Iron Man Released 301
Slashdot reader stoolpigeon wrote about the start of summer blockbuster season, and the latest comic book to make it to the big screen. He says "Iron Man is an entertaining movie, as they go. I never was really into comic books — so I have no knowledge or concerns as it relates to following the original story line. I can't address that. The film has good action and some very humorous moments. The serious side of the film is not its strong suit. It's not horrible, but it really doesn't make too much sense. It was interesting to see how they tried to set up an anti-war message without being critical of the US military. It's really a comic book put to film. Not high art or anything, but a whole lot of fun. The film keeps up a fast pace throughout and never bogs down. Some of the product placements were so blatant that they kind of jarred me out of being into the film. The special effects were phenomenal. It was awesome in that regard. Like any movie, it is not everyone's cup of tea If you do go see it in the theater, and you are a big comic books fan, do not leave until after all the credits have run. And I mean all of them." I gotta get a sitter. Man I'm old.
Old? (Score:4, Insightful)
Youngster.
You're old when your youngest is driving and does not need a sitter.
Old? Old is remembering the animated "iron Man" (Score:3, Interesting)
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And to the next poster, yeah, I remember the '60s versions of stuff... I even have an MP3 of the groovy 60's Spiderman theme song lying around somewhere on my hard drive.
Re:Old? (Score:5, Funny)
You're old when your youngest needs a sitter for you.
this just in... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:this just in... (Score:4, Insightful)
This is a refreshing change from Apple's iPhone stories, and the ones the Ruby people bought.
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I guarantee you that there will be plenty of people out there now who will swear up and down how big a fan they were of Iron Man all along, and that they're not simply blowing with the wind like the gasbags they really are.
I'm also disheartened by Hollywood's diminishing lack of new ideas -- it gets worse year by year, and while remakes and lifting ideas from other genres
Re:this just in... (Score:4, Informative)
So what about DC comics then? (Score:2)
I had heard a Flash movie was in the works, and possible Justice League, Watchmen and Wonder Woman(please, please cast Jessica Biel).
Makes you wonder why DC hasn't been more aggressive about getting some of their heroes onto the big screen.
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Re:this just in... (Score:5, Insightful)
Ah yes, Iron Man has been around for a forty five years - nobody could possibly have been a fan before. Marvel has just kept publishing his comics out of the goodness of their hearts, and various companies committed around $200 million for the movie and marketing because they had it just lying around as spare cash.
I didn't know they had computers back in 1918 - let alone that they could timewarp the messages posted on said computers forward 90 years. (Because that's about when you message sounds like it was written.) Or maybe you are a time traveler. Or cryogenically preserved.
Or maybe you simply are mistaken in your assumption that you know what the hell you are talking about.
Hollywood hasn't been about innovation since about 22 seconds after Edison tightened down the final screws on his movie camera. Hollywood has always been about putting butts in seats and cash in the bank.
The milked the Western genre for damm near forty years, and still squeeze out a few drops even today. Then there is the War genre. The Romantic Comedy. The 'Road tox pictures, the Andy Hardy movies... Etc... Etc...
Hollywood hasn't changed one bit in decades.
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So presumably, it could run linux.
I have mixed feelings about this. (Score:3, Interesting)
That said.
I personally hold Tony Stark ( The Worlds Biggest Asshole ) responsible for the death of Steve Rogers ( Captain America for our new listeners ) and to be mostly responsible for the whole Hulk Thing *and* the freaking Thor Clone. ( I *know* that was actually Reed and Henry Pym's work, but of that faction, Tony was the clear leader. )
Asshole.
Re:I have mixed feelings about this. (Score:5, Funny)
At least the rest of the media world had the decency to not ruin it for us like you just did...
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Re:I have mixed feelings about this. (Score:5, Funny)
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Yes, my youngest has passed his drving test, and No, I am not Nigerian.
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For many years I was boycotting movie theaters. The high, ever climbing, ticket prices coupled with having to find a sitter to a sit through 30 minutes of commercials (not movie previews but commercials for pop and cars etc.) then to have the movie be one long commercial in and of itself (product placement) plus all of the traditional downsides to the theaters (idiots talking and leaving their cellphones on etc.) just made me prefer to sit at home. I don't even have any k
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With home theaters easy to obtain these days, ain't no reason to put up with that shit any more. I, too, will be seeing Ironman on DVD.
So who else do you hold responsible (Score:2)
Or how about being pissed off at Professor X for his roll in the Onslaught fiasco?
Or how about...
The point is, pretty much every Marvel character has been on both sides of the good/evil fence at one time or another. They've all done some pretty messed-up things and killed their friends. Hating any one of the heroes for some of their less-heroic actions is about as s
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I have to agree. Plus, I hold the Marvel writers responsible for crapping out on the best comic book story arc ever (the Civil War) - what a stupid ending; it didn't resolve anything, just made the main 'bad guy' (Stark) a 'good' guy by doing all this to stop something worse (which was the impetus of the whole thing in the first place).
Very annoying. The Civil War arc got me back into comics after being out for ten years, then end
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Instead of Joe Quesada - Editor in Chief it says:
"oe Quesada sucks"
He's the Rob Liefeld of editors.
Old? No. (Score:3, Insightful)
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most of you can't even take responsibility for your own retirement without saddling me and my generation with the bill as though we are responsible for your lack of planning. as a group you're therefore like a bunch of impotent asshats cryin' for mama, in the form of big government, so just piss off already.
Actually, if it weren't for politicians robbing the SS Fund to help pay for illegitimate kids spawn by lazy musicians, crackheads, and "artists" of YOUR generation there might actually BE something in the fund for our generation. Granted, we should take some responsibility but the money came from US!
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Asshat.
I saw it (Score:3, Informative)
p.s. When you go see the movie stay until the end of the credits for a nice surprise.
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Isnt that like saying "Whoa, that's a pretty tall midget."
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Spoiler! At the very end of the credits you get a lead-in to the next movie. Surprise! Nick Nolte is going to play Mandarin!
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It makes more sense to use Ultimate Marvel settings & characters, anyway - less conflicting backgrounds.
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In one of the Ultimates comics, somebody asks Fury who he'd want to play him in the movie. He replies 'Samuel L. Jackson.'
The best indicator of my enjoyment of a film... (Score:4, Insightful)
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tripe... (Score:2, Insightful)
I've no idea if the movie is good or not, but this level of marketing push suggests -- very strongly -- that they've a potential turkey on their hands.
Oh, and can this please be the very last time this movie is advertised here.
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No, just the really awesome logic.
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I saw it and it does deserve the current 94%+ rating on rottentomatoes.
It's not a "Turkey", it's pretty entertaining. I'd even call it "good".
But yeah, keep on hatin' from your basement.
Re:tripe... (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah, how dare the founder of this site post things that interest him? I'm as incensed as you are that not every article posted here in the past decade has amused me sufficiently, for free.
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The other problem I have with you comment is that it's in response to someone's short review of the film. It's not an ad but a person saying that
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Not knocking this movie as I will see it on DVD, but if you are going by previews, you will find titles such as Waterworld "stellar".
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If anyone involved with the film is running scared, it's the folks dragging the huge bags of cash from the theaters to the bank.
FWIW, I saw it last night and thought it was easily one of the best comic book movies ever made. As good as, say, Batman Begins, but much more FUN to watch and less theatrical and dramatic. RDJr was PERFECT as Tony Stark, and they wisely capitalized on t
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What??? (Score:2)
But, come on - why is this a Slashdot story? This is the THIRD story about it - the first was the science of it, OK fine. The exoskeleton thing had nothing to do with Iron Man - it's been in development for years (I've seen videos before I ever heard of the movie).
And now this? Come on.... I'm not suggesting it's a horrible film, but what's the big deal? It's just a movie, ads on TV have been saying the same thing - the movie has been released, yes fine - but o
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What's not to get? Your local daily newspaper has a whole section devoted to culture and arts.
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This is the third whole article about it in the last week. One of them (the exoskeleton one) had nothing to do with Iron Man, except that the technology (in development for years now) is somewhat similar to the Iron Man guy.
And it got "Iron Man" in the title, for no substantive reason. I'm just a little suspicious is all.
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Yeah, 'cause no tech website with a bunch of geeks and techies should ever show anything related to comic-books and the movies they generate -- that would be silly.
Seriously, has it not occurred to you that Slashdot is largely populated with the people who are the core demographic to go and see this
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Listen, the movie sounds interesting, at least. ... ...
But, come on - why is this a Slashdot story? This is the THIRD story about it
I'm not suggesting it's a horrible film, but what's the big deal?
Haven't seen the movie and am really looking forward to it, just so you know... but slashdot already beat it to death, and now they have to say it was released? The stock iGoogle homepage says the same thing... and anybody who cares already knows.
Just saying. It really wasn't a flame, even if it sounded like one. But this 'story' and Slashdot's obsession with the film (such as shoehorning it into things that aren't related to it) is a little suspicious, to me.
If you had a doubt... (Score:2, Interesting)
There is nothing I did not like about this movie. The acting is great from all parties. The effects are, simply put, awesome. The product placement can be a little off-putting, but what placement isn't? (American cheeseburger. How quaint.)
I am willing to see it again. This has to be one of my favorite superhero movies of all time. Probably the mest movie yet in 2008.
Disappointed (Score:2)
The Invincible Iron Man [zweg.com]
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An anti-war movie. Gee, how thoroughly unoriginal. They should have used the early Iron Man comics as the basis for the movie. For example, this classic:
You're hilarious.
The original Iron Man was anti-Vietnam.
Then the story was updated to be anti-Gulf War.
Now it's anti-Gulf War 2.
If you find the anti-war message offensive, you're going to be sorely dissappointed by the majority of comic books. Of course, you're probably just be trolling with your "I shat my pance" picture.
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I was never really into comic books (Score:2)
I never was really into comic books - so I have no knowledge or concerns as it relates to following the original story line.
As much as I'm sure there were excellent stories in comic books... I can't say I was all that into comic books my self. You had to get it monthly or else be dropped out of the story line. I discovered decent comic book stores later on and it was at least possible to pickup "some" older issues, but you had to get there. If you lived in a major city not an issue, but if you lived in a smaller town... forget about it.
I think there was an option to mail order comics but... but dollar per page was rather hig
Iron Man? (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm a comics fangirl, but never have I been much into Iron Man - generally speaking, I could just never get into the character. However, I do like the Ultimates version of Iron Man and had been hoping that the movie version was more like that and I was not disappointed. Robert Downey, Jr. did a fantastic job. This is easily the best Marvel comic movie that's been put out and is at or near the quality of Batman Begins. Or, this movie is as good as "Fantastic Four 2: What the FUCK were they THINKING?" was bad.
I saw it at 2:30 yesterday, digital theater with stadium seating - the place was packed. The audience was a pretty good mix of various groups, and it seemed like everyone really enjoyed the film. 90% of them took off before the end of the credits, though and missed a scene that personally I thought was great, but I could see how someone less knowledgeable of comic lore might not really care about.
I won't offer any spoilers, save to say that there were numerous little bits that show the direction the (obvious) sequels will follow, and I am completely psyched for those.
Also, the trailers were like a never-ending stream of awesome. Dark Knight, Hulk and Indiana Jones, it's going to be a FANTASTIC movie season for me.
Re:Iron Man? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Iron Man? (Score:5, Funny)
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This is easily the best Marvel comic movie that's been put out and is at or near the quality of Batman Begins.
Is is near the "quality" of Batman Begins?
That seals it, there is no way I'm going to waste my time watching Iron Man now. Batman Begins was one big cliche after another, conveniently wrapped up in a world that tried far too hard to seem dark and grungy. Christopher Nolan may have botched his remake of Insomnia, but he really dropped the ball with Batman. Maybe he should have spent more time on the story as it related to the Scarecrow and left out the entire shadowy organization and its plans for world d
GREAT movie, but Paltrow doesn't work... (Score:2)
A previous poster said this was the best Marvel-based comic movie ever. I will say this certainly at least as good as Spiderman I.
But where this movie (and other Marvel-based movies) has an issue is getting actresses who can play the female counterpart roles. Kirsten Dunst was GREAT in Spiderma
Corrected it for you (Score:2, Informative)
There I corrected that for you.
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Have to say I wasn't aware Jeff Bridges was in this film and I only recognised him half way through. I spent the rest of the film thinking 'ohmygod - what's happened to the fresh-faced actor from Tron and the Fabulous Baker boys - then I started to realise how old *I* was too!
Not critical of the US military?? (Score:2)
It was interesting to see how they tried to set up an anti-war message without being critical of the US military.
I had a different impression. Stark Industries is a large contractor to the US military, which in turn lost and/or sold some of its arsenal to militant groups (as seen in the movie).
Stark then witnesses the horrendous effects of his life-long project and announces that he wants out of the business. His wish to dismantle all factories that provide the US with state of the art weaponry is obviously as clear as a message can get.
Most of you have not seen it (Score:2, Interesting)
The Iron Man movie is Great: Review + Feedback (Score:3, Interesting)
I personally loved the flick. It starts out with some action, gives a backstory, struggles with who he is/was when he finds he is vulnerable and cares, struggles with his business and technology, and they include a touch of romance, several bits of comedy, a nice soundtrack, and a few fights to round out a great movie.
Favre did good.
But hey, I like movies, I used to subscribe to comic books (Iron Man was my first), and I've been enough of an Iron Man fan that even though I stopped subscribing many years ago, I got the PDF product of Iron Man through 2006. I don't generally like Robert Downey Jr, and his characters have varied significantly in his career, but I enjoyed having him as Stark. But I also like the portrayal of inventors and technology and the flow of this movie with it's pacing.
There are of course several "movie inconsistencies", only a couple hints at how much time has passed, some logic problems (in my mind), and people who need the movie to be just like the comics will be ornery about the juxtapositions. I personally disliked Stark's disregard for secrecy - it seems out of comic-book character, even though it is in line for the movie's Stark's character. But it is a very cool movie and I also was surprised when I found it was about 2 hours long.
And yes, there is a scene if you stay past the credits, though not really a surprise. Except for the actor.
Feedback
Anti-war movie? Wow, Stark's ability to care about what his company's weapons are used for seems out of reach for some slashdotters. It comes straight from the books 10 and 20 years ago. This is nothing new, though you may be upset that someone takes a political stance when you wanted to see more things blowed up.
Mediocre movie? Many people consider it to be better than any previously made superhero movie, though other comic book movies may be better (I still like Hellboy). Too broad a generalization to refute directly, I'll say that this movie has actual pacing in the story arc, the comedy is appropriate to the situations (though I can see how some would consider parts manufactured, it is so much more natural than most anything from Batman or other Marvel movies), there is more to the movie than characters moving between action sequences (do people dislike the inventing/refining process?)
McGuffins: It is an imperfect movie, but I think it has half the times of poor logic within the writing that the nearest comic adaptation has, but about the same number of mcguffins (unexplained tech, mis-matched time sequences, etc.)
Gweneth Paltrow: She works well as Pepper Potts (she is a good actress!), actually really well as an assistant with a heart. Though "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" flashed before my eyes in one of the later sequences. And from the ads I'd originally guessed she would be Bethany Cabe, though maybe they're saving Angelina Jolie for that.
Mish-mash: The movie is quite a mish-mash of the Iron Man lore, some things better, some worse in my opinion. But it stayed true to who Iron Man is and made a great movie to boot!
Information wants 2 be free (and so does Iron Man) (Score:4, Funny)
(Thanks for the review. This looks like one that might be worth a trip to the cineplex.)
--
Toro
say what? (Score:3, Interesting)
I didn't find that part interesting, as one has nothing to do with the other.
I'm not sure this is any better done than the first two Blade movies or the first two Batman movies (the most recent Batman movie had a bit of a glaring casting problem with one of the secondary characters - this movie has no such problems), but nevertheless, this movie was a really great comic book movie.
And the trailer for 'The Spirit,' really got my blood pumping before the movie started.
Apparently Downey has said that he's up for more sequels (plural), which is good news - this movie has a great ending that just makes you want more right away.
Larry Ellison is Iron Man (Score:2, Funny)
Bollocks. It was super (Score:2)
i went to iron man tonight. with all the past prejudices i got from other screenplays that have been adapted from comics.
and i saw that it was good and it was even fairly kinda better than the comic itself. well done. kudos.
Re:Iron (Score:5, Funny)
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I mean, I'm getting a little tired of every badass, comic-booky character getting played by Samuel L. "Motherf***ing" Jackson. It wasn't even his wallet.
I mean, he got is own specially gay coloured lightsaber in the Star Wars films.
So.. Props for being lucky enough to have been in Pulp Fiction, but enough, already. There're probably a thousand guys stoically auditioning for things that would be better choices than him. I don't even see the characters of the films h
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Thanks for the tip. I saw it yesterday ... and had to pee so I ducked out after the acting credits (I do usually sit through all of them). After seeing the OP's "stay for all the credits," I'm glad all I missed was a trailer that I can catch on the web in a few weeks.
Re:Long time Iron Man fan... (Score:5, Insightful)
Spoiler? Wha???
Put down the corporate-shill-crack-pipe, my friend. I would have felt mightily pissed to sit through 20 minutes of "3rd reserve gaffer to the animal trainer's assistant coffee-wench", only to watch a goddamned advertisement.
Yes, advertisement. Wake up, people - "trailers" do not count as "content" to eagerly look forward to, they count as the same BS we pay $200-$400 for fancy digital VCR-like boxes that let us skip them.
So, a hearty thank you to the GP post, for saving me from wasting an extra 20 minutes only to leave the theater infuriated.
Screen credits aren't just there to annoy you (Score:4, Informative)
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Admittedly it was opening day so these are probably the fans anyway but based on that your reaction is not the same as the reaction most people had.
Re:Long time Iron Man fan... (Score:4, Interesting)
Who said anything about "forced"?
Some movies really do put interesting "featurettes" after the credits... Pixar has done that a number of times, and I do not resent sitting through the credits for more actual content.
However, the FP article made it sound like Iron Man would have something similar, and the post to which I responded acted annoyed that the GP outed the "surprise" as nothing more than the equivalent of a Rick-Roll.
So yes, it would have greatly annoyed me to voluntarily (I neither said nor implied anything about "forced") sit through the credits expecting to see more actual content, only to watch an ad.
Well, you just keep raging against the machine, li'l mister too cool to get excited about an upcoming movie.
Hey, if you like calling yourself a "consumer", good for you. My time has value beyond the number of ad impressions The Sponsors can trick me into watching per minute. I have nothing against you getting excited to watch an ad, I simply have no desire whatsoever to do so myself.
Rick Roll? WTF? (Score:3, Interesting)
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I didn't make any anti-US remark. All I'm saying is that they try to be anti-war without being anti-military and it was interesting to watch them walk that line.
What the hell else is a movie going to do with that shit going on right now? They have a goal of projecting what most people will relate to. Otherwise, there will be a media scat festival about how anti-US the movie is.
Jim Rome sucks. He's an ESPN newscaster who tries to be controversial but comes across as someone who isn't even articulate enough to qualify for Fox News. Most opinions he expresses are just contrary for the sake of being contrary, as a result, his knuckle-dragging audience thinks he's smar
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Take that stick out of your ass. It's a good movie. Entertaining. You don't want to see the stories regarding it? Remove "Movies" from your front page and shut the hell up.
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We don't need anyone getting hurt.
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Because lots of nerds / geeks / etc. like superhero movies.
A lot.
Because it is exciting to see the characters which populated our nerdling imaginations splashed across the big screen for all the world to see.
Because it's weirdly vindicating to have vast flocks of non-nerds willingly paying to wolf down slices of the pop-cultural pie we've been happily noshing on for decades. Years before, they all asked us, "What do you see in that comic book stuff?". Now, at least in part, they know. Though, they'
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Especially as it introduced his new power, fresh from Krypton:
Super Stalking!
Man, they made superman one creepy guy in that film.
Burger King (Score:2)
What do you mean I'm doing it wrong?
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My only issue with the Audi... (Score:2)