Comments on: REVIEW: Iron Man: American Can-Do Spirit http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:30:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Russ http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1485930 Tue, 06 May 2008 13:48:40 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1485930 I hadn't been to BK in awhile, so when I coincidentally grabbed a Whopper, Jr. last night (Could the thought have been subplanted and dormant since Friday??), I was thrilled to see the Iron Man stuff all around. Do geek audiences groan at THIS shameless product placement? The door swings both ways; show us a burger, and a wider audience of kids suddenly has li'l Iron Men of their own, and maybe wants to read more about this cool armored hero . . . etc. If someone told me 10 years ago that Iron Man would be this mainstream, I wouldn't have believed it. And I think it's great for business. We definitely won't see an Iron Man reboot flick, like Hulk or Punisher, anytime soon. "The best superhero movies isn't the one that's never made; it's the one that's only made -- ONCE! That's how Daddy did it . . .!" I hadn’t been to BK in awhile, so when I coincidentally grabbed a Whopper, Jr. last night (Could the thought have been subplanted and dormant since Friday??), I was thrilled to see the Iron Man stuff all around. Do geek audiences groan at THIS shameless product placement? The door swings both ways; show us a burger, and a wider audience of kids suddenly has li’l Iron Men of their own, and maybe wants to read more about this cool armored hero . . . etc. If someone told me 10 years ago that Iron Man would be this mainstream, I wouldn’t have believed it. And I think it’s great for business.

We definitely won’t see an Iron Man reboot flick, like Hulk or Punisher, anytime soon. “The best superhero movies isn’t the one that’s never made; it’s the one that’s only made — ONCE! That’s how Daddy did it . . .!”

]]> by: Rick Rottman http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1467623 Mon, 05 May 2008 11:35:48 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1467623 <i>"Also, FWIW, the Stark Industries logo is an almost exact copy of the old McDonnell Douglas logo, so it’s an example of the movie’s production designers doing a great job in copying the military-industrial feel."</i> It's actually a lot closer to the Lockheed-Martin Logo: http://bentcorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lockheed.jpg And as far as the Burger King/In-N-Out Burger comparison is concerned, I was stationed at Clark Air Base in the Philippines when the first BK ever to open at an overseas military base. I remember how emotional I felt sinking my teeth into my first of many Whoopers while stationed over there. Back home we have a word for people that are fans of In-N-Out Burger. We called them <i>Tourists</i>. “Also, FWIW, the Stark Industries logo is an almost exact copy of the old McDonnell Douglas logo, so it’s an example of the movie’s production designers doing a great job in copying the military-industrial feel.”

It’s actually a lot closer to the Lockheed-Martin Logo:

http://bentcorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lockheed.jpg

And as far as the Burger King/In-N-Out Burger comparison is concerned, I was stationed at Clark Air Base in the Philippines when the first BK ever to open at an overseas military base. I remember how emotional I felt sinking my teeth into my first of many Whoopers while stationed over there.

Back home we have a word for people that are fans of In-N-Out Burger. We called them Tourists.

]]> by: brett http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1462951 Mon, 05 May 2008 04:16:49 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1462951 All I can say is this movie was absolutely spectacular. Of the best superhero films since the first Superman and that's saying a lot. People can look at it now and criticize all they like but its still a classic because people left the theatres in awe, just 'wow'... they made you really believe a man can fly. I had that same feeling, just... 'Wow!' My dad took my mom to see it and even she thought it was excellent. All I can say is this movie was absolutely spectacular.

Of the best superhero films since the first Superman and that’s saying a lot. People can look at it now and criticize all they like but its still a classic because people left the theatres in awe, just ‘wow’… they made you really believe a man can fly.

I had that same feeling, just… ‘Wow!’

My dad took my mom to see it and even she thought it was excellent.

]]> by: Ben Morse http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1462824 Mon, 05 May 2008 03:58:56 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1462824 From the "New York Times": "On or around Independence Day in 2003, [Robert Downey Jr.] stopped at a Burger King on the Pacific Coast Highway and threw all his drugs in the ocean. And while he was sitting there chewing on a burger, he decided he was done. This being America, five years later you can walk into that Burger King, and if you order a Kids Meal you can get your own Robert Downey Jr. action figure, wrapped up in gadget ware. (And what does Tony Stark want when he escapes his kidnappers? A good old American cheeseburger — from Burger King, natch.)" From the “New York Times”:

“On or around Independence Day in 2003, [Robert Downey Jr.] stopped at a Burger King on the Pacific Coast Highway and threw all his drugs in the ocean. And while he was sitting there chewing on a burger, he decided he was done. This being America, five years later you can walk into that Burger King, and if you order a Kids Meal you can get your own Robert Downey Jr. action figure, wrapped up in gadget ware. (And what does Tony Stark want when he escapes his kidnappers? A good old American cheeseburger — from Burger King, natch.)”

]]> by: Toby http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1461144 Mon, 05 May 2008 00:48:32 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1461144 Eh, it's was alright. Not bad, not great. It was no Spidey 2. The problem for me was the lack of any surprise in the story. It just chugs along (very entertainingly, mind you), hitting all the superhero movie marks and ends. I would have liked a climax with a bit more... oomph. Something a bit more clever or complex instead of a simple duke out. It was fun and entertaining, but certainly doesn't warrant a 96%! I'd say it was more in the 80 percentile. RDJ is absolute perfection though. Eh, it’s was alright. Not bad, not great. It was no Spidey 2. The problem for me was the lack of any surprise in the story. It just chugs along (very entertainingly, mind you), hitting all the superhero movie marks and ends. I would have liked a climax with a bit more… oomph. Something a bit more clever or complex instead of a simple duke out.

It was fun and entertaining, but certainly doesn’t warrant a 96%! I’d say it was more in the 80 percentile. RDJ is absolute perfection though.

]]> by: Tom S. http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1460654 Sun, 04 May 2008 23:49:46 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1460654 I enjoyed the film. It would be nice to see a She Hulk movie or series sometime before I die. I enjoyed the film. It would be nice to see a She Hulk movie or series sometime before I die.

]]> by: Cary Coatney http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1460540 Sun, 04 May 2008 23:39:19 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1460540 My dad got a big kick out of the BK product hype - only because he used to manage one. ~ Coat My dad got a big kick out of the BK product hype - only because he used to manage one.

~

Coat

]]> by: Allen http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1458838 Sun, 04 May 2008 20:07:06 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1458838 Product placement...big woop. I have hated Tony Stark since "Civil Bore$". :) Product placement…big woop.

I have hated Tony Stark since “Civil Bore$”. :)

]]> by: mrpeepants http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1457210 Sun, 04 May 2008 17:29:17 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1457210 why people get so pissy over product placement is silly. how many times do people go to fast food, restaurant chains, and big box stores to get ur stuff throughout the week. just mirrors real life. mmm fast food why people get so pissy over product placement is silly. how many times do people go to fast food, restaurant chains, and big box stores to get ur stuff throughout the week. just mirrors real life.

mmm fast food

]]> by: Russ Maheras http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1456909 Sun, 04 May 2008 17:00:54 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1456909 “The BK placement was so blatant that the entire theater groaned.” Obviously, the theater-goers who groaned had never been out of the U.S. for an extended period. After years on the island of Okinawa, Japan, the first thing I did when I got back to Chicago while on leave was have a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich. My second meal was a Chicago-style hot dog. I had a similar fast-food urge when I got back from a deployment to Haiti in 1994. After weeks of eating MREs, stuff like Popeye's chicken seemed like haute cusine. “The BK placement was so blatant that the entire theater groaned.”

Obviously, the theater-goers who groaned had never been out of the U.S. for an extended period.

After years on the island of Okinawa, Japan, the first thing I did when I got back to Chicago while on leave was have a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich. My second meal was a Chicago-style hot dog.

I had a similar fast-food urge when I got back from a deployment to Haiti in 1994. After weeks of eating MREs, stuff like Popeye’s chicken seemed like haute cusine.

]]> by: Jason Caskey http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1456363 Sun, 04 May 2008 16:08:04 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1456363 I'll admit some movies are pretty heavy-handed with the whole product placement thing, but as a society we are saturated with that sort of thing already. I for one find the practice (for the most part on television) of either partially obscuring the logo, or replacing it with a generic one much more distracting. Besides, on LOST the product placements for name brands that don't exist is part of the charm for me. I’ll admit some movies are pretty heavy-handed with the whole product placement thing, but as a society we are saturated with that sort of thing already. I for one find the practice (for the most part on television) of either partially obscuring the logo, or replacing it with a generic one much more distracting. Besides, on LOST the product placements for name brands that don’t exist is part of the charm for me.

]]> by: Randal Jarrell http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1455564 Sun, 04 May 2008 14:46:19 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1455564 I don't remember the last time I saw so much blatant product placement. It wasn't just Burger King. Audi went nuts with their new car and the US Air Force spent a ton of money and resources to get its hardware in the film. I don’t remember the last time I saw so much blatant product placement. It wasn’t just Burger King. Audi went nuts with their new car and the US Air Force spent a ton of money and resources to get its hardware in the film.

]]> by: Todd VerBeek http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1455015 Sun, 04 May 2008 13:52:53 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1455015 Christopher: No, none of the actors will get an Academy Award for this film. That's not a criticism of their performances, it's just that the Best Actor awards aren't for films of this kind. Christopher: No, none of the actors will get an Academy Award for this film. That’s not a criticism of their performances, it’s just that the Best Actor awards aren’t for films of this kind.

]]> by: jimmy palmiotti http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1454889 Sun, 04 May 2008 13:41:19 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1454889 i hated the bk placementt because everyone knows it should have been an IN N OUT burger he wanted. thought the movie was fun and since i am not a huge iron man fan at all, it was better than i expected. the teaser at the end was...well, i could have done without it since nothing else in the movie teased there was another being on the planet with powers. that said, good job by everyone. maybe this will make people pick up robert downys best film to date " kiss kiss-bang bang" jimmy i hated the bk placementt because everyone knows it should have been an IN N OUT burger he wanted.

thought the movie was fun and since i am not a huge iron man fan at all, it was better than i expected.

the teaser at the end was…well, i could have done without it since nothing else in the movie teased there was another being on the planet with powers.

that said, good job by everyone. maybe this will make people pick up robert downys best film to date ” kiss kiss-bang bang”

jimmy

]]> by: Torsten Adair http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1454783 Sun, 04 May 2008 13:32:29 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1454783 I'm waiting until Tuesday to see this without the fanboy crowd. I hope it makes lots of money for Marvel, because I really want to see a Damage Control TV series, maybe on HBO? Pre 9/11, light hearted fun, like the original comics. With lots of cameos, and spinoff SheHulk after the second season. I’m waiting until Tuesday to see this without the fanboy crowd.
I hope it makes lots of money for Marvel, because I really want to see a Damage Control TV series, maybe on HBO? Pre 9/11, light hearted fun, like the original comics. With lots of cameos, and spinoff SheHulk after the second season.

]]> by: Rich Johnston http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1453191 Sun, 04 May 2008 11:03:50 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1453191 "this is a Radio Shack fantasy all the way." I called it the "Top Gear for robotic attack suits". I win. “this is a Radio Shack fantasy all the way.”

I called it the “Top Gear for robotic attack suits”. I win.

]]> by: Cindy http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1450776 Sun, 04 May 2008 06:16:51 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1450776 This movie was so much fun -- I also appreciated Pepper Potts not launching herself into Starks arms. This movie was so much fun — I also appreciated Pepper Potts not launching herself into Starks arms.

]]> by: Jason http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1450419 Sun, 04 May 2008 05:38:40 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1450419 Where this sits above the other adaptations so far is it gives the fans a lot more than the odd reference to keep us happy... the whole movie is one big love letter to the character. They took the time to throw in a Roxxon office building in the background for heaven's sake. Where this sits above the other adaptations so far is it gives the fans a lot more than the odd reference to keep us happy… the whole movie is one big love letter to the character. They took the time to throw in a Roxxon office building in the background for heaven’s sake.

]]> by: Unpopular http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1437687 Sat, 03 May 2008 07:23:35 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1437687 The good reviews are likely due to it just being a fun movie. The action is great, the comedy is well-timed and well-written, and the entire cast is spot-on (although I did message Jon Favreau on Myspace to tell him to cast Alicia Witt as Pepper Potts). It has the best Stan Lee cameo yet. The product placement bothered me, but it's the only one I remember seeing, and that's not too bad. Stark didn't specify from where he desired a cheeseburger, and I guess Burger King was the nearest convenient place to get one. Nothing wrong with that. I may have complaints after a second viewing, but I was very happy after leaving the theatre. And I don't even like the comic-book Iron Man. On a side note, even if the new Hulk film bombs at the box office, it doesn't mean it's a bad film. With the way this summer is stacking up, SOMETHING has to underperform, and practically the only film I'm not interested in is Sex and the City. With ticket prices what they are and the economy crawling along, I don't see too many people paying to see two great films every week. Iron Man is a great start to the summer, though. Good luck to all the other films trying to keep up. The good reviews are likely due to it just being a fun movie. The action is great, the comedy is well-timed and well-written, and the entire cast is spot-on (although I did message Jon Favreau on Myspace to tell him to cast Alicia Witt as Pepper Potts). It has the best Stan Lee cameo yet. The product placement bothered me, but it’s the only one I remember seeing, and that’s not too bad. Stark didn’t specify from where he desired a cheeseburger, and I guess Burger King was the nearest convenient place to get one. Nothing wrong with that. I may have complaints after a second viewing, but I was very happy after leaving the theatre. And I don’t even like the comic-book Iron Man.

On a side note, even if the new Hulk film bombs at the box office, it doesn’t mean it’s a bad film. With the way this summer is stacking up, SOMETHING has to underperform, and practically the only film I’m not interested in is Sex and the City. With ticket prices what they are and the economy crawling along, I don’t see too many people paying to see two great films every week. Iron Man is a great start to the summer, though. Good luck to all the other films trying to keep up.

]]> by: Scott http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1432849 Fri, 02 May 2008 22:21:28 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2008/05/04/iron-man-american-can-do-spirit/#comment-1432849 Salieri is a villain in fiction, not history. There is a difference. Salieri is a villain in fiction, not history. There is a difference.

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