We saw Iron Man last night. I have never even thumbed through an Iron Man comic, so I have no idea how faithful the film is to its source, but it's good, fun, escapist fare. I remember hearing last year that Robert Downey, Jr. would be taking the lead role, and I couldn't believe it. I just can't get the image of him in New Wave make-up in the laughable (as opposed to actually funny) 80s teen romp, Weird Science (scroll down here for pic). But he sold me on his performance.
The low point of the film comes at the beginning of the second act. Tony Stark (the Iron Man) has just returned to the U.S. after three months' captivity in Afghanistan. He wants two things: to head over to his press conference, and to get an "American cheeseburger." In one of the lamest ever product placement shots in film, the next scene shows one of his handlers passing him a Burger King bag. Now, the scene is set in Los Angeles, which means that zillionaire Tony Stark has not only passed up a burger made by a real chef, but he's also passed up In-N-Out. And for a crummy BK greaseburger.
Granted, that's still better than McDonald's or (I shudder at the thought) Krystal/White Castle. But that scene still stretched my suspension of disbelief past the breaking point. If I had been Tony Stark, and I had been captive overseas for three months, and I wanted my first cheeseburger, and one of my flunkies gave me a Burger King product, I would have fired that employee on the spot. Then I would have bought the companies that employ his friends and family members, just so I could fire them.
*Alternate title: "I Can Has Cheeseburger?"
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4 comments:
RDJ looks so chunky and unattractive in that Weird Science pic. I can't help wondering if he's had some work done beyond working out (and the slimming effects of drugs/alcohol).
I loved him in the movie for the first 15-20 minutes. Then he got all reformed and moral, and he wasn't nearly as much fun.
In addition to the BK travesty of product placement, I was annoyed by the presence of Audis of every variety. At first I thought he had a Jaguar in his garage he wasn't driving in favor of the stupid Audi, but I feel better having just found out it was a Shelby Cobra.
Amen & amen. And again, I say, amen!
PS. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this flick nearly as much had I not been in a packed auditorium comprised of 80% male Marines under the age of 22 (this was MADE for that demograph), but it was a $4.50 well spent!
...had I not been in a packed auditorium comprised of 80% male Marines....
Josh, You should try sometime pointing out to a Marine that he's only 80% male. I'd like to hear how he responds.
You mean, you don't think said Marine would be grateful for the opportunity to embrace the inner feminine side deep within him & then shed exactly 7 tears of emotional release, forever thankful to me for truly understanding his innermost soul? Hmm.... I smell a science experiment! ;-)
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