2008
DIRECTOR: Jon Favreau
May Contain Spoilers!
2008 saw the first wave of the Marvel films in the build up to this years Avengers mash-up. This, along side The Incredible Hulk, would kick-start the four-year project and introduce some of the lesser known and less bankable characters, such as Iron Man, Thor, Hulk (Reboot) and controversially named, Captain America.
Iron Man had a major obstacle in its path, and that was Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begin’s sequel, The Dark Knight. But not so much in box office terms, rather in genre and tone. The Dark Knight is, if not THE benchmark in comic book adaptations in the sense that it presents, along with its predecessor, a more plausible and “realist” or grounded take on the genre whilst Iron Man and Marvel’s new wave, as it were, offer the serialisation and long anticipated crossovers. Marvel now make their films as if they were comics, crafting the universe rather than a tight narrative.
So, Iron Man, for all it’s flash and thunder, is handicapped by being a film of a series and would only be a one-off if it had failed. Well, it didn’t. The tone seemed to work well with Marvel fans, but I was less convinced, certainly at the time, with Nolan casting a long shadow over the comic book world. The story is pretty tight though and nicely explains, were possible, the evolution of Stark the industrialist to Stark the robotic superhero.
But there’s no doubt that Robert Downey Jr. is excellent as Stark/Iron Man, and is possibly the best thing about the film. The movie’s tone is light, with nods to serious matters but quite rightly choosing to move on without too much ponderousness. Again, a method supported by Downy Jr’s light tough to the playboy, who’s hyperactive irresponsible attitude keeps the humour flowing and the plot moving.
But so far, this is the best of the Marvel films, with the exception of Ang Lee’s Hulk from 2003, a film which is criminally no longer cannon anyway, but the casting of Robert Downy Jr. was definitely a coup from Director, Favreau, let alone Jeff Bridges as the mentor/villain, and it’s along with Favreau’s sharp direction and top casting has given The Avengers Initiative a strong start…
[...] as far as I’m concerned. Jon Favreau, who’s most successful work would have to be Iron Man, manages to craft a decent homage to the Western, at least for the first 30 minutes, with an array [...]
[...] of hype and preparation, Marvel’s Avengers have Assembled. It all started back in 2008 with Iron Man and The (not so) Incredible Hulk. What has now become known as “Phase 1″ continued in [...]
[...] of hype and preparation, Marvel’s Avengers have Assembled. It all started back in 2008 with Iron Man and The (not so) Incredible [...]
[...] back in 2008, alongside the seminal The Dark Knight (2008), it did take me some time to warm to Iron Man (2008), but when I did, I can see and enjoy it for it is and that is one of the more enjoyable entries and [...]
[...] done a hell of a lot better. Defiantly one of the best Avengers movies to date and on par with Iron Man (2008) but The Avengers Assemble is worth the [...]
[...] rather than hinder, as Mary Jane did bu being tied up! The tone is sharp and modern, up their with Iron Man (2008), a likeble cocky character with an edge. The look is in many ways too similar to Raimi’s [...]
[…] out of touch the genre which back in 2007, was building up to the first two Avengers movies, Iron Man (2008) and The Incredible Hulk (2008), let alone The Dark Knight (2008), the light and childish tone of […]
[…] created from elements left behind by the original version which was directed by Richard Lester. Iron Man (2008) is just about off the list, but was almost there, as this is the best of The Avengers films, […]