LogFAQs > #950599433

CoolCly
Iron Man. This is it. This is the bar.
Everything below this movie is a good movie at best. Everything above it is a great movie at worst. It was a perfect origin story, great charisma, cool action, and set up a cast of characters. Its a bit rough around the edges, and the third act falls off a bit, but its a great movie. Every movie below it in this list is there because it may have done some great things in a few spots, but had too many flaws or fell in a few too many places to reach this bar.
I love this movie and appreciate it so much.
RDJs performance is so tone setting for the whole movie, and despite a lot of people being frustrated by it, theres a very strong reason why Tony Stark is so influential on so many the films, and why he steals the show in every movie hes a part of. Its funny, its charming, its confident, its douchebaggy, its clever, and most importantly, its one of a kind. This is phenomenal acting and I really side eye people who act like its not.
The premise of putting Tony in that cave and coming to grips with the fruits of his arms trading, and engineering his way out and choosing to change the way he lives when he returns to civilization. Yinsen fulfills his part in the movie beautifully.
When Tony returns to society, his mix of interacting with the public, his friends, and workshopping the Iron Man suits is a lot of fun. Pepper and Tonys relationship is maybe the best it ever is here, and I love the proof Tony Stark has a heart memento.
Rhodie is good here, and Im honestly not sure if I like Terrence Howard or Don Cheadle more.
Obie is awesome, but unfortunately he kind of stops being a character in the third act. Its generally a problem even in MCU movies that the climax just becomes a fuckfest of action and CGI, and this movie doesnt go too off the rails, but Obie just mindlessly becomes a bad guy in an Iron Man Suit that needs putting down.
The weakness of the climax is honestly what brings this movie down. It introduces Tony and his cast of supporting characters so well, and instills an impetus into him to change perfectly, which sets the bar on how high other MCU movies need to be to be great so high. But the fairly weak climax is what keeps Iron Man from being above the other truly great movies of the MCU.
Overall, this movie is on the cusp of greatness, but its perhaps a bit too rough of a movie due to the frantic nature it was made to make it all the way there. I have a huge appreciation for this movie and what it accomplished.

Illuminatusbubu
The first movie that started this whole thing. If this movie wasnt as successful as it was we might never have what we have now. RDJs charming persona really shines through all this exciting and funny film.

NBIceman
The one that started it all. I remember how resistant I was to even seeing this movie despite how good the trailers looked. Yeah, whatever, I thought. Ive been fooled before. Another comic book movie, this time with Iron Man of all characters? No way this doesnt end up sucking like almost all the others. Even my friends telling me it was actually good didnt convince me for another year or two afterward. Well, jokes on me. 13 years later and its still an upper-half entry in the series. Its not perfect, by any means. Stanes plan makes no sense and it leaves him as a really underwhelming first villain, and Gwyneth Paltrow is very clearly uncomfortable with how heavily improvisational a lot of the dialogue apparently was. But the story is super solid and I obviously dont need to tell anyone how awesome RDJ is in the leading role. Ending with I am Iron Man as the song kicks in was perfect, too. Couldnt really ask for a better launching point for the franchise.

ScepterOfLove
(No write-up.)

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