Friend Movie Review: Iron Man (2008)

I've been introducing my friends all things geeky from board games and Doctor Who to comics and especially the MCU. It has been so much fun sharing things I love with Suzi and Stuart. They are very kind and let me geek-out.

In February we watched Civil War in preparation of Black Panther. Then in early March we watched Winter Soldier (because Mum and I started watching first season of Agents of Shield and we were about to watch Turn, Turn, Turn). After that it was requested that we start at the beginning. They were enjoying the stories but found the out-of-order timey-whimey-ness of our watching confusing.

It was not hard to agree. We started with Iron Man a few nights later. Bonus everyone agreed to doing movie reviews. We finished Phase One this weekend and only have 12 more movies before Avengers: Infinity War...totally doable!

The movie is ten years old, so I'm not sure this is necessary, be advised there could be SPOILERS AHEAD. We will be discussing of scenes, quotes, plot points, and maybe even twists. With that out of the way on with the review...

The Good:
Susi: I normally don't think this deeply about a movie. I either like it or I don't however I will try. I was surprised by the baddie and yet the hints were there when in hindsight. The special effects were cool and hold up ten years later.
Stuart: It was funny and had good character arch.
Brendan: Robert Downey Jr. is the best part of the movie. You believe everything that happens with the story arch and character development. Beyond those success there is a lot to love. There was a lot great comedy especially visual comedy (ie boy dropping ice cream when seeing Iron Man). The humour was so well done and I find it has been missing in the recent Marvel movies. The jump cuts (ie "we can't call it a training exercise" followed by "it was a training exercise") and editing made the movie that much better.
Me: I forgot how good this movie is. There is great comedy gold, character development, and an interesting origin. I kept saying with each new scene "I forgot how much I love this movie" and I agree with everything my friends said also I do love Gwyneth Paltrow in this movie. She and Downey work well together.

The Less Than Good:
Susi: I wished I had looked up the rating before hand, there were two scenes I would have rather my son not to see. That's not the movie's fault. For the movie, the captors quality of English seemed far fetch.
Stuart: The making of the iron suit under the nose of their captors seemed unbelievable that they wouldn't have picked up of the project sooner.
Brendan: Other that AC/DC the music was lack luster. The time skip (back in time) after the intro didn't seem necessary and maybe even lessened the impact of the ambush. The other issue is really just a minor grip was the villain's actions after being found out. For an intelligent business man it would have made more scene for him to run away with the suit and hide. But they needed the big battle.
Me: I have no problem being critical, but I don't have anything to be critical about, the three points my friends said are true but I didn't think about them till they mentioned them.

This Time Around:
Brendan: I understand why my dad didn't let me watch it when I was 8.
Me: I love rewatching. It was so enjoyable. There were things I remembered clearly like Tony's captivity and other things I had forgotten like making all the reporters sit-down. I also forgot Terrence Howard was the original Rhodey. I did not look up the reason for the change, I'm sure the internet knows. I think I would have enjoy him as War Machine.

Favourite Scene:
Susi: The "useless" robot spraying Tony  with the extinguisher during tests after he'd crashes but was not on fire.
Stuart: When Iron Man returns home after his first flight. It is a great moment of success and then he cuts engines and falls through the multiple floors and crashed on the car followed up by the robot spraying him with the extinguisher (again).
Brendan: Stark's missile demonstration with the hats flying off and Tony standing with his arms open.
Me: Everything they have said is so good, what to chose, what to chose. Okay, during the press briefing at the end when Tony announces that he is Iron Man.

Favourite Line:
Susi: Christine Everheart (reporter): After all these years, Tony still has you picking up the dry cleaning.
Pepper Potts: I do anything and everything Mr. Stark requires. Including occasionally taking out the trash. Will that be all?
Stuart: Tony to his Dummy Robotic Hand "You're going to be sent to the university"
Brendan: Tony to the Dummy tracing him with a fire extinguisher "I feel like I am going to spontaneously catch on fire"
Me: Agent Coulson: I'm Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.
Pepper Potts: That's quite a mouthful.
Agent Coulson: I know. We're working on it.
 (then later)
Pepper Potts: Agent Coulson, I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help.
Agent Coulson: That's what we do. You'll be hearing from us.
Pepper Potts: From the Strategic Homeland...
Agent Coulson: Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.

Also because the robot hand is awesome, as Tony lies dying, the dummy hands him the Mark I arc reactor and Tony says: Good boy...

Rating:
Susi: 4.5 suits out of 5
Stuart: 4 arch reactors out of 5
Brendan: 4.5 dead rebel soldiers out of 5
Me: 4.6 robot arms out of 5
Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (that's 3.9 tomatoes out of 5)

P.S. We got our Infinity War tickets today!