Marvel Movie Project #4: Iron Man

This was #1 on the list for a very, very long time.  Robert Downey Jr. so perfectly captured the essence of Tony Stark that it can be hard to see the flaws in this film.  I was never a fan of Iron Man, the character.  I never read Iron Man comics and as far as an Avenger goes, I could have easily swapped him with Tigra and never known the difference, excepting that Tigra is a super-hot catwoman.

MEOW

But I digress.  The point is, I do not much care for Iron Man.  At least that was true until the movie came out.  I was super skeptical.  I thought there was no way they could make an interesting Iron Man movie.  I knew the special effects would be dumb and way too computer generated to be believed.  This movie was going to tank hard.

It is so nice to be wrong.  And it all starts with the stellar performance by Robert Downey Jr.  The man literally makes the film.  He breathes life into an otherwise boorish and obnoxious character and makes you really, really like him.  A lot.  Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark is a perfect synthesis of the right actor with the right script in the right movie.  No one else could have pulled this off with the level of arrogant charm that RDJ manages.  Forget the super-heroics, I could watch a two hour movie based on Tony Stark buying a hot dog from a hot dog cart.

Paltrow does a great job of bringing Pepper Pots to life as well, and she plays expertly against Stark's nonchalance.  Likewise, Jeff Bridges creates a wonderfully complex villain in Obediah Stane.  If you didn't know the characters well, you might not even see the reversal coming.  And when it does, what a great moment it is, thanks to Bridges playing the character to close to the vest.  The comics could use this level of subtlety at times!

As we have seen previously, it is very hard to tell an origin story and not over-complicate it.  (see Spider-Man)  Iron Man manages to not only tell an origin story, but it manages to make the origin story incredibly compelling.  The story of Tony Stark being captured and forced to work for terrorists, then turning that work on his captors makes for a great story, again with or without the Iron Man suit.  Taking that ball and running with it by tying in the Stane master plot creates a tight tale that does justice to both classic and modern interpretations of the core Iron Man character.

And on top of all of that, they go and make the damn suit.  Oh sure, Iron Man features some amazing CG, but because they wanted to make sure they made the film right, they went and made the suit.  And that, my friends, much like the path less taken, has made all the difference.  It looks real because it IS real!  Go figure.  And when you have something real to ground your CG in, it makes the CG that much more convincing and organic.  (Memo to George Lucas)  Iron Man features perhaps some of the most fluid and natural CG work since Lord of the Rings (which is holding up rather well, honestly).  The Iron Man suit looks great and the flying scenes are totally realistic.  There is great attention to detail in the effects that elevate them above the usual gimmick level that happens all too often in big Hollywood movies (see Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, what the fork?)

So, great story, great acting, great casting, smart scripting, incredible special effects that serve the story and not just the spectacle, what is there not to like about Iron Man?  Aimee will tell you (and for the record, I agree with her.  She makes a very convincing argument).

Aimee's Take:

I'm not going to retread what Stan has already articulated, because we agree entirely. This movie rocks like crazy and there's no stopping it. BUT

Here's the thing. This movie came out the same summer as Incredible Hulk. And in many, many ways, this movie follows the same general pattern as Incredible Hulk. People lost their very minds for THIS movie, but Incredible Hulk has been subject to heaps of critical shit and nonsense about how boring/stupid/awful it is. How do I feel about this?

Girl, please.

Now, listen. I loved Iron Man and I have gone years and years without EVER touching a comic that even mentions the character. Of Iron Man, I literally only knew that his "real" name was Tony Stark, he has an alcohol problem, and he wears a suit. I also know about the unrelated song of the same name. And it made me love the character.

However, Iron Man fails to convince me that it's the opus of modern comic book movies, and here's why I actually FOUGHT with my husband about its rank.

The Big Hollywood Ending.

If you recall, this is the same thing that troubles The Incredible Hulk. There's a crucial difference. As implausible as it is to have Emil Blonsky turn into that ridiculous version of the Abomination at the end of the movie, it makes sense. They spend a lot of time painting him as the kind of man whose hunger for power and strength makes him hate and envy the Hulk's power. I can totally buy that he begins basically "juicing" just to get the edge over this powerful being. I think the ending is still kind of stupid, but whatever. It does follow what's been set up in the film. I don't like where they go with it, but it works.

This post is about Iron Man, I swear.

In Iron Man, there is a similar "two big superhero things battle it out in a big place with collateral damage" scene. Only in this one, it's Obadiah Stane who climbs into that super suit and slugs it out like a cornered pugilist. His thirst for physical power and mega-strength has led him to this... wait. What?

No. Obadiah in this movie is absolutely NOT the man who climbs in the big stupid suit and launches zingers at Pepper while he fights zippy little Tony. Why on earth would he do that? This man is behind the scenes. And the only reason that Tony knows he's truly bad is because Obadiah told him he was. As he killed him in a way that left his hands clean. He deprived him of a life-saving device, he didn't strangle him with his bare hands. That's not the kind of man Obadiah has been presented to be. He's white collar, crafty, manipulative and powerful. He doesn't need to get in the suit. It will give him nothing.

I'm going to spin this one, but next time I'll probably just wear a big metal suit to solve my problems. 

Getting in the suit really seriously tips Obadiah's hand, too, something he goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid. The man who gets in the suit to slug it out with Tony is not the same man who hires terrorists to kidnap Tony in another country, and kill him without anyone ever knowing that it was his idea all along. This is not a man who is obsessed with being a physical juggernaut who can kill Tony himself. Twice he tries to kill Tony without getting his hands dirty.

I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME, IRON MAN!

I know what you're thinking. This third time is where he snaps and goes, "Forget it, I'll kill him myself!" Ooookay. Who is he? Skeletor? This is not what he's going to do, and if it is, we are not seeing the break properly. He's not being built into a character that has a break or is lead to this conclusion. I firmly believe that the man I saw in this film would slink into the shadows, hidden behind a vast network of legal and illegal organizations, ready to strike again. He's not going to risk his public reputation. He'd be pissed that Tony turned up alive, but not so pissed he wouldn't try to spin it before he climbs in the big stupid suit and rides it all the way to the Big Hollywood Ending.

Because Blonsky's transformation is clearly motivated and illustrated very well throughout his story, I think that makes his ending BETTER, and thus, I think it makes the movie BETTER. I don't love what was done, but I understand where it comes from.

Because Stane's transformation is not clearly motivated and not illustrated at all through his story, I think that makes his ending STUPID, and thus, I think it makes Iron Man the slightly less good movie. But because the entire movie has higher production values and slicker execution (and a much more charismatic protagonist), it's only on that note that it gets the nod and the higher ranking.

Believe me when I tell you, I agonize over this. I try getting people on the street to see my view and join my cult. I usually fail, and although Stan agrees with me he still doesn't totally agree, even though everyone can see I'm clearly right about this.

I love both movies. I seriously do. I promise. This is hair splitting that we aren't going to see again until we hit the top two. It burns me that Incredible Hulk isn't in the top 5 but I can accept it. Iron Man is better. But only slightly.

Marvel Movie Project #6: The Incredible Hulk

Aimee here! First let me apologize that this project is slowing down. It's 100% on me--I'm on the final stretch of my pregnancy and only interested in laying down and eating donuts. Anyway...

I thought I'd take the lead on this one because, well, frankly, this is my X-Men 3. This is the movie I love and defend despite the fact that everyone seems to hate. And I mean hate.

First of all, I don't know what more you want out of a damn Incredible Hulk movie.

There's no bothersome origin story here. The "backstory" is told through open-ended flashbacks and illustrated through the narrative--which I frankly find more enjoyable. With a film like this, you have to expect that at least 75% of your audience is going to be at least mostly familiar with the character.

We spend a good amount of time being introduced to meek, unassuming scientist-in-hiding Bruce Banner. A peek at his life reveals much about his character. Edward Norton knocks it out. I feel like he's perfect for the role here. Bruce Banner is not a body builder. He has a lot of issues. He's a scientist. He's not really the "super hero" type. He's at odds with what he wants his life to be versus what the big guy brings to the table.

I also love the terrific nods to the Incredible Hulk TV show. The show has very little to do with the comic, to be honest, but it's still an interesting and sensitive take on the character. I think Norton models a lot from Bill Bixby, and frankly, it works. They both seem like guys who wouldn't have a monster lurking inside--which is the very reason watching them grapple with the Hulk is compelling. This is why "I'm-the-Hulk-all-the-time" Eric Bana is horrible choice and a miserable Banner.

I'm glad to see a more interesting Thunderbolt Ross in this iteration; although I do believe by the end he's gone a little over-the-top. Same with Blonsky. I actually really enjoy Tim Roth in the role initially; he is off-kilter and compulsively power-mad, so his eventual transition to the Abomination makes some sense even if it, too, is an over-the-top addition to the film. More on this later.

I like Liv Tyler in the role of Betty. I don't mind that they've made her into a fellow scientist. It's not unbelievable and gives Betty something to do other than be tossed around by hapless fate. She and Bruce do seem like a fairly believable couple, although I do question Betty dumping her current boyfriend in two minutes just because Bruce came back. He's trying not to make waves, but she's all the way in without any hesitation. Maybe that's what would happen; I don't know.

The plot revolves around traveling to New York in order to make an attempt at curing Bruce of his affliction--again, feeling like a TV Hulk nod--and ultimately having a throw-down with Thunderbolt and his cronies, one of which winds up being the out-of-control Abomination (thanks to Samuel Stern's intervention with Bruce's unique gamma poisoning...)

This is where the movie gets...uh...stupid. I know, I know. I love this movie for its wonderfully sensitive portrayal of Banner and his demons. But... well, Iron Man. It came out earlier in the same summer. What does that mean? Big Hollywood Ending.

1. The Abomination looks stupid. I'm sorry, he does. I hate the character design; it's not the worst take, I guess, but the big bone-cracking transformation seems...ridiculous.

2. What's that? Sensitive portrayal? No no no, we need to have two "big guys" slug it out in traffic. It won't be a good movie if we don't do the thing where one of them picks up a car with a family in it. That hasn't been done many times.

3. Let's do that thing where after "ridding" the main character of his powerful flaw, we need him to have it again so he can stop the other thing that was supposed to kill him.

My complaints are mainly based on the design and execution of the ending here. I do feel that the character of Blonsky has been groomed appropriately to become the Abomination. Pay attention to that, because you're going to see me bring this up again in another review. But on the whole, it's overblown and unnecessary and kind of ruins the credibility that we were building for this movie.

On the whole, I absolutely believe this movie belongs in the top 10; I actually advocated early on that it belonged much higher. Unfortunately for it, it just can't edge its way out of the 6 slot due to the stiff competition and its disappointing conclusion. It has the distinction of what I feel is the best Banner (although Avengers is a game-changer) and will probably always be my underdog dark horse favorite. My apologies to those who thought it was stupid and boring.

Stan's Take

My Lovely Wife is exactly right.  This is the smartest, most thoughtful treatment of the Hulk character since Peter David's run on the Incredible Hulk comic book and the surprisingly high quality TV show.  Norton's performance is smart and nuanced.  He is Banner in every sense of the character.  The supporting characters are equally strong and while Roth's Blonsky is a bit of a departure from the source, his portrayal of a man mad with power is frighteningly compelling.

The characters are the backbone of this film's success, but the storytelling deserves some recognition for putting those great characters through their paces in a way that makes you really care about the them.  Banner is believed to be dead and is hiding out in South America as he works on a cure for his condition.  The movie opens with him being discovered and on the run.  Right off the bat you are invested in Banner's survival and his escape.  This is partly due to Norton being so damn likeable and partly because of the sympathy he generates for his plight.  Even though we are put right into the action and are only given a glimpse of the Hulk, the story is instantly engaging. 
Later, when Banner returns to the US and he is hiding out near his old university trying to get his hands on his research, there is a chance encounter with Betty where Banner must run from the person he loves the most rather than risk putting her in danger.  Moments like this make the heart sink and further drive home the cost of the curse of the Hulk.

With all of this drama you might worry that the movie is light on action, but with the exception of the ending, this movie does an incredible job of pacing the action with the drama and using action to raise the stakes for each character.   The best action scene in the film takes place on the campus of Banner's old university.  Giant sonic cannons are brought into play to subdue the Hulk.  There are extremely, carelessly powerful missiles and flamethrowers in use.  Tanks, jeeps, and army dudes by the score descend upon the campus to kill Banner before he can become the Hulk.  Of course, the Hulk wins the day by smashing everything to tiny bits (and putting the serious hurt on Blonksy), but he also takes a beating for the sole purpose of protecting a foolish Betty who runs out on the field of battle because she has the brain damage (only reason I can think of, although the movie would suggest it is to stand against her father's Moby Dick-esque obsession with the Hulk).  Make no mistake the moment is all action, but at its heart are great characters being put to the test.

And then, the whole thing just devolves into standard Hollywood blockbuster nonsense.  It's a Hulk movie so the Hulk has to fight some other kind of Hulk who is somehow stronger than he is and overcome him to win the day.  I have no idea why.  The movie was set up to be much smarter and subtle, but America's lowest common denominator prevails and instead we get a Transformers level smash-em-up instead.  It is kind of fitting, however, since the only watchable part of the first Hulk movie was the last 10 minutes.  It only makes sense that the only cringe-worthy part of this movie was the last 10 minutes.

I would be remiss in overlooking the fact that while still not perfect, the Hulk CG does look much improved in this film.  The Abomination is a sad cartoon, but the Hulk looks pretty good.  We have to wait for the Avengers for the Hulk to look his very best.

Ending aside, The Incredible Hulk is an exceptional film and although it is ranked #6 on our list, it really represents the beginning of the true Elite Marvel Movies.

Next time we'll crack the Top 5 and take a look at the very cream of the crop in Marvel Movies.  See you next week!