(no subject)
Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. is one cool cat, and he might be Iron Man's greatest asset. While nothing happens in the film that isn't obviously predictable - from the protagonist's character arc to the overall direction of the plot - there are times when big-budget effects and Downey Jr.'s charming wit make this thing really sparkle. He's fresh and nonchalant, like Johnny Depp was before his overexposure by the end of the Pirates movies, and Downey Jr.'s chemistry with Paltrow makes for an interesting, atypical relationship. It's unfortunate the extent to which this movie is incapable of surprise, though, and the length of time spent telling this superhero's inwardly personal origin story makes the presence of an antagonist and external conflict seem almost obligatory. (THREE out of five)
Robert Downey Jr. is one cool cat, and he might be Iron Man's greatest asset. While nothing happens in the film that isn't obviously predictable - from the protagonist's character arc to the overall direction of the plot - there are times when big-budget effects and Downey Jr.'s charming wit make this thing really sparkle. He's fresh and nonchalant, like Johnny Depp was before his overexposure by the end of the Pirates movies, and Downey Jr.'s chemistry with Paltrow makes for an interesting, atypical relationship. It's unfortunate the extent to which this movie is incapable of surprise, though, and the length of time spent telling this superhero's inwardly personal origin story makes the presence of an antagonist and external conflict seem almost obligatory. (THREE out of five)