Just received a pack of action hero movie DVD’s par avon today. Someone wants me to watch movies. Got Ironman (and compliments for this brief flash), and that was the first in the pack I watched. (Note, all references to superheros and comic book worlds refer to their latest movie versions.)
I think I like it better than Spiderman in that it’s self-empowerment instead of a windfall-superpower-bestowed-on-you. Yet, Ironman is a bit behind Batman, who had loads of super-technologies developed and then never industrialized. Ironman actually had to work and build in his lab, and his many failures are built into the plot of the movie. But, it’s interesting that the movie plot’s major science revolved around a science the movie portrayed well, i.e., the coldness of the pre-space atmosphere.
The lack of any good guys being killed is both unreal, yet happy (or was it censorship). I was amazed at first that the movie started in Afghanistan; I’d assumed that location might have been just a tad bit sensitive. Even more amazed that Ironman had to build weapons for the terrorists in order to “win” his freedom. It’s good he didn’t let desperation push him into the hole, though, and ended up building a “weapon” for them, but actually for himself to escape. His assistant, a captive tinkerer who both spoke English and managed to build a heart for him, was killed to buy him more time–but it was by his own choice, when he admitted he’d finally get to join his family. But, none of the poor Afghan villagers whom the terrorists invaded were killed, as, impulsively, Ironman blasts off from his home in Malibu to Asia fast enough to save them (yes, I agree, the kid’s baba was too lucky!) o.O. It’s both wild and crazy and queerly deux-ex-machina-esque, yet satisfying.
I did find it a tad bit suspicious that Tony was sent to Afghanistan, and forced to be his own corp salesman - I would have assumed they’d have someone hired for such a dangerous task. So, I think I anticipated his corporate next-in-line (that tall bald guy, not the girl) to be the one to betray him (and possibly also his parents, who had apparently been blown up). The guy’s funny, especially when he went furious at the unsuccessful corp engineer he’d hired to try replacing Tony, “Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave with sharpnels…” I think the engineer who admitted, “Well, I’m not Tony Stark” was brave.
