I Am Iron Man!

So, I finally got the chance to see Iron Man last night. The previews and reviews were spectacular, and I wanted to make sure I saw the film in the theaters. I drug Fish along for the ride, grabbed some popcorn, and was prepared to be entertained.

Iron Man did not disappoint.

Naturally, the storyline was solid and the action scenes were phenomenal. With their budget, how could they not be? The FX were also top-notch, but in the end, it all comes down to the actors, and two of the leads - Robert Downey, Jr & Gwyneth Paltrow - are not exactly in my moviegoers Hall of Fame. I'll analyze their performances one at a time:

Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man) - Downey has had his share of run-ins with the law, but I liked him in a few films - most notably in U.S. Marshals. I thought the decision to cast him in the lead was an odd one, but I thought the same about Tobey Maguire in Spider-man, and that turned out well.

Despite my misgivings, I need to say this: Robert Downey, Jr makes this film. He is charismatic, animated, and at times very, very funny. If there are sequels in the works, the studio better lock him up. He's that good. Now, I'm gonna have to take back some of the things I've said about him.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Virginia "Pepper" Potts) - God, I really wanted to hate Paltrow in this, but I figured I would give her a chance. The strawberry blond locks were a good start. (Unlike Deathlok and RT, I thought her color was just fine.) As the film progressed, my hatred for Paltrow the person subsided, and my appreciation for Paltrow the actress increased. I don't like her politics, but dammit, she is very good in this film.

Oh, and by the way, she's pretty hot, too.


Like Deathlok did in his review, I'll give you a few things of note:

• Stan Lee makes his usual Marvel Comics film cameo during the red carpet scene. Stark refers to him as "Hef."
• Director Jon Favreau puts himself in the film as Stark's bodyguard "Hogan." he tells Stark that the blonde Vanity Fair reporter is "cute."
  

Well, that's my $0.02. But don't trust me; go see the film for yourself. You'll thank me later.