 Ultimate 2-Disc Edition Suit up for action with Robert Downey, Jr. in the ultimate adventure movie you've been waiting for, Iron Man! When jet-setting genius-industrialist Tony Stark is captured in enemy territory, he builds a high-tech suit of armor to escape. Now, he's on a mission to save the world as a hero who's built, not born, to be unlike any other. Co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges, it's a fantastic, high-flying journey that is "hugely entertaining" (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal). Storyline: Tony Stark is the complete playboy who also happens to be an engineering genius. While in Afghanistan demonstrating a new missile, he's captured and wounded. His captors want him to assemble a missile for them but instead he creates an armored suit and a means to prevent his death from the shrapnel left in his chest by the attack. He uses the armored suit to escape. Back in the U.S. he announces his company will cease making weapons and he begins work on an updated armored suit only to find that Obadiah Stane, his second in command at Stark industries has been selling Stark weapons to the insurgents. He uses his new suit to return to Afghanistan to destroy the arms and then to stop Stane from misusing his research. Written by John Vogel {jlvogel@comcast.net} Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Greg Maltz on September 11, 2008 -- His footsteps shake the floorboards and rattle the windows. His metallic gleam bursts from the screen. A comic book hero is brought to life--or at least to Blu-ray disc, which is the next best thing. The good news for home theater aficionados is that Iron Man is not just a good on Blu-ray. It's great. The instant disc one loads and the menu first comes up, it's easy to see that Paramount's two-BD set exudes quality. The animated figure and menu navigation are impressively designed and gorgeously rendered in 1080p. But the real fun starts when the film is underway and the impact of the video and audio definition becomes fully apparent. It will plant a smile on the face of even the hardest-to-please home theater elitist. We're talking a near-reference level title here. One that is destined to be shown off to friends and family, office buddies and neighbors. A BD that will no doubt become demo material for countless HDTVs and Blu-ray players in electronics store showrooms everywhere. Paramount did it right. And Iron Man is a fine film--an instant classic (and I don't use the term loosely). Even the bonus material defies criticism. All there is to do is sit back and enjoy. The story centers around Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), an engineering genius turned celebrity who inherited the chief executive position at his father's weapons company, Stark Industries. The Marvel comics story of Stark is brought into modern times as the film begins in Afghanistan, where Tony travels to pitch Stark Industries' most advanced missile system to military brass. While en route back to the air base across the rugged Afghan terrain, Tony's convoy is attacked by Talibanesque insurgents armed with Stark weapons. The terrorists, led by the fearsome Raza (Faran Tahir) and bearded Abu Bakaar (Sayed Badreya), quickly kill the U.S. troops protecting Tony and then take him hostage. But not before critically injuring him in an explosion that sends tiny shards of shrapnel into his chest. Tony is revived by another kidnapped engineer, Yinsen (Shaun Toub), who rigs a device to magnetically shield Tony's heart from the deadly bits of shrapnel. Holed up in a cave in the mountains of Afghanistan, with his chest hooked up to a car battery and the terrorists demanding that he build them the missile he had developed for the U.S. military, Tony instead plans his escape with Yinsen. They attempt to build an armored suit fitted with flame throwers and other weapons. But Raza realizes the hostages are not working on a missile and he confronts them, giving them one more day to finish the project. This action all takes place in the first few minutes of the film. To avoid spoilers, I will not go into details on the rest of the plot. But Tony does come out of the experience in Afghanistan with a new outlook on Stark Industries, after seeing weapons he developed to protect America being used by the enemy against him and U.S. troops. Tony's drive to take Stark Industries in a new direction puts him at odds with Stark second-in- command Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) and military liaison Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Terrence Howard). With no one to trust but his faithful assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Tony retreats to his state-of-the-art, lavishly outfitted workbench in the basement of his Malibu mansion. There he methodically perfects the design he started in Afghanistan--a weapon that is more personal, more intelligent, more rugged, powerful and reliable than any he has previously designed. One that will never fall into the wrong hands. Or will it? Much of the success of Iron Man is attributable to Robert Downey, Jr. and director Jon Favreau. At first I was skeptical of Downey in the lead role, but after seeing his performance I realize there are few actors who could have pulled it off as skillfully. The Tony Stark character has many complex qualities. He is intelligent, quirky, egocentric, stubborn, charming, funny and spoiled. Downey himself often comes off as haughty and obnoxious but--like many of his more successful performances--he uses his own characteristics to help fill the role. More importantly, Downey's comedic talents keep the film fun and fresh. The supporting cast, including Bridges and Paltrow, also turn in strong performances. The way Favreau captures the action is stronger still. Combat sequences have an intensity and realism that bring the story to life and pay off the plot. While not showing gruesome aspects of violence, Iron Man is a wall-smashing, body-crushing thrill ride. The special effects are top notch. Motion and flight are captured very well. Explosions and weapons technology are pure eye candy for gadget heads, your average comic book reader and even James Bond fans. From the surface of the Iron Man titanium-gold alloy suit to the CAD graphics that deliver wow factor throughout the film, Favreau has created a graphic treasure trove to support his rich narrative. Audiences were thrilled with the film's launch in May and they will be thrilled again with the Blu-ray release. Overall, Iron Man is the best two-disc package available on Blu-ray. The film is fun, the audio is mighty impressive and I can't in good conscience fault the video quality enough to deduct points. It may not be the most detailed picture I've ever seen, but I believe that could easily be accounted for by the camera work and CGI integration. Robert Downey, Jr. and the special effects give Iron Man a fresh, unique vibe that sets it apart from most action or superhero films. There are enough surprises and plot twists to keep any audience on their toes; enough humor to keep any audience chuckling; enough character development to satisfy the critics and Stark nerds; and enough effects and action to get the blood pumping. Iron Man gets my highest recommendation and Paramount--a studio that not long ago snubbed Blu-ray consumers--gets my thumbs up on a job very well done. (Based on Comic Book) Cast Notes: Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark / Iron Man), Terrence Howard (Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes), Jeff Bridges (Obadiah Stane / Iron Monger), Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts), Leslie Bibb (Christine Everhart), Shaun Toub (Yinsen), Faran Tahir (Raza), Sayed Badreya (Abu Bakaar), Bill Smitrovich (General Gabriel), Clark Gregg (Agent Phil Coulson), Tim Guinee (Major Allen), Will Lyman (Award Ceremony Film Narrator [voice]), Marco Khan (Insurgent #4), Kevin Foster (Jimmy), Garret Noel (Pratt). IMDb Rating (11/09/13): 7.9/10 from 439,762 users IMDb Rating (07/22/11): 7.9/10 from 205,327 users IMDb Rating (10/16/08): 8.1/10 from 107,685 users Top 250: #220
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