Iron Man

The non-review

• Release Date: 2 May 2008
• Running Time: 126 min.
• Budget: 140 million USD
• Box office: 585,8 million USD

I never liked Iron Man. And he always been one of my least favourite characters, but I have one of the coolest DVD edition ever made.

I mean, how cool is that?

As a Batman-guy I felt like Tony Stark was the asshole version of Bruce Wayne, it’s clear they have to start with someone and in my opinion, they did a great job. Even against my feelings, Iron Man 1 it’s surely one of the best movies in the MCU. I mean the Tony Stark played by Robert Downey Jr. was amazing, the frenetic way he talks, and the comics look alike is great! I feel that the one on the screen is actually Tony Stark, not an actor playing the role, feelings that I hadn’t with the Batman in the Dark Knight Trilogy — even if Christian Bale did a great job as well.

Well, I admit that rewatching a movie with 15 years of delay it’s a bit weird, not for every movie because if you watch 2001: A Space Odyssey you are amazed by what they accomplished back in the days. But for a movie that’s a part of a franchise that’s still going on its strange for little details like Downey Jr. haircut or Tony and Obadiah cellphone — yep not smartphone, or cars; I mean Tony drive an Audi R8 which in 2008 was one of the greatest cars out there but seeing it today with those aged design it’s weird. And it’s even weirder because if you look at Iron Man suite, explosions, ARK reactor and such you can’t see “any difference” to the current ones, it looks like they grow up with us, and in fact they did. I felt like all those stuffs do really exist. Strange stuff I admit.

Close up of Tony’s cellphone

All its so anachronistic: haircut, sunglasses, beard, cellphone

Obi’s cellphone is a foldable device like the Motorola Razr

Just looks at the cars

I really enjoyed watching this movie, it gave me a kick to continue the “project”, and most important thing maked me like Iron Man like never before, I mean, 15 years leater (I’m 36) I found myself appreciating smalls nuances of the character that my 21 years old self didn’t.

Tony realized he was a genius serving the wrong cause, a servant of the merchants of death, somehow destroying lives instead of saving them.
His redemption and the desire to be on the good side is the keystone of the movie, thanks to Pepper Potts — which in this movie isn’t that good as character as in other movies of the franchise.

REFERENCE

What Marvel fans around the globe going crazy off are all the reference that links every movie and plants seeds that will grow in future movies, following is what you can found in Iron Man.

I’m talking about acutal reference, not easter eggs like Captain America’s Shield etc.

Introducing the S.H.I.E.L.D.
Phil Coulson introducing himself as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, after this and other references in other movies I thought they would made a movie about it, but they made a Series instead.

Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.

War Machine
If you were a comic book reader, at first view you can’t jump on your seat seeing Rhodes starring at the Mark III armour prototype and saying: “Nex time, baby.”
The first time I was like: I read the comics and I know what’s gonna happen!!! Why Marvel is roasting us like that? Just wear it and smoke those machine guns!

Terrence Howard as James Rhodes

Nick Fury
During the first ever MCU post-credit scene Nick Fury introduces himself to Tony Stark as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., saying he was there to talk about the Avenger Intitative.

Nick Fury introducing himself as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

STAN LEE CAMEO

If you’re like me, you’ll follow every single frame to spot the Stan Lee’s Cameo, sadly we can’t do this no more.

In Iron Man 1, Stan Lee impersonated Hugh Hefner

Stan Lee as Hugh Hefner

That’s a wrap!

My own personal rating for Iron Man 1 is 4/5.