By David S. Torres
He’s got the power (Paramount Pictures)
By David S. Torres
Its official, Tony Stark is the ultimate womanizing superhero of all time. Bruce Wayne has nothing on him. “Iron Man” is the latest superhero to come off the pages of comics and get the one hundred and forty million dollar treatment. However, unlike previous movies that are based on other “Marvel” properties like “Spiderman,” “Daredevil,” and “X-MEN,” this movie is the first film to be released under the “Marvel Studios” banner.This new studio means that “Marvel” completely finances all their upcoming properties, and takes a bigger cut of the profits. More importantly, it gives “Marvel” complete control over the entire production.Hopefully this will minimize the likelihood of another “Ghost Rider.”On a side note, on June 13, “Marvel Studio” will release their second film, “The Incredible Hulk,” which will actually have a cameo by Mr. Tony Stark himself.The film in general can only be described a metaphor for the evils that some of the members of the industrial military complex are perhaps perceived as capable of doing. The story revolves around the character of Tony Stark, a boozing, womanizing billionaire that is the CEO of arms creator Stark Industry. Of course a hero can’t be a hero without villains; enter generic terrorists. After Stark escapes from a terrorist stronghold in mountains of Afghanistan, he begins to see the world in shades of grey rather that of his usual black and white outlook, and as a result is the sole inspiration for the character of “Iron Man.”Since film is a director’s medium, most of what make this movie the great has to be accredited to Director Jon Favreau. But of the most amazing things he should definitely take credit for is the fabulous casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. Downey is the one tasked to play the charming captain of industry, and he almost effortlessly gives the best comic book hero performance in quite along while. It almost seems as everything is right in the world when the creative teams behind these kinds of movies picks the perfect person to play the lead.The rest of the highly entertaining cast stays right up there with Downey. Gwyneth Paltrow turns in an adorably wonderful performance as Stark’s very sexy and extremely loyal assistant Virginia ‘Pepper’ Pots.And Terrence Howard, as the would-be “War Machine” Jim Rhodes, foreshadows possible future endeavors.In the end it all comes down to the characters.This movie gives the audience smart, funny and endearing characters that help tell a story of an imperfect man, and the origins of his rebirth. And if the first film is any indication on where this franchise is headed, indeed the future seems to look very bright for Tony Stark.
