Published: May 08, 2008 10:40 am         

Iron Man a pretty good movie

Conversation overheard in the Linway Cinema lobby after a Monday showing of “Iron Man”:

Guy #1: “It was different than what I expected. We don’t usually see him as an action hero.”

Guy #2: “True.”

True indeed. Robert Downey Jr. has not typically portrayed action heroes. But he owns the role of Iron Man.

Harrison Ford’s hit his AARP years, and he’s back in another Indiana Jones picture. Downey is in his early 40s. “Iron Man” is a franchise in the making and, by the Ford standard, Downey has a meal ticket for the foreseeable future.

Iron Man is a mighty Marvel superhero and makes for a mighty good film. “Iron Man” is not, however, as fantastic as you may have heard.

Superhero movies aren’t art-house flicks. They stick to a formula, and audiences sort of know what’s going to happen. The problem with “Iron Man” is that audiences know exactly what’s going to happen about 45 minutes ahead of schedule.

That’s what’s wrong with “Iron Man.” Much is right, though, and it owes everything to the actors involved.

Again, Robert Downey Jr., who invests heart and humanity in the title character. Credit, too, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard. “Iron Man” has an outlandish scenario, naturally, and demands that you suspend disbelief at the ticket booth. The actors are never less than believable, though.

Downey plays Tony Stark/Iron Man. Stark is an industrialist and media darling whose fortune is based on high-tech weapons. He drinks. He womanizes. He has another drink.

Following a missile demonstration in Afghanistan, Stark is captured by bad guys. He learns that his company’s products have been put to terrible uses. He realizes that his livelihood is morally suspect and decides to live differently. This is known as “character development.” It’s a plot device that Downey pulls off with style.

The captive Stark is offered a deal: Build a superweapon and live. This he does, but on his own terms. Thus, Iron Man.

Downey’s Stark is a complex fellow — he’s human as well as superhuman, and that makes him compelling. Still, “Iron Man” sometimes falters when it tries to get serious. The movie plays around with political themes, but they take a back seat to Iron Man striking people and objects. “Iron Man” would be a better picture if it dug a little deeper. Maybe next time.

“Iron Man” isn’t a classic, but it’s the start of a series with serious potential.

“Iron Man” has a running time of 126 minutes. It is rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content.