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Heavy metal: "Iron Man" deserves better than iron, but not quite gold. An early entry into the summer blockbuster race, the flick holds its own in the big-budget action genre, but would probably lose in a battle against most of the other movie superheroes.In the film adapted from the Marvel comic of the same name, Iron Man's human persona is weapons manufacturer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a guy who has it all ?lots of money, brains, girlfriends and, especially, attitude.
The film has been updated to place Tony in Afghanistan, where he's held by a terrorist cell in a cave. Since we know how well the United States can find someone in this region, it's naturally up to Tony to save himself.
"Iron Man" is split into three distinct parts: the escape from Afghanistan, the creation of an Iron Man suit 2.0, and the destruction of the ultimate bad guys. Though the middle drags as Tony discovers what it's like to be a superhero, it's such a joy to watch Downey that it's only a minor complaint.
Downey's portrayal of Tony is so spot-on that it makes you doubt that anyone else could have played the part. He owns the role and brings bravado and vulnerability to the screen. Even when encased in the suit, shots of Downey's expression-filled face alone help remind us of the powerful man inside the armor.
Aiding Tony in his newfound mission are his trusty friends, assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard). Paltrow's performance is about as flat as Potts would be on the page of a comic book. And Howard, though minimally better, never commands the attention that you would expect from a military bigwig.
For the comic geeks, "Iron Man" creator Stan Lee continues to make his now-traditional cameo appearance in one of the most amusing setups so far. It's worth keeping an eye out for the chuckle.
Director Jon Favreau, who also brought us "Elf," shows that he can thrill us over and over again. Even though the end fight scene seems a little DDE_LINK1truncated DDE_LINK1, there are enough adrenaline-surging moments throughout that you don't feel too cheated.
Iron Man was never as popular as Superman or Batman or even Spider-Man. Likewise, it's doubtful that the movie will be hailed in the same category. However, for new and old fans alike, "Iron Man" embodies the essence of the hero and does not disappoint.
Contact the writer at TimPlant@gmail.com
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