Iron Man was the comic book movie we were waiting for. Everything was done right. The story, acting, effects, etc were spot on. The story wasn't too convoluted either (like other comic movies sometimes are). This is what I want in a comic book movie.
When the movie was released back in May, some of us here at Comic Vine got to see an early screening. This was my first impression:
Original Movie Review 5/1/08
So what did I think? Well, I had high hopes before sitting in the theatre to watch it. Normally I try to have extremely low expectations when it comes to comic book movies. Why? They usually come out pretty flawed. I figure if I go in not expecting a whole lot, I might be somewhat pleased when I walk out. With Iron Man, I couldn't keep those expectations low. I went in wanting to like it.
The movie begins. It started out out right away with some action. That was great. Things just continued from there. Okay, I won't keep you in suspense. What did I really think? I really really liked it. I might even go and say I loved it. It was a damn fine movie. Best comic book movie? You know, it's possible. Talking to RedLAMP and Captain Cascader afterwards, we all agree that the original Superman movie is a great comic book movie. But you kind of can't really compare it to today's movies. That's in it's own class. I think everyone says that Spider-Man is one of the best superhero movies. But I've had problems with that movie even though I liked it. There were some poor casting decisions, I wasn't crazy about some costume designs, and some of the acting felt a little flat.
Iron Man, on the other hand, really didn't let you down. Robert Downey Jr? Nailed it as Tony Stark. He was a believable Stark. Jim Rhodes' character was good too. There were moments where you could see they do have a deep friendship even though they are sort of in different circles now. Obadiah Stane...Jeff Bridges was amazing. Even Gweneth Paltrow (who I'm not a big fan of) was great as Pepper. Jon Favreau was even on screen as Happy Hogan. We can't forget about Stan Lee. I won't reveal what he did. You'll have to see for yourself.
I want to say more but it is late and I do have to wake up at dark o'clock in the morning. It was a great movie. The effects were great. It all worked. The story was very true to the comics (with some obvious tweaks to fit into "modern" times). I already mentioned the top notch acting. Jon Favreau did an awesome job directing. I can't wait to see it again (and eventually own it on Blu-ray).
See this movie!
Obviously my thoughts haven't changed. This Blu-ray is jam-packed with extras (all in HD too). The funny thing is I didn't look at the back of the case and thought it was only one disc. The extras on disc one would have been enough but then I found disc 2 (behind the Blu-ray BD-Live insert).
Special Features
There is plenty here to keep you busy and make you feel you got your money's worth. Pretty much anything you'd want to know about the making of this movie is included here. It really makes you appreciate the movie all the more when you see everything that went into it.
Disc 1
Hall of Armor This is a simple interface that allows you to take a 360 degree look at the different armors (Marks I, II, III, and Iron Monger). You also have the ability to zoom in and look at some technical specs of each.
The Invincible Iron Man This is a six part feature that talks to the writers and artists that have worked on Iron Man over the years. The creators interviewed include Stan Lee, Gerry Conway, Gene Colan, Tom Brevoort, John Romita Jr, Bob Layton, Warren Ellis, Adi Granov, Joe Casey, Joe Quesada, Patrick Zircher, Dan Knauf and Charles Knauf. This feature really gives you the behind the scenes insight on the evolution of the characters throughout the comic book's run. Stan Lee talks about how he challeneged himself in writing a character that people wouldn't want to like (he was a weapons manufacturer and was rich). He did mention that most of the fan mail they did receive was from females. This section even had information that was enlightning to me. I had gotten a little burnt out on Iron Man and skimmed through the Extremis storyline (despite the fact that Ellis and Granov were involved).
The different features are: - Origins - Friends And Foes - The Definitive Iron Man - Demon In A Bottle - Extremis And Beyond - Ultimate Iron Man
Deleted And Extended Scenes Usually deleted scenes have been deleted for an apparent reason. Some of the scenes here would've changed the tone of the movie a little. Here's a description with running times. - Convoy Ambush (3:26) - More shooting and explosions. We do see Rhodey (I was wondering where he was during the shooting). - Craps Table With Tony & Rhodey (1:50) - More gambling. - Tony & Rhodey On Stark Jet And Military Ceremony (4:21) - There is more drunken talk and dancing. Tony disappears with one of the women... Rhodey is more hungover in the morning. - Rhodey & General Gabriel (:52) - Rhodey talks to the general insisting that he's going to go back and find Tony in the desert. - Tony Comes Home (1:29) - Tony arrives at his mansion and has some talk with 'Jarvis.' - Tony Begins Mark II (:51) - Tony working at his computer. - Dubai Party (3:32) - Tony has Pepper throw a party. He is seen in his womanizing ways and takes off as Iron Man later. - Pepper Discovers Tony As Iron Man (:51) - Different from how Pepper first discovers Iron Man. The morning after the party Pepper finds Tony sitting in his armor. - Obadiah Addresses the Scientists (1:53) - As Iron Monger is being built, Obadiah tries giving a pep talk to get them working harder. - Rhodey Saves Iron Man On Freeway (1:24) - Rhodey drives into Iron Monger in one of Tony's cars. Seems to almost end the battle. - Rooftop Battle (3:22) - Scene is a little longer. Tony tries saving Obadiah.
Disc 2
I Am Iron Man. A seven part feature on different aspects of making the film. - The Journey Begins (20:29) - The Suit That Makes The Iron Man (10:15) - Walk Of Destruction (22:15) - Grounded In Reality (14:27) - Beneath The Armor (15:28) - It's All In The Details (14:17) - A Good Story, Well Told (11:46)
Wired: The Visual Effects Of Iron Man (27:01)
Robert Downey Jr's Screen Test (6:03) The second part with Tony declaring that he is going to clean up his own mess (his weapons being used to kill innocents) really blew me away. It was just a screen test yet you see the emotion in Downey Jr's eyes and he delievers his lines. He was the perfect choice for the role. He definitely deserves more credit.
The Actor's Process (4:13)
The Onion "Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer To Be Adapted Into Full-Length Film" (2:38). The Onion's parady spoofing the popularity of the early released trailer.
Theatrical Trailers. Four of them (although International Trailer B wouldn't play on my disc).
Galleries. Concept Art, Technical, Unit Photography, Posters
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned, it's a great movie and and awesome Blu-ray (the two-disc DVD would be similar, just not in HD, naturally). When I first got my DVD player, The Matrix was the movie to own to showcase the technology. Iron Man is the Blu-ray movie to own. It deserves to be seen in HD. The discs are loaded with extras. You can add up the running time of all the features and see you'll have plenty to view. The only thing I didn't access was the commentary. The other special features kept me busy for some time. This is definitely a disc that you'll want to watch more than once. Iron Man showed us that comic book movies can be done right and remain faithful to the original source. The only reason Iron Man didn't have the Dark Knight factor was because Batman's more of a household name. Iron Man should not be overlooked and studios should see this presentation as the way discs should be put together.
