I Saw the superlative Iron Man this weekend. It was a gamble, first film that Marvel have self funded, and I think it paid off.Spoiler hats on kids.
Reviews have been mixed, with comic and SF reviews being positive, and the serious press being lukewarm. The serious reviews bemoan the lack of a big bad through, complaining that what we have is about an hour or so of Stark inventing Armour, then one big fight at the end. I personally think this was the film's strength. A film lead by any other studio would no doubt have balked at Iron Man only facing the Iron Monger ta the end, preferring him to be beaten first, recover from a crisis of confidence and go on to prevail.
So, to me brilliant film. In the opening acts, despite him being an amoral arms dealer, I wanted to be Tony Stark, and after his incarceration you just like him more. Robert Downy Jr really nailed the part. The scenes between him and Pepper Potts (Which I was dubious about) also really worked and they had a definite chemistry.
There was also a lot of succulent meat for us comic fans. Jim Rhodes hinting at War Machine, the 10 rings alluding to the mandarin, and of course SHIELD with the post credits Samuel L Jackson cameo as Nick Fury.
Overall a top film, if this is what Marvel can produce without meddling studios, long may they fund their own films.
Agreed on all counts.
ReplyDeleteDid you read the recent reveals from Bendis and co?
Bendis wrote the scene with Fury at short notice (Jackson had been booked with no script to hand, and was due in the next day, so Bendis quickly rattled off a few pages).
Also Jon Favreau Flew in a team from Marvel (including Brian Bendis, Mark Millar, Joe Q, Tom Breevoort) to get them to go over the script and designs critically to ensure what he was doing was going to be the best job he could for the character.
To me that just shows what passion Favreau had for the character and doing him justice. As long as Marvel keeps its properties in the hands of people like that, we should get some really good films.
And if rumours are true there's an RDJ cameo as Stark in Hulk, he's now stealing scenes from other people's films. but totally agree, getting guys with enthusiasm for the subject matter really pays off. I think it helps that there isn't a studio questioning everything, it is Marvel's show
ReplyDeleteThe RDJ cameo in Hulk was confirmed at the NYCC, when they got shown a version of the trailer which included him.
ReplyDeleteApparently at that point the convention floor went a bit nuts ;-)
Well how can you blame us, he was one of the best things in Iron Man, and that was in a film packed to the gunnels with best things. It makes me want to see Hulk where as previously I could take or leave it.
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