LAST EDITED ON 04-04-13 AT 12:00 PM (EST)
(At that age I was checking out sister’s Barbie doll cleavage. Ok, maybe superhero role playing too, but way back then they hadn’t invented robots, nor had I read Asimov. Yet. But yeah, that would have been pretty cool. Would be pretty cool today as a matter of fact.)
I or II? Or should we wait for III?
Long review short of them all (in my imagination):
Robert Downey Jr. Is an arrogant actor. Sometimes brilliant, always insufferable. With a high profile supporting cast in these films that fail to support the movie.
Part one: At first he’s a rich insufferable snob. Then he suffers a few setbacks, and in his arrogance he insults and alienates his best friends and supporters. He takes on wastrel ways and becomes a national disgrace.
Part 2: In his lowest, most drunken, most drug addicted moments, he is confronted and almost defeated by an arch rival who has built up a special animus for him, and becomes a friendless insufferable slob.
Part 3: Supported by insufferable and unlikely new friends and predictable jokes, he confrounts and defeats his arch enemy in a surprising way after being almost killed, but at the last moment snatching victory from the jaws of defeat all the while using lame dialog like “snatching victory from the jaws of defeat”.
The outcome is telegraphed to all living creatures, excepting maybe some backwoods protozoa living in the depths of Europa, but not before a few billions dollars’ worth of action scenes are shot. Along the way sets are smashed, iron suits are crushed, and mass civilian casualties and global destruction are incurred.
Lots of flying and throwing everyone about, too.
Part 4: All his old friends return to the fold, misunderstandings are forgiven, he is reinstated as a national hero, and gets to kiss any dam body he wants to kiss.
Updates coming after I actually see one of these movies.