Face Off: Iron Man takes on The Dark Knight
Aug 26, 2008 People
Meow.
Catwoman would be so proud.
A recent interview on Moviehole quoted Robert Downey Jr aka Iron Man as saying:
“My whole thing is that that I saw The Dark Knight. I feel like I’m dumb because I feel like I don’t get how many things that are so smart. It’s like a Ferrari engine of storytelling and script writing and I’m like, ‘That’s not my idea of what I want to see in a movie.’ I loved The Prestige but didn’t understand The Dark Knight. Didn’t get it, still can’t tell you what happened in the movie, what happened to the character and in the end they need him to be a bad guy. I’m like, ‘I get it. This is so high brow and so f–king smart, I clearly need a college education to understand this movie.’ You know what? F-ck DC comics. That’s all I have to say and that’s where I’m really coming from.”
I loved Iron Man and I love The Dark Knight - both were the best superhero movies I’ve seen in a long while. Downey Jr, arguably one of my favourite actors ever has already begun some work on Iron Man 2 so I can’t wait.
I don’t suppose he’ll be doing a DC movie anytime soon, but doesn’t sound like he cares. I wonder if Christopher Nolan or DC will respond?
11.28am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: dc comics, Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr, the dark knight
Iron Man rocks ass!
Apr 30, 2008 Events
Well, okay, so it’s not like Academy Award winning but heck, Robert Downey Jr was so good that he might just get a nomination.
It was two hours of pure joy for me. I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant - I mean edgy Robbie Jr playing a superhero? Come on, even you guys thought the same thing didn’t you?
Yup, the movie was as good as the trailer promised.
So yes, I had passes to the premiere and I was super uber excited. I’m not a big fan of Marvel comics (I’m a DC boy, folks) but it’s Iron Man, baby! And it’s great ‘cos the movie only opens in the US on May 2nd.
Who would have thought that a superhero movie could be this good? And I thought Spider-Man was brilliant.
First things first - Robert Downey Jr. was impeccable as billionaire Tony Stark turned Iron Man. This is a method actor at his best, Viggo Mortenson would not have been able to do a better job. In fact, for the whole time the movie was on, I didn’t realise at all that it was the former druggie Emmy award-winning actor acting.
Talking about timing, you know how it feels when you never look at your watch because you’re just so enthralled? Well, Iron Man was just that. The movie had the right amount of drama, wit and action - all enough to keep viewers right on the edge of the seat. In fact, it was so well-paced that I was suprised that it was almost midnight by the time I had left the cinema (movie started just before 10).
* SPOILER BEGINS*
The story in itself was solid. Tony Stark is a billionaire creator of weapons of mass destructions (and a playboy at that) who heads into Afghanistan to launch his one-shot takes all new weapon. As he heads back to base (naturally, he works closely with the US Army), he is kidnapped by war-mongering turban wearing people.
Except they are not interested in money, they want him to build him that big, new weapon of his.
Trapped in a cave with a translator (a doctor who kept him alive from the bombings), he created the first version of what would be Iron Man - a large bullet-proof armour-like suit with the ability to fly. It’s a hastily made suit so it doesn’t last very long and so, Stark powers the flying capability and jets out of danger.
Knowing who his weapons are being used by (terrorists, of course), Stark becomes a changed man except that he now feels compelled to destroy all his weapons in the wrong hands. The new Iron Man emerges and woah, what a beauty!
So, fight fight fight, yadah yadah yadah (a bit of romance in between) and suddenly, he finds out that his partner was behind his kidnap (was actually meant to be an assassination) and in on the sales of weapons to terrorists. To be able to hold off Iron Man, the partner creates an even larger version of Iron Man (the first version Stark created looks like a mini-me to this one) and the two fight.
Guess who wins?
* SPOILER ENDS*
The effects were amazing, and the story flowed so well. What I liked most was that the story revolved around Tony Stark more than it did Iron Man, which totally makes sense considering that Stark is one of the few superheros (well, before last year’s Marvel fiasco where secret identities, including Spider-Man’s was revealed) who do not hide behind a mask.
The story felt very honest, and while I am not an expert on this particular comic, I felt it was very true to the legend that is Iron Man.
Not a superhero movie fan? Fear not. Iron Man has something for everyone. It’s intelligent writing, great acting and wonderful effects, all of which put together, created one heck of a show. Don’t miss it.
