "The 10 Rings" (which is actually a reference to the Iron Man villain The Mandarin, whose powers came from 10 rings of various powers he wore) and shortening his mentor/fellow captives name from Ho Yinsen to Yinsen. There are some little plays on things like his chestpiece and on the relationships he has with some of the people in his life, but they're minor things only a nerd would care about.

While I'll agree that the lack of overall action was a bit of a disappointment and the final battle (if you can call it that) needed more, I think that Robert Downey Jr has raised the bar pretty damned high in terms of actually portraying a comic book character and Jon Favreau has raised the bar for making comic book movies.

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I thought it was great, and I knew very little about the backstory on Iron Man prior to the seeing the movie. I just knew that he's spent a lot of time with the Avengers.

I felt like it was very well written. A lot of times with superhero movies, it feels like the writers assume a level of familiarity with the character and his/her history that a lot of the people in the audience may not actually have (something clearly exacerbated by ensemble projects like the X-Men flicks). So to have an origin movie take the time to tell the story in a meaningful way was really kind of awesome (on par with the ret-con of Batman Begins).

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Hope is the new black.

Downey brought a lot to the table in his portrayal as Tony Stark. He was a perfect anti-hero, who acknowledges that his personal flaws don't make him a hero type. But that's what gets you excited to see him become a hero after all, when faced with Obadiah Stane and the media who would like him to stay the way he was.

He was a great smart ass in the film, knowing exactly when to be funny, and when to be sincere. His interaction with Rhodey, Pepper, the soldiers who were guarding him, and even his robots (which made for some of the funniest parts of the movie) was awesome.

Loved this movie- will see it again.

How people watch a movie like this and go 'meh', is beyond me.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

Hope you were not referring to me, since I gave it a 'B' grade and stated it was enjoyable and interesting for myself. But it was not as action-orientated as most super hero movies go, and (at least the crowd at the theatre I went to) was a bit restless for some in the middle.

I would have liked to see a bit more action in it, and I would have liked the "final battle" to have been a bit more... something. Longer, more effects, more stuff going on, more dramatic... anything. Those two reasons brought it down to a B grade. Still above average, and still considered good in my book

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heard the plot twist f'ing sucked.

xSkycrasherx, where ever you heard that from...the person(s) are flat out wrong.

(Spoiler contains plot information...)

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i really liked the iron man comics when i was younger but i don't really remember stark having any kind of personality other than "i'm fucken rich"

so snarky rdj is kind of an interesting choice.

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But there's the issue comic-book-movie directors all have to address. On the one hand, the movie has to be faithful to the original story; on the other hand, it needs to be a good movie. Upset that balance in either direction, and you only really satisfy the one-tenth of your viewers who care exclusively about the side you err on. Then the critics get you.

When you read the comics, your imagination assembles action scenes as represented in the panels. The action scenes in four-color comics have all invoked the same frenetic pace in our imaginations since the Silver Age, and it's not the same pace that is forced on directors by Hollywood producers who bat .03 at the box office, but insist they know more than the director about what makes a good movie, even in a genre they don't understand at all. When the director bows to that pressure, the ensuing suction can destroy the careers of everyone involved, and there goes another mishandled franchise that can't be interpreted again for 15 years.

I hate Michael Bay with a passion. As someone who is writing a novel, and envisions my words as a movie as I write (in my own mind of course) I shudder to think what Bay would do with my story. I think all he is about is action and special effects, which while fun once in awhile... is not the only valid thing about films and movies.

Having said that... I just personally feel that Iron Man did not have that much action in it. Some, sure. But the final battle was short and unimpressive. But the ability for Favreau (sp) to tell the background and origin and story of Iron Man was done extremely well, and I was impressed with that.

Plus Favreau (sp) was in one of the greatest movies ever created- Swingers. So I will always side on his side

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that's a terrible terrible post

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You're not surprised, are you?

Wait a sec:



Ok...





So they put more into the origin and story than the action.

You say you want more story than action.

You then complain that there isnt enough action?

hmm...

Trying to hold cicely accountable for his words? You dont read the sports forums enough.

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Wait wait wait...

Where and when did I say that I WANT story and origin in Iron Man? Please show me where I said this. Waking up every day at 3 AM I guess has made me completely lose my memory and mind, because I do not recall or remember saying that I "WANT" story and origin in Iron Man.

In my personal opinion... there was not enough action in Iron Man. I am not saying that is good, or bad. You can infer all you want from that statement, fine. But I only said that I felt there was not enough action in Iron Man.

In my personal opinion... they did a great job of telling the story and origin of Iron Man. I am not saying that I went into the movie hoping/expecting/demanding story and origin. No where do I say that.

I am not complaining about a lack of action in Iron Man. Not exactly sure where I specifically stated that "Iron Man has a lack of action, therefore I hate this movie, this movie sucks!". Maybe one of the myriad of board readers who loves to dissect and pick apart each one of my posts can go back and re-read everything and analyze everything and show me specifically where I said that "Iron Man sucks because it has a lack of action in it." Please, I am too tired to do so right now.

Now... I did complain about the final battle. I thought that was not all that well done. I thought it was too short, not suspenseful enough, not enough action in it, etc etc. And that did lower my overall score down from a perfect score to lower than that.

Also... I did give it a lower score because I felt that the movie did not have as much action in it as I was hoping for. At the same time, this does not mean that I think the movie sucks. It just means... umm... I feel the movie should have more action. Wow. And it is those two reasons (final battle, not enough action) that I give the movie a B grade for myself. Which last time I checked was around a 8/10... which is still pretty damn good IMHO. Not perfect, not "Greatest Super Hero Movie Ever!" label... but good.

I was impressed with the story and origin. They did a great job with it. Does not mean that I "wanted" it in my super hero movie... but it was there, and they did good with it. Kinda like someone at a bar goes up to you and gives you a drink. You don't necessarily "want" it at that point in time... but it was given to you, you drink it, and it was either a good or bad drink. Maybe bad analogy, but I am known for them...

Anyways, I am done defending myself about this. I don't like Bay as a director, his movies contain zero story and plot and character development... all he is is action and special effects. I think Iron Man should have had more action in it (not a complaint, just an observation), the final battle was done poorly, and I was impressed with the director's ability to tell the story and origin of Iron Man. B grade. 8/10... say, 8.3/10. Woo.

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If I ever write a screenplay and they make it into a movie, I shudder to think what Carrot Top would do with my lead character.

Carrot Top would smash super villains with a sledgehammer.

well as a writer who writes i shudder to think that anyone's story is on par with mine, which is of course a heartbreaking work of staggering genius that no one but myself can ever fully comprehend, let alone even consider adapting.

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the point is that writers are idiots. i know, i am one.

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Loved it.

No gimmicks (plot twists, over the top CGI, sex, cliff hanger for squeal)

Just great story telling and character development. You want a squeal not to finish the story, but to learn more of the characters. Movies now adays lack the non-gimick art of story telling. Transformers anyone?

Just saw this last night and it kicked ass! Tony Stark is the best alter ego in a hero movie since Bruce Wayne in Batman 1. I can't believe Robert Downey Jr played that part so perfectly, though the charactor isn't such a stretch from his normal persona. Still, rivaling Michael Keaton is no small feat. The subtle changes to the original story were perfect for actually making the movie more interesting, and the way the armor looked was fantastic. Even watching him put it on was entertaining. Damn good movie, two thumbs up.

i think Bale kicked Keaton's ass~

me too!

I loved it, but I didn't think Robert Downey Jr. was acting. I think that's the way he normally is.

Ditto.

Batman Begins is still my favorite super hero movie, and I cannot wait for The Dark Knight.

That being said, Iron Man is a close 2nd. I wasn't really interested in seeing it...hesitated to go at all. But I'm glad I did. I think what did it for me was the sarcastic, dry humor throughout the movie.

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Saw it last night. Really enjoyed it. Took some time for me to warm up to Stark.

All I can say is the movie was entertaining and enjoyable. I particulary liked the explosions and general pyrotechnics used.

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I had this same feeling too. But either way, he did the job.

I am an Iron Man fan from way back.