DVD Review: Iron Man

Suit up for action with Robert Downey Jr. in the ultimate adventure movie you’ve been waiting for, Iron Man! When jet-setting genius-industrialist Tony Stark is captured in enemy territory, he builds a high-tech suit of armor to escape. Now, he’s on a mission to save the world as a hero who’s built, not born, to be unlike any other. Co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges, it’s a fantastic, high-flying journey that is “hugely entertaining” (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal).

Review:
Director Jon Favreau cracks his knuckles at one of the coolest superhero action movies I have seen to date. From directing Elf, all the way to the #2 action movie of the summer, Favreau has set his foot firmly in place on the “A-List.”

Tony Stark has got it all. He’s a billionaire playboy who gets all the cars, girls, and toys. He is also a genius weapons designer, who has armed half the world with weapons of mass destruction. During a visit to the Middle East to do a weapons demonstration, things go terribly wrong and Stark is kidnapped by an extremist group. Held against his will and badly wounded, he designs a mechanism to keep his injured heart beating and also give him the energy and courage to construct his alter ego, a one man army he names Iron Man. As the masked avenger who has a powered suit that can fly and take gunfire, he’s free to balance the never equal equation of life. This movie was nonstop fun.

The supporting cast is all top-notch and combines to make a perfect ensemble. Robert Downey Jr., beats impossible odds, climbs out of a drug drenched pit in his career, and reinvents himself on the top of his game (Just wait until you see his performance as a black soldier in Tropic Thunder).

I am highly anticipating the sequel in a year and a half. This is one of few that I have to say is a “must buy,” instead of just a rent. It is definitely among the top 5 movies of 2008.

The Iron Man Ultimate Edition two-disc Blu-ray is presented in 1080p High Definition with English 5.1 Dolby True HD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. Bonus features include: deleted and extended scenes, still galleries, numerous HD featurettes, and Robert Downey’s screen test (also in HD).

If you’re going to pick this release up, there’s not other version to get. Blu-ray is hands down the way to go.

Review by Charlie Giltenboth

Grade: A-
Official site: http://ironmanmovie.marvel.com/
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