Iron Clad, Full-bodied Review…
Comic fans are debating which film was the best of 2008… the wonderful whimsy of the invincible Iron Man, or the deep delving into human nature that was definitely The Dark Knight? Relax, comic book guy, they can both happily fall in the Top 10 films of the year at different ends of the entertainment spectrum.
Iron Man flew high this summer with a high number of positive reviews including the written review on our own website. In November, however, our good friends at Mars Hill hosted a showing of the film followed by an interesting look at the film from a narrative and philosophical perspective. While this thorough look includes spoilers, check it out for an in-depth look at Tony Stark’s redemption as a metaphor for spiritual transformation.
Tony Stark hits bottom… Tony Stark should be dead. He’s created a trail of Human wreckage and is finally caught by a piece of the shrapnel.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
– Jeremiah 17:9
Yinsen refers to Tony as “The Walking Dead”. Stark is a man who has everything, yet nothing, and sees how his contributions have added to the conglomerate evil of the age. We take for granted how our “little sins” or things we think we do in a vacuum have far reaching consequences. One of the most noted and prolific writers in the comics industry today, Warren Ellis, says “the only way Tony can look himself in the mirror is by being Iron Man.”
Iron Man represents Tony’s need for redemption.
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I may be a tad snobby about this, but can’t these directors of Hulk, X-men and Iron Man come up with anything better than throwing cars at each other for the rival fight scenes at the end of the movies. There are so many possibilities they don’t explore. Hulk smacks Abomination with pieces of a car. Obadiah throws one at Iron Man. Magneto and Inferno levitate burning cars. C’mon guys! Iron Man flying up into the Stratosphere was ok. I was thinking some jiu jitsu grappling or choking in Hulk would be good. Once Hulk put Namor in a full nelson. Pulling out the components of Obadiahs suit was good, but there could be more. Maybe pouring some liquid nitrogen in through the top or an iced up Obadiah landing in Death Valley and then beefing with a low powered Stark near quick sand or something. And Magneto could have had the old bars of Alcatraz come flying from behind the Xmen. Storm could have electrocuted Magneto as he tried to manipulate something on the battle zone…but flying cars? I have to say the way they stabbed him with the Mutant antidote was creative though.
I thought Iron Man was understandable, the weakest link was indeed the ending of The Incredible Hulk. Hmmm… maybe the directors are all secretly anti-car?