With the summer release of “Iron Man”, the screen adaptation of the Iron Man comics, director Jon Favreau brings to us yet another incarnation of a superhero from the Marvel Comics fraternity. However, in the wake of already existing ‘onscreen marvel superheroes’ like Spider-Man, X-Men, The Hulk, Daredevil, etc. the Iron Man movie manages to create quite a following among fans and critics alike. The movie manages to gather its strength mainly due to a matured treatment of a script which is both strong and tight, if not multi-layered.
The story revolves around a wealthy businessman and techie genius Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) running a modern warfare conglomerate in partnership with the malicious Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges). Stark, in a business trip to Afghanistan, is compelled to construct a “Jericho Missile” for a group of terrorists. When he finally manages to elude them and escape back home, he decides to utilize the idea with the objective of launching a moral crusade against all evil and crime and finally vanquishes his nemesis, the wicked Iron Monger, an alter ego of Stane.
Though the story may sound familiar, director Jon Favreau manages to attract the audience equipped mainly with a bevy of special effects which was chiefly done by ILM of the “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” fame. It can be said that they have done a commendable job especially in the transitions between the real and the CG costumes. However, it is the directorial skills that one has to watch out for. It can be easily said that Favreau has come a long way from his “Zathura”, “Elf” or “Made” days. As for the soundtrack, Tom Morello’s (Rage Against The Machine) guitar section deserves special mention.
The acting performances, though often sidelined in these kinds of ventures, have still contributed to the success of Iron Man. Among the main characters Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard are all quite convincing. However the real treat in the movie comes from the veteran Jeff Bridges. Delivering an almost deliciously evil performance, Bridges has done everything that Kevin Spacey couldn’t do in the 2006 Superman venture.
