Iron Man

Last week Saturday, I finally saw "Iron Man," a movie that has received a fair share of exclamation's in nearly every review I've skimmed of the film (remember, I refuse to read reviews of films I haven't seen).

So, does it meet the hype? Perhaps. I'll put it this way: instead of reinventing the super-hero film genre, director Jon Favreau merely offers a superior example of it.

Downey is, as can be expected, superb in the lead role as Tony Stark, but thankfully, we are spared what has become the "typical" Downey role of the smart, wise-cracking eccentric that everyone just LOVES. Ok, maybe that is Tony Stark, but the execution feels different this time around. The humor of the film, largely derived from Downey, is a breath of fresh air in the now suffocating seriousness of the super-hero films. From the soap-opera confessions in the "Spider-Man" films to the ultra-serious homosexual overtones of the "X-Men" features, directors seem to be forgetting that these films are based on comic books. No, I am not suggesting for a moment that comic books are incapable of confronting real world, but above all else, they are fantasies, and the movies themselves should, at least, preserve this sense of fantasy. It was a relief to see that "Iron Man" succeeded.

One final note on the special effects, which are the best I have seen in any modern day film. As opposed to recent CGI blow-outs--"Matrix Revolutions" and "Spider-Man 3" come to mind--"Iron Man" is appropriate and, more importantly, convincing. Favreau's achievements on this front alone justify a look at the film.

So, to conclude, does it match the hype? Yes, so go see it, if you haven't already.