Tue 6 May 2008
Muslim Review of the Iron Man Movie
Posted by themanoffewwords under Current Events, Pop Culture
I just saw the Iron Man movie and I must say I am not an Iron fan. I’ll put aside the demonizing two-dimensional portrayals of Arabs and Muslims and just focus on the movie.
Let me be clear that the special effects were impressive and entertaining … all 20 minutes of them. Aside from that I was yawning throughout much of the film. The main villain was uninspired and I just didn’t care much for any of the characters. Robert Downy Jr’s charm kept Stark from seeming like a jerk. Take away the special effects and you have a second class love story, third class villain and a fourth grader’s Iron Man fan fiction.
What irritated me most however was the warped anti-war theme. Stark is basically a war profiteer but his captivity in Afghanistan changed all that. How you ask? Well, he saw that his weapons were being used by his evil captors and so he decided to do the honorable thing cease producing arms.
However, the greatest destruction wreaked upon humanity does not result from terrorists misappropriating Western military technology, but from the US using it’s own weapons of mass destruction against Japanese, German, Vietnamese, Korean, Grenadan, Cuban, Afghan, Iraqi and Somali civilians.
The message that the real culprits are evil Afghan warlords is even further removed from the truth when one realizes that the US is actually ALLIED with these very same barbaric warlords that are currently tearing Afghanistan apart.
Furthermore, I am uncomfortable with the rosy portrayal of government and military personnel. It seems that they represent the epitome of virtue while in reality they are the enablers of war profiteering and the arm of international state sponsored terrorism.
Iron Man is the kind of movie that you rent and fast forward through until you see some cool action. As for all the hype … I just don’t get it.
15 Responses to “ Muslim Review of the Iron Man Movie ”
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May 6th, 2008 at 8:03 amMuslim Review of the Iron Man Movie…
themanoffewwords tears into the flagrant and inaccurate piece of propaganda that is the Iron Man Movie….
May 6th, 2008 at 7:38 am
I can’t believe you didn’t mention the Egyptians! That’s the best part of the movie!
May 6th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Preach on br. fewwords,…
May 6th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Iron Man was a practically flawless hero flick; its makers drop some pretty obvious sequel hints too… i’m thinking the next one should be equally great
May 6th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Whatever dude…it was just a movie. I am so tired of all your anti-USA crap.
May 6th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Waheed, I appreciate your sophisticated criticism. Thank you for sharing your deep wisdom. Feel free to enlighten us at any time.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
hey man, it made $102 million on the first weekend. Not bad for a flick. I saw it on opening day. I’ll admit, it was the better of the marvel movies out so far.
May 7th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Albaraa, How much money a movie makes is not always the best indicator of it’s quality.
Furthermore, I will agree with you that if you compare it to other marvel movies it shines, but consider the competition: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Spiderman III, X-men I-III. That’s like saying I am more attractive than the Thing. Not high praise.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:31 am
keep in mind, hollywood isn’t in the filmmaking business. they in the filmmarketing business. To that industry, they go for what sells, not what necessarily has quality.
Until people start demanding better quality, you wont see much better in the industry unless its from a real passionate director/producer/writer team.
May 20th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Its funny to see many here who cry foul
” Its only a film , its absurd, so quick to judge, or I am so tired of all your anti-USA crap” but if the table were turned ie A Muslim hero fighting against the Western oppressors (as it should be) by cooking them up with a flame thower, blowing them up with missles, destroying all their war machines or shooting them in the head how many here wouldbe supporter of the USA could wear the T-Shirt “Stop acting silly its only a film” and live happly with idea that a Muslim Hero has killed many US Soilders ?
Afterall in reality we did invade a country illegally and we carpet bombed and invaded another just to get one man ? so I think its well in the right of Muslims to make Muslim Hero fighting back the invaders.
However I would say this the film is a major Antiwar film hitting on one of the root causes of war but does not address the real reasons. I would have nice to see Iron Man dumping Goerge W bush or any General of The US army or Soilders who generally have racist veiw on Msulims to the Afgan Villagers as this is would have been appropiate but then where would we have the fun here, for us lot in the west
This film is ok, could have been more sinister I would have loved if Pepper worked for Obadiah Stane and spyed on Stark on the suit. I would have loved if Stane ended up making an Army of Ironmen, working with a corrupt President to invade the entire world
and Stark went on ramage and allied with other heros around the world aswell as some who are anti-war.
Will this film mention above appropiate or wiill that be another Anti-Us film who knows
May 20th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Its funny to see many here who cry foul
” Its only a film , its absurd, so quick to judge, or I am so tired of all your anti-USA crap” but if the table were turned ie A Muslim hero fighting against the Western oppressors (as it should be) by cooking them up with a flame thower, blowing them up with missles, destroying all their war machines or shooting them in the head how many here wouldbe supporter of the USA could wear the T-Shirt “Stop acting silly its only a film” and live happly with idea that a Muslim Hero has killed many US Soilders ?
Afterall in reality we did invade a country illegally and we carpet bombed and invaded another just to get one man ? so I think its well in the right of Muslims to make Muslim Hero fighting back the invaders.
However I would say this the film is a major Antiwar film hitting on one of the root causes of war but does not address the real reasons and issue that started this mess. It would have nice to see Iron Man dumping Goerge W bush or any General of The US army or Soilders who generally have racist veiw on Muslims to the Afgan Villagers as this is would have been appropiate but then where would we have the fun here, for us lot in the west
This film is ok, All in all the terroist seen in film had no name but were warlords
however doesn’t excuse the facts of visually linking them as Muslims due to thier clothing and language. We may not but what does the average American thinks ?
THis film is ruined with stupid visual slimible meassage about the situation of today
Also I thought the film could have been more sinister I would have loved if Pepper worked for Obadiah Stane and spyed on Stark on the suit. I would have loved if Stane ended up making an Army of Ironmen, working with a corrupt President to invade the entire world
and Stark went on ramage and allied with other heros around the world aswell as some who are anti-war in America, US Generals of all armed forces and soilders who were betrayed known that the Presdident is hell bent ion world domination. I would also like to see a muslim version of Iron Man help by stark working together to bring peace to all.
Big battle - but the good guys are the victors ( Ironman and co. (NO PUN intended))
Obvioulsy this is aking tooooooooooo much but is this film appropiate or will it be another Anti-Us film ,who knows
May 20th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Its funny to see many here who cry foul
” Its only a film , its absurd, so quick to judge, or I am so tired of all your anti-USA crap” but if the table were turned ie A Muslim hero fighting against the Western oppressors (as it should be) by cooking them up with a flame thower, blowing them up with missles, destroying all their war machines or shooting them in the head how many here wouldbe supporter of the USA could wear the T-Shirt “Stop acting silly its only a film” and live happly with idea that a Muslim Hero has killed many US Soilders ?
Afterall in reality we did invade a country illegally and we carpet bombed and invaded another just to get one man ? so I think its well in the right of Muslims to make Muslim Hero fighting back the invaders. Like we made Heros after WWII - the likes of JLA .
However I would say this the film is a major Antiwar film hitting on one of the root causes of war but does not address the real reasons and issue that started this mess. It would have nice to see Iron Man dumping Goerge W bush or any General of The US army or Soilders who generally have racist veiw on Muslims to the Afgan Villagers as this is would have been appropiate but then where would we have the fun here, for us lot in the west
This film is ok, All in all the terroist seen in film had no name but were warlords
however doesn’t excuse the facts of visually linking them as Muslims due to thier clothing and language. We may not but what does the average American thinks ?
THis film is ruined with stupid visual slimible meassage about the situation of today
Also I thought the film could have been more sinister I would have loved if Pepper worked for Obadiah Stane and spyed on Stark on the suit. I would have loved if Stane ended up making an Army of Ironmen, working with a corrupt President to invade the entire world
and Stark went on ramage and allied with other heros around the world aswell as some who are anti-war in America, US Generals of all armed forces and soilders who were betrayed known that the Presdident is hell bent ion world domination. I would also like to see a muslim version of Iron Man help by stark working together to bring peace to all.
Big battle - but the good guys are the victors ( Ironman and co. (NO PUN intended))
Obvioulsy this is aking tooooooooooo much but is this film appropiate or will it be another Anti-Us film ,who knows
May 20th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Its funny to see many here who cry foul
” Its only a film , its absurd, so quick to judge, or I am so tired of all your anti-USA crap” but if the table were turned ie A Muslim hero fighting against the Western oppressors (as it should be) by cooking them up with a flame thower, blowing them up with missles, destroying all their war machines or shooting them in the head how many here wouldbe supporter of the USA could wear the T-Shirt “Stop acting silly its only a film” and live happly with idea that a Muslim Hero has killed many US Soilders ?
Afterall in reality we did invade a country illegally and we carpet bombed and invaded another just to get one man ? so I think its well in the right of Muslims to make Muslim Hero fighting back the invaders. Like we made Heros after WWII - like JLA DC comics with wonder woman Superman batman and co. .
However I would say this the film is a major Antiwar film hitting on one of the root causes of war but does not address the real reasons and issue that started this mess. It would have nice to see Iron Man dumping Goerge W bush or any General of The US army or Soilders who generally have racist veiw on Muslims to the Afgan Villagers as this is would have been appropiate but then where would we have the fun here, for us lot in the west
This film is ok, All in all the terroist seen in film had no name but were warlords
however doesn’t excuse the facts of visually linking them as Muslims due to thier clothing and language. We may not but what does the average American thinks ?
Also the film is ruined with stupid visual slimible meassage about the situation of today
Improvement :
I thought the film could have been more sinister I would have loved if Pepper worked for Obadiah Stane and spyed on Stark on the suit. I would have loved if Stane ended up making an Army of Ironmen, working with a corrupt President to invade the entire world
and Stark went on ramage and allied with other heros around the world aswell as some who are anti-war in America, US Generals of all armed forces and soilders who were betrayed known that the Presdident is hell bent ion world domination. I would also like to see a muslim version of Iron Man help by stark working together to bring peace to all.
Big battle - but the good guys are the victors ( Ironman and co. (NO PUN intended))
Obvioulsy this is aking tooooooooooo much but is this film appropiate or will it be another Anti-Us film ,who knows
June 17th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
The villains of the movie were appropriate for the times we live in. The original comic had Vietnamese communists filling the role of the afghanis.
Marvel decided to modernize its stories in the ULTIMATE comics and so rebooted IRon Man’s origin to have taken place in the middle east instead of the indochinese penninsula.
It is all just a matter of perspective.
The movie was fantastic. I did not go into the theatre looking for social commentary. I went in looking for a comic book adaptation done well and honest to the comic.
Iron man was very honest to the comic, and that is all I required.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Incidentally, if there is a Muslim Iron Man kicking american tail for all the right reasons I am all for the movie.