Iron Man

This was an early Now Playing Podcast review, shorter and spoiler-free. It was not intended to be part of our Avengers Retrospective Series. With the release of The Incredible Hulk right around the corner, Marjorie and Arnie take a closer look at the other major Marvel superhero movie of the summer, Iron Man. Starring Robert Downey Jr. as billionaire weapons designer Tony Stark, this film launches Marvel’s ambitious attempt to build a shared cinematic universe from the ground up. Unlike earlier Marvel adaptations, Iron Man leans hard on character, humor, and a perfectly cast lead performance rather than just flashy effects. Downey’s Stark is arrogant, reckless, funny, and surprisingly human, raising the question of whether this movie is just a fun popcorn blockbuster or the start of something much bigger. Marjorie and Arnie break down the action, the origin story, and whether Marvel has finally cracked the code for translating its comic book heroes into movies that actually work.