Assembling a Universe - Iron Man (2008)

Iron Man was the first big risk Marvel would have to face as a film studio. After licencing the rights for their characters to appear in movies by various studios across the 2000s, the company wanted to earn more profit and artistic control from the films that were made based around their characters, so in conjunction with Paramount Pictures they began their own string of films under the banner Marvel Studios, where with what they had reobtained or still had the rights to they would bring to the big screen. The first of which is Tony Stark's Iron Man, who had originally been under development by various studios before being returned in 2006. But with this being the first steps of a newly fledged studio, and casting Robert Downey Jr - an actor who still hadn't returned to form after five years of arrests and relapses - as the lead hero being a worrisome idea at that stage, does Iron Man succeed in assembling the universe we now live in?

Tony Stark (Downey Jr) is your typical genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, sleeping around with various women whilst running a very successful weapons development company initially set up by father Howard (who becomes more important later on the phase). While out promoting his newest creation the Jericho missile, he's kidnapped by a terrorist organisation known as the Ten Rings, where he and fellow captive Yinsen (Shaun Toub) are forced to create a version of the missile for them using the various Stark Industries weapons they have. But instead they create a suit of armour as means of escape, powered by a miniaturised arc reactor, which prevents shrapnel entering his heart. Once free, Stark decides to advance the suit of gold-titanium alloy as a personal project - all whilst something is stirring within his company and the Ten Rings seeking revenge.

There is no denying that this is a slow film. Whilst the occasional fight sequence is a lot of fun, especially with the first usage of the Mark I, the rest is a mix of character and story, with a dash of comedy added in little bursts. That's not to say that the slowness affects the film's quality - on the contrary, it helps sell the characters all the more in this realistic-but-still-comic world - but there is a major difference evident during these scenes. It does help that Jon Favreau's direction elevates those scenes, such as Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) assisting in Tony's reactor replacement surgery, and makes them a pinch more special without encasing them in clear restriction of what they should and shouldn't be.

As we go onto the characters, we start with the Mickey Mouse of the Marvel Studios brand and current flagship character for whatever movie they can - Tony Stark. Tony Stark is a role perfect for Downey Jr, as he blends into the role perfectly. He's witty, he's obnoxious, and his role as ladiesman actually works for him unlike various actors before and after him. If there's anyone to take on from this film, it's him. Also present is Paltrow, who plays the average love interest role - except the love is only hinted at here. There's no kissing, just little hints here and there about a possible romance to come  - very refreshing at a time where every hero ends up with someone in their first adventure. And anyway, Paltrow does well in the role. There isn't a lot to do aside from care for Stark's every need, but she does it as well as she can. Terrence Howard in his sole appearance as Rhodey is pleasurable to say the least, if not for the off-putting personality he initially carries during the Iron Man production process. Once he's warmed to the notion, he's fine, but that area is a little off, and perhaps that's due to Howard's delivery. The weakest of the main team is arguably Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane, the second in-command at Stark Industries, who's meant to come across as menacing but at times is a little laughable. He simply doesn't come across as someone to be fearful of, but as practically a Level 1 boss battle in the Iron Man mythos, he serves his purpose well. Plus, it's refreshing that it's the father figure that's the villain rather than the person who sets up this great journey that he follows. The only notable actors outside of these four are Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Homeland and Logistics Division (let's shorten that down to S.H.I.E.L.D in future) and Leslie Bibb as Christine Everhart, and both aren't entirely notable, although Gregg does do a good enough job to become a staple of the future films and later TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Iron Man does its main task of setting up a new film universe well - it brought a previously-unknown character into the public's eye successfully and in a way which would guarantee sequels and acclaim. It's a fresh take on the superhero film which would be unfortunately overshadowed by that year's later release The Dark Knight. But outside of Favreau's direction and Downey Jr's charismatic hero, there isn't that much of any note which its successors would do better. At the time it worked, but seven years on it's something to enjoy every so often, if not just for that post-credits scene. Aside from that, it's a worthy watch which carries the burden of setting up a franchise well. 7/10.