Iron Man Appeals on a Primal Level

I just watched my brand new (okay, okay, totally eBayed) 2-disc Ultimate Edition Iron Man blu-ray. I still think this movie kicks ass, although now I’m starting to form a theory as to why it appeals to me so much. Sure, it’s got lots of comedy and fantastic special effects, but there’s something to the Iron Man idea that sets him apart from other superheroes.

Take, for example, Superman. Superman certainly appeals on a primal level. Ever have dreams you can fly? I’m sure you have, and I’m sure you would agree they’re utterly euphoric. Who wouldn’t want to be Superman? Who can’t help but cheer watching him blast off into the sky, or lift helicopters or whatever with his bare hands? Of course, the Superman personae is more nuanced than that. Superman is perfect through and through. As Superman, you’d go around not only flying but also representing, you know, truth, justice, and the “way” of the World’s Greatest Country, the United States of America. You’d laugh as bullets bounced off your chest, and then politely escort the criminals off to jail for their fair trials (since that’s clearly what America is all about). There’s something primal about being Superman, but it’s sort of a package deal, of both powers and morals. That’s would it would mean to be Superman.

Batman, or Spiderman, perhaps? I group them together as the “rooftop” heroes. Who wouldn’t want to leap from rooftops, swinging through the night with grappling hooks or strands of silk? Of course, their personalities are like night and day. Batman is the world’s greatest detective, somewhat grim and removed from society, despite the excesses of his high society alter-ego. Spiderman is the wise-crackingest of superheroes, prone to hanging upside down and mouthing off to villains as much as landing a punch. Each is fun in their own way, but as with Superman, there’s a certain sort of perfection, of unattainability, to them. Batman is the perfect person, mind, body, and soul, while Spiderman relies on a happy accident for his superhuman powers.

Which brings us to Iron Man. While all the above superheroes appeal in a primal way, I feel like Iron Man appeals to those who love superhero movies in the most primal way of all. That’s because Iron Man is really nothing more than a dork in a suit. Okay, okay, I know Tony Stark can smelt iron or whatever, but unlike Batman, his physical strength is not a key asset. Tony Stark is at heart an engineer, who has this wild idea to make an indestructible suit capable of flight and can fire blasts of energy from palm thingies. His ultimate power derives from his intellect, which directly translates to his suit and his vigilante alter-ego.

This distinction makes the idea of Iron Man more accessible and – dare I say it – realistic. In Batman Begins, we sort of get an idea of why Bruce Wayne decides to become the Batman, but ultimately the film cannot explain what is a fiction of the purest form. How can you possibly justify a multibillionare, even one who has experienced deep tragedy, deciding to dress up like a bat and fight crime? The idea is ludicrous, even if it is part of the character’s primal appeal. But watching Robert Downey Jr. go through the origin of Iron Man convinced me of the character and his decisions. Tony Stark is a genius, but he is a much farther cry from perfection than Bruce Wayne. He gives the audience that much more to hang on to, an aspect I think is absolutely critical in making Iron Man such an effective superhero movie.

And, yeah, maybe as I watch him land with a thud in the middle of a war zone, repulsor rays at the ready and raising a visage designed to do business – maybe I’m thinking a little bit more than usual how kick-ass that would really be.