Movie Review - Iron Man

Have you ever heard of a movie that was hyped nearly beyond belief? 

Have you ever seen a movie that left all of it's best bits in the tantalizing trailer?

Heave you ever read a book and wished that there would be a film based on the main character? 

Have you ever gotten your wish, and then be disappointed with the results?  I have.... you probably have, too.  Today, my friends, I am pleased to report that this is not the case!

Today, I went to see the 12:15 showing of Iron Man.  Iron Man, that very human super-hero.  Iron Man, the hero that gadget-head boys always loved. Iron Man, in whose mechanical suit of wonders, lived a very real and very flawed man (who always got the hot chicks, and had more money than God).  By God, I wasn't disappointed.

I left the house (without showering, I must confess), at practically a dead run, because the AC repair man was at our house, and prior to that I had been doing the laundry.  I had 13 minutes t get to the theater... which was easily doable. 

Arriving, I parked in the back 40 so I wouldn't waste time finding a spot.  As I walked into the AMC Potomac Mills Theater, I noticed something:  There were no small number of men... mostly from around my age to about 30 heading in the same direction.  Some in "casual business" attire, some in jackets and ties.  All striding purposefully for the ticket window, where we waited, like 13 year olds waiting for the new super roller-coaster, to gain entrance into the biggest event of our summer.  We shared unashamed smiles and didn't even care that the young woman who sold us our tickets was trying her best not to laugh at us old dudes who were all going to see the first showings of the Iron Man movie.

Gaining entrance, I bought a large popcorn and a large coke, not caring that I had just plunked down $10.50 for it (my movie ticket was 8 dollars).  I took my snack (it was my lunch, OK?), AND my notebook and found a seat.

****NOTE**** There were only three women in the theater

There were the obligatory trailers, some of which looked like movies that I would actually see, like the re-release of the first Rambo movie, the new Indiana Jones movie, The Dark Knight, The Hulk, and a few others.

Then it was time for Iron Man, which wasted no time in drawing me in....

The movie begins in Afghanistan, with Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey, Jr. wearing a suit and tie, swilling scotch, and... wait a second.... this isn't important.  I don't need to tell the story.  You all either have read about the plot, or plan to see it, so I don't have to rehash it, or tell you about it.

What I will tell you is this:  This movie effing rocked!  It was, in my estimation, the perfect action movie.  It had explosions, it had a quirky but quasi-realistic hero, it had explosions, it had gadgets, it had clearly defined "good guys" and "bad guys", it had a hero that you could see yourself as, it had a sidekick, it had a pretty love interest... did I mention explosions? 

Yes, Iron Man has it all.  It has it all and done in a well-filmed, visually pleasing package.

Additionally, this movie can be seen and loved by people that didn't grow up on Iron Man comic books, even though there are a few insider tidbits for longtime fans, such as the music from the old Iron Man cartoon from 1966/67.

What's not to love?

Robert Downey Jr. played Tony Stark to the hilt.  Terrence Howard as Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes, was excellent, even though his character wasn't exactly the comic book Rhodey.  Gweneth Paltrow was fine as the hyper-efficient "Pepper" Potts, even the villain, Obidiah Stane, was well played by Jeff Bridges.

My friends, I have rarely seen a movie that met or exceeded all of my hopes.  This was one of them.

See it, you'll love it.

GF

Did I mention that this song played in the end credits?