I get that he's a fit for the character and all that, but his shtick with the sarcastic tone of voice and little quips got old for me pretty quick. It was tolerable in this movie, but got pretty annoying in the sequels. I also don't buy him as a genius, he comes across more like a trust fund baby with his casual/carefree attitude.
shareAgreed. He doesn't come off as knowing a SIN from a TAN let alone being such a genius.
He come's off as a doucebag, and I like him in other roles.
I can see that. I got bored of the superhero flicks in general so I peaced out because of that. I always liked RDJ in the role, myself, although from the few Iron Man comics I have read, I know he's not "accurate".
The quips were great in Iron Man when Jon Favreau was working with Robert Downey Jr. in their improv style and they got some great stuff together in the film - it really cemented his smarmy jerk character, too, which made him lovable but still in need of a character arc. I also appreciated the quips in the first couple Avengers films, but Joss Whedon works dialogue magic, so...
Ah so he's not accurate to the comics either? I thought that was main reason why he was so praised akin to Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. Never read the Iron Man comics.
shareI've only read a couple of them. He came across as much more straight-laced. Genius: yes, but more of a power-suit CEO type character. He did suffer from alcoholism, though.
But I'm not an Iron Man comics buff, so don't take my word for it.
I have read quite a few 616 Iron Man and Avengers comics from the 60s over the last year and here are some major differences.
1. Tony kept his being Iron Man from the government, Shield, the Avengers, and the general public for quite a few years. I'm now on the year 1967 and the only other person who knows is Happy Hogan.
2. Iron Man and Captain America got along great unlike the first Avengers movie.
3. Tony does a lot of brooding about how he can't live the life he wants to cause of his chest plate/being Iron Man.
4. Ivan Dynko who was the villain of the second Iron Man movie actually became a good guy in his first appearance and later sacrifices himself to save Tony from being killed by villains. The backstory they gave him in the movie was made up for the movie.
5. Mandarin in the comics is nothing at all like he was in the movie. He has 5 rings of power that make him able to do any exraordinary thing he wants to. He is also the ruler of a country.
THOSE ARE ALL TINY TWEEKS...NOT MAJOR DIFFERENCES.
shareI thought he absolutely nailed it, and so did Paltrow.
I thought Downey was brilliant, he could take a man who is spoiled and annoying and brilliant and monumentally self-absorbed and deeply fucked up... and make him funny and likeable in spite of his flaws. And I've said elsewhere that Paltrow nailed the gole of the one woman in the world who could put up with him. Most of the time, anyway, of course she had to tell him off several times a film. He needed telling off.
Robert Downey Jr is arguably the best superhero performance. Only thing that could rival him would be Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Or Christopher Reeve as Superman. RDJ is what made Iron Man an icon. Therefore he is bigger than the role itself.
shareI agree with you (and the movie is shit to boot too, that's my unpopular fact).
They went for the independent-film feel, with the craptacular director and RDJ.
I don't think he's a fit for the character, he's missing confidence and replaces it with boring sarcasm, thinking that equates to coolness.
I like him in pretty much every other movie he's been in, he's always interesting to watch but still likeable, he's even better as Sherlock than Iron Man, imagine that.
I completely agree, and yet I still enjoy his performance as Iron Man.
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