It is nice to see a movie where there are more than 10 people in the audience. The previews get bigger and louder, and are full of hope
and escapism and an aging Harrison Ford for the first time in 15 years- but most importantly, for the first time since last August, the licorice is fresh. All hail the start of the Summer Movie Season.
Superman, Spiderman, Batman, and X-Men have been done, or are being done or are way over done and need of a siesta. The big four have been done often enough over the last 50 years that even Jane Schmo -who has never read a comic book in her life- knows their origin stories by osmosis. This is the beauty of these second tier super heroes- even as we have to sit through plodding introductions, explanations, and expositions- they are the stories only a comic book enthusiast would know.
Ask 10 people why they remember Robert Downey Jr and:
- 1 person will say, “He picked up an Oscar Nomination for his uncanny interpretation of Charlie Chaplin in 1992”,
- 3 people will say, “Wasn’t he in one of those teen comedies, about science, in the 80’s”,
- 6 will proclaim, “Oh he is that guy who was caught in a motel room with 2 transvestite hookers and a mountain of coke, while on probation”
It was around this time that “Entertainment News” moved from Box Office tallies and sycophantic interviews to pseudo reality rehab reports.
This movie is as much about Robert Downey Jr’s redemption as an actor as it is about Tony Stark’s moment of clarity. Downey nails the troubled soulless narcissist that has an awakening and wishes to undo some of his selfishness. This isn’t the road to Damascus. Stark is still a womanizing, self aggrandizing, media whore that chooses to violate the accepted cliché of anonymity, for the adulation.
Bridge’s Obadiah is the most engaging character arc from friend, to corporate shill ,to super enemy. It does not feel forced and comes across as believable- well as believable as possible, in a universe where one man can create a cybernetic suit from scratch in the caves of Afghanistan.
Paltrow is beautiful, sweet and way over qualified for the part. This is her big pay day and is a good bet for at least 2 more sequels, as she slides to ward 40, when decent paying, quality parts for women dry up. She will need the money for her children’s (Apple and Moses) name related therapy sessions
Terence Howard did a forgettable Cuba Gooding Jr impression.
The effects are obvious but never overshadow the characters or story.
The theatre emptied and only the geeks remained. My companions got up to leave and I told them to wait through the credits, as there was a bonus scene.
They said “Are you sure?”
“Yes, this is what the internet is for, and not writing on people’s walls or looking at porn”. 
These little eggs are there for the geeks to lord over the normies on Monday at the water cooler.
“Did you stay for the credits? No! Awwww too bad. I guess you don’t spend enough time on comics related message boards.”
For the first time since Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for an Oscar in 92. I thought I was going to go two whole movies with out seeing Samuel Jackson, but there he was in a glorious eye patch for an entire 5 seconds after waiting 10 minutes for the credits to roll.
“If you cant trust your mutherfuckin business partners, who the mutherfuck are you gonna trust. The Mutherfuckin Avengers! That’s Who.”
This movie is the best film ever directed by a Friends regular(Jon Farveau), bar none.
