Release Date: 02 May, 2008
What's It About: Industrialist and weapons tycoon Tony Stark is taken hostage by a terrorist organization who want to use his weapons to spread fear around the world. Using his ingenuity and the help of a fellow hostage, he builds an armored suit to escape the prison and decides to become a hero to help the world rather than help destroy it.
The Good: This film is sharply edited and proceeds along its plot with fantastic pace. There's a great tonal shift between the first half and second half of the film, transitioning from what seems like a war documentary into a science fiction thriller. The action is easy to follow without going too over the top and frantic, and the villains have believable motivations and execution. The scripting is excellent, turning Tony Stark into a personality more than a character.
The Bad: The films only real weakness lies in some of its underdeveloped supporting cast, specifically Pepper Potts and James Rhodes. They aren't given much screentime and are often overpowered by Tony Stark's performance, and as much they take a back seat, even in their own scenes. From some perspectives the plot feels like it plods along without much character intervention, which can be a weakness of some films of this nature.
Best Performance: Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man. The star of the show. It seems as though RDJ was born to play Tony Stark, and it was this single role that reinvigorated his languishing career after a period of drug rehabilitation. Whether he's testing prototypes for his newest suit or delivering rapid-fire quips and witty remarks in conversation, Tony Stark is truly larger than life. There's a reason we all want to be like him!
Should I Watch It: This is the film that started the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, and remains one of the better ones. The story is still grounded in reality, before the more supernatural Marvel characters started to appear, and this lets us connect with the plot much more easily - especially considering that it dealt with contemporary humanitarian issues as well as terrorism in the Middle East. It's a ton of fun and this is the film that started the entire MCU style of directing and scripting.
Post-Credits Scene: Yes
Similar Films: Any other Marvel superhero film, and even any of the DC superhero films
Trailer:
