Ace of Spades HQ

April 30, 2008

Updated: So, I saw Iron Man [someone]
— Open Blog

Update: [Liberrocky]
I also saw Iron Man this evening (thanks to the good people at Oracle who supplied me with the passes, your SQL has no equal) and I agree 100% with someone's review.
It is a very good super hero movie, not as good as Batman Begins or Superman II but in the super hero genre well above par.

The only beef I really have is with the casting of Stane, come on Jeff Bridges?! The Dude does not make a very menacing villain, good bowler bad villain.

------

Short version: good movie, no moonbat content.

Seriously. That's what y'all wanted to know, right? Go see it Friday.

Mild but general spoilers below. As you might have guessed from the trailer, the movie starts on a pretty unabashedly patriotic note. Like Ace and Allah, I kept expecting the other shoe to drop at some point -- some bit of Michael Moore-ism irrepressible in current Hollywood productions. It never does.

Now the movie uses the Stane/Iron Monger plotline (in this version, Stane is an executive inside Stark International), so there is a sort of "villainous arms dealing" thread, but it turns out what's bad is when you sell arms to the bad guys -- and though the specific bad guys hiding out in Middle Eastern caves are given a nondescript name and never shout "Allahu Akbar!", it's pretty clear (1) who they are, and (2) that they're bad guys who need killin'. And believe it or not, the movie never treats the US government -- and particularly the US military -- as anything but the good guys.

(In other words, when Favreau et al. went around saying "It's an anti-war movie", they meant "Don't let the war stuff keep you from buying tickets for your kids, honest!", not "Bushitlerhalliburtonoilchickenhawks!" I mean, they may think the latter, but it's not in the movie.)

The other thing in the trailer is some snappier-than-usual dialog, and I'll just say that you haven't already seen the best bits. In fact Downey does really well, and it's his comic delivery that makes the movie. Favreau has leavened the effects and action with humor that actually works, in classic popcorn-movie style. (Don't expect Batman-style pretentious angst.)

Comic geeks will delight in various little touches that I won't spoil here. This is the first movie from Marvel's new in-house studio (the Hulk remake is #2), and it shows in the general faithfulness to the lore and storylines.

It also means, of course, that there will be sequels. The problem with Iron Man is that he doesn't have the same gallery of memorable villains as, say, the X-Men or Spidey, much less DC's Batman. I'm sure they'll come up with something, though.

Posted by: Open Blog at 07:05 PM | Comments (59)
Post contains 465 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Short version: good movie, no moonbat content.

You just made my night. And day tomorrow since I'm seeing it tomorrow night. I love RDJ and was prepared to put up with omg war is bad for humans and other living things for him in that suit. To hear that it's a more general war really isn't spiffy and sucks but sometimes you have to blow up bad guys is wonderful news. Can't. Wait.

Posted by: alexthechick at April 30, 2008 07:18 PM (uGN3f)

2 Seriously. That's what y'all wanted to know, right? Actually, yeah. And thanks for the review.

Posted by: Topsecretk9 at April 30, 2008 07:20 PM (9+ysr)

3 That's a relief. My seeing it hinged on moonbat content.

Posted by: Z Ryan at April 30, 2008 07:37 PM (PDeVA)

4 No moonbat crap? and stuff blowing up real good? SO there.

Posted by: Oh yeah at April 30, 2008 07:39 PM (h/5U0)

5 Iron Man doesn't have great villains, but he does have great friends. (The Avengers) And of course, he's his own worst enemy.

Posted by: Eric J at April 30, 2008 08:14 PM (ES8sY)

6 RDJ just turned 43.
Wouldn't it be amazing for movie fans if he never wasted another day of his life being a lunatic? I keep reading he's turned a corner.
The guy is so effing talented.
When Lennon was shot I shrugged. Figured he'd been dead for years anyway.
I'd written RDJ off too.
Good for for him for making me wrong.

Posted by: Stephen at April 30, 2008 08:16 PM (u3Lta)

This and the remake of Death Race 2000 are my only "Must Sees" for this year.

Glad it was good.

Posted by: Mortis at April 30, 2008 08:33 PM (AfpKS)

8 "the remake of Death Race 2000"

Wait, are you serious!?

Posted by: someone at April 30, 2008 08:34 PM (2z2WN)

9 I this the Death Race remake? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452608/

Posted by: Oh yeah at April 30, 2008 08:37 PM (h/5U0)

10 I guess they wanted to make a profit. Good call!

I will treat my family to this one this weekend.

Posted by: Gohuckyourself at April 30, 2008 08:55 PM (8jYMc)

As a bitter divorced gun toting middle-aged typical white person, I rarely go to the movies. Iron Man will get me in the theater for the 1st time since Passion of the Christ.

Posted by: along came Jones at April 30, 2008 09:08 PM (KOkrW)

12 Hate to say it, but if that synopsis on the Death Race remake is right it sounds like it's going to be disappointing. What made the original Death Race so great was that it was a fun movie that was kind of satirical. Making the drivers inmates who are forced to do the race sounds more like The Running Man than Death Race 2000. But thanks for the heads up on Iron Man, it's going to be a lot more fun seeing it knowing the usual hollywood preachiness doesn't ever surface.

Posted by: cruzer at April 30, 2008 09:45 PM (e0R7r)

I'm delighted and relieved by that. Everyone here remembers how Travolta's career re-ignited (rather regrettably) after Pulp Fiction- perhaps this will do the same for Downey.

And it seems to me that this production crew may actually have taken a look around and seen that the preachy anti-war stuff doesn't sell. When in doubt, look at the bottom line.

But hell, I'm just glad that this movie is more or less on our side.

tmi3rd

Posted by: tmi3rd at April 30, 2008 09:53 PM (9bytU)

14 Eh, i guess Running Man was satirical too, at least the game show parts. It just sounds like they're taking the fun out of the original. How are you going to root for the drivers to kill the wheelchair bound old people for bonus points when they're being forced to do it?

Posted by: cruzer at April 30, 2008 09:55 PM (e0R7r)

15 "When in doubt, look at the bottom line."

Yeah, particularly in a venture like this. Marvel is really wagering the future of their company on the film's success -- it debuts their brand new movie division, and all of the $$$ that could mean. They literally can't afford to screw around with the usual Hollywood shit.

Posted by: someone at April 30, 2008 09:59 PM (2z2WN)

16 Also see forgetting sarah marshall.

Funniest movie I've seen in a long time.

Posted by: dan-O at April 30, 2008 10:18 PM (7Nejo)

17 The only beef I really have is with the casting of Stane, come on Jeff Bridges?! The Dude does not make a very menacing villain, good bowler bad villain.

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Posted by: Glen at April 30, 2008 10:25 PM (P0yFq)

18 El Iron Mongerino, if you're not into that whole brevity thing...

Posted by: Fa Cube Itches at April 30, 2008 10:57 PM (cRgjc)

19 The only beef I really have is with the casting of Stane, come on Jeff Bridges?! The Dude does not make a very menacing villain, good bowler bad villain.

At least he might be able to hold on to his rug.

Posted by: Ace's liver at April 30, 2008 10:59 PM (xDwoq)

20 Superman 2? Like from 30 years ago?

Dude...like...I don't know what you're tokin'... man, but there is a time and a place for everything, and it's called college.

Maybe there's no moonbat content, but should we really be enriching filmmakers whom are proven moonbats?

It's be likely preferable that we not fund their future moonbattery.

I hear Downey's had a conversion...good for him.

Other than that...screw the mooonbats.....

Posted by: Sgt. York at May 01, 2008 01:02 AM (kEa7p)

21 Sorry...should be "It's likely"

Posted by: Sgt. York at May 01, 2008 01:03 AM (kEa7p)

22 I this the Death Race remake?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452608/

Posted by: Oh yeah at May 01, 2008 01:37 AM (h/5U0)

Yep, that's what I'm talking about.

Posted by: Mortis at May 01, 2008 01:31 AM (AfpKS)

23 JON FAVREAU IS NOT A LEFTIST. I must have posted this ten times in these discussions. I worked in movie studios for years, my husband was an executive at a mini major that was owned by one of the biggest names in the business, believe me, I know this. I used to hang out at the swing clubs that Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau hung out at and that scene was never a bunch of leftists. If anything he and Vaughn were very interested in Objectivism and probably are more politically like the South Park guys than Sean Penn.

Posted by: Ann NY at May 01, 2008 02:18 AM (SPfHA)

The problem with Iron Man is that he doesn't have the same gallery of memorable villains as, say, the X-Men or Spidey, much less DC's Batman. I'm sure they'll come up with something, though.

Ewoks. I shit thee not.

At the moment we're working on a tie-in with Lucas for licensing which has Tony Stark being sent back in time to a galaxy far, far away due to a suit malfunction.

Having no cryptofloridianakskekcieastuff in his blood, Tony decides to use his abilities, and suit, for the Empire.

Posted by: __They__ at May 01, 2008 02:48 AM (UeP9e)

>a mini major

jumbo shrimp?

Posted by: along came Jones at May 01, 2008 03:05 AM (KOkrW)

Short version: good movie, no moonbat content.

Seriously. That's what y'all wanted to know, right?

Yup. That's all I needed to know. Now we'll go see it. Thanks for the review!

Posted by: Redhead Infidel at May 01, 2008 03:46 AM (M2upF)

27 In the sequel, Iron Man's new villain can be this whale-farmer guy who has plans for world domination with his teams of killer whales. It'll be great. Everyone knows that salt water and iron do not mix well.

Posted by: Taking Entropy's idea and running with it at May 01, 2008 03:48 AM (ATBwB)

28 But he's still gay, right? I mean, a straight Iron Man would just be wrong.

Posted by: Stinky Esposito at May 01, 2008 03:50 AM (xctyW)

29 Short version: good movie, no moonbat content.

Yep, exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks!

I was scared a little earlier when I saw that Amateur Leftist Webzine Salon had given it a good review.

Posted by: Dead Career Sketch at May 01, 2008 04:25 AM (bPI83)

30 Superman 2? Like from 30 years ago?

That was one of the better comic book hero movies. Drop the attempted dry-humor-insults and get with the program, MISTER!

Jokes aside, seriously, it was a pretty cool movie, especially in the time period that it was released (of course, years later parts of it appear hokey, but you have to keep in mind when it was made). You didn't think General Zod was a great character? Gene Hackman's Luthor? Are ye mad!?!??

Posted by: RW at May 01, 2008 04:29 AM (nr2qO)

31 Oh, Gene Hackman. He's good in anything.

As for selections from Shellhead's rogues' gallery for the sequels, don't forget that Tony's got one of the most enduring politically-incorrect arch-foes in all of comicdom: The Yellow Menace Mandarin. (Who somehow made the cut for last year's animated Iron Man DTV, which baffles me to this day.)

Posted by: PCachu at May 01, 2008 04:59 AM (r2Oug)

32 There's a scene in the trailer where Iron Man shoots some kind of missile from his wrist and turns and walks away before it hits its target and blows up. It really reminded me of the Caruso-sunglasses thing.

Posted by: 3rd_Bird at May 01, 2008 05:12 AM (1rNdj)

33 I'm just disappointed that they dropped the Black Sabbath music from the latest trailers.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 01, 2008 06:32 AM (Ds4I5)

34 Seriously. That's what y'all wanted to know, right?
Yes.
Thank you.
And it's coming to my leetle town! I don't have to drive to College Station to see it!
Doublepluscool.

Posted by: X_LA_Native at May 01, 2008 02:54 PM (ZZHVm)

35 Ann NY:
Thanks...good to know.

I saw S 2 when it first came out. I was 13 and thought it was gay then, and still do now.
Christopher Reeve? Are you kidding me?
The first rule of superhero movies is that the superhero does not come off wimpy and ghey!
He had no real 'tude, dude!

A modern day Rock Hudson...

Posted by: Sgt York at May 01, 2008 04:22 PM (kEa7p)

36 And it's coming to my leetle town! I don't have to drive to College Station to see it!

What are you, from North Zulch?

Posted by: Bender Bending Rodriguez at May 01, 2008 04:31 PM (LZ5Jq)

37 Superman II even in the day was a bit, meh. Superman III really sucked, but the scene of Drunkard Superman at a bar flicking peanuts into liquor bottles like high velocity rounds at least made a really memorable moment.

Really good news about Iron Man. RDJ and not a moonbat script? Awesome. (Does he have a peanut launcher? No, never mind. Don't spoil it for me.)

Posted by: VRWC Agent at May 01, 2008 05:12 PM (Z3AmO)

38 yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyYES!
Thank you!

Posted by: Stoop Davy Dave at May 01, 2008 05:39 PM (k9QZo)

39 "no moonbat content" Yeah, that was the question. X-man three... fucking UN loving commie asshole movie.

Posted by: LiveFreeOrDie at May 01, 2008 05:52 PM (ovW5n)

40 Yeah, like the UN ever had any kind of power. Or was there a mutant whose power was to tsk-tsk people who thwart genocidal crazies while giving the genocidal nuts executive appointments? I did nod off somewhere in the middle of the flick.

Posted by: VRWC Agent at May 01, 2008 06:22 PM (Z3AmO)

41 Hmm... Sorry if this is a spoiler, but they all but spelled out a possible enemy for a future Iron Man movie.

Terrorists called the Ten Rings. hehehehehehe...

Posted by: Urban Scorpion at May 02, 2008 04:22 AM (DfROI)

42 What are you, from North Zulch?

Not quite THAT dinky. Moved from San Diego last year to the Brenham/Burton area.

Posted by: X_LA_Native at May 02, 2008 04:45 AM (uVoBa)

43 I'm so glad to hear that about Iron Man. This movie has been making me crazy for about six months now. The emotional rollercoaster of hope that it might not suck and pre-emptive disappointment has been wearing me out.

Now I'll be in my bunk, at the movies.

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