Ever since Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang I’ve loved Robert Downey Jr. and that is the main reason I wanted to go see this film. Sure, I enjoy superhero films, but I know nothing at all about Iron Man, so it wasn’t any grá for that character that made me go. For those of you who share this non-knowledge Iron Man is Tony Stark, a genius of a weapons-dealer. When things go wrong for him in Afghanistan he ends up thinking that the only route forward is to give up the whole destruction business, obviously enough his share-holders object slightly.
I really enjoyed this film. It isn’t the greatest film ever made; not by a long shot. But it is entertaining, with some great effects, and some wonderful acting. Yes, I still love Robert Downey Jr..
However it isn’t perfect. And I think I may be getting old. Why else am I wondering why they spent so much time focusing on the possible death of one single US pilot when many, many, many other non-Americans have just been killed, and a few US soldiers too. And I’m sorry, but death by being burned alive is something I don’t think I can really think of as being cool.
But those are minor quibbles. This is a perfect popcorn flick. Finding fault at things like that is more than a little silly. It isn’t designed to make you think, not really, it is meant to entertain, and that it does. In buckets.
Two thumbs up.
IMDb ; Stainless Steel Droppings ; Barking Carnival
10 May 2008 at 12:44 am
I am glad you enjoyed it. I know I’ve liked Robert Downy, Jr. in other movies before Kiss, Kiss but I am not sure that I considered him a great actor. I do know that since Kiss, Kiss I do. Maybe it is maturity based on his experiences or directors casting him in the right roles for him or a combination of that and many other factors, but whatever it is he is a joy to watch. This film wasn’t perfect, few superhero films are, but it was as close to perfect as I need my superhero films to be and that is in large part to his acting and Favreau’s vision for the film.
11 May 2008 at 3:30 pm
Yeah, big fan of Favreau too Carl.
Twitter: ecnef
12 May 2008 at 9:23 am
The first time i heard about the film I thought it was gonna be a Ted Hughes stylee-thing, which it’s obviously not :(
Awww
12 May 2008 at 5:13 pm
When will we have enough superhero films? At what point will our society be surfeited with masked, conflicted heroes and anti-heroes, haunted by their past? Iron Man sounds like a punch-alike of Batman. Rich geezer decides to put his wealth to baddie ass-kicking uses. I bet he has nightmares, too. But all superhero films are essentially the same story, which has precious little dramatic potential to begin with. Sigh.
15 May 2008 at 9:57 am
hooray! i know i’ve said this too many of your film reviews, but i really hope i get to see this. payday is wednesday, which also happens to be orange in colour. so here’s hoping…!
(you know, i haven’t seen a film at the movies for 2 years now… :( )
16 May 2008 at 10:28 pm
You wannabe cynic Mal. There can never be enough superheroes out there. They are all metaphors for stuff afterall, and stuff will never stop.
2 years JP? Two whole years! me = speechless
Twitter: ecnef
17 May 2008 at 10:17 pm
Yes, but there’s more stuff than can be metaphored by superheroes. Maybe some different metaphors are in order!
17 May 2008 at 10:19 pm
Just bought Kiss Kiss Bang Bang today for 4 Euro. I’m a bit scared to watch it in case it’s not as good as I remember. I do love a good/metaphorical super hero movie and if RDJ is in it, all the better. There were some incredibly funny lines in it too
22 May 2008 at 10:26 am
Mal, but then what about the “look, people flying” coolness? You need superheroes for that sort of malarkey.
I really need to buy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, loved it when I saw it in the cinema, but that was years ago at this stage :)
Twitter: ecnef
23 May 2008 at 12:44 pm
i second those sentiments about super heroes fency.
26 May 2008 at 4:18 pm
:)
Twitter: ecnef