Iron Man for good or for bad was a very light film.
VERY light? You're VERY wrong.
Apart from a couple of terrorist scenes, the film's dialogue was almost as light-hearted as the FF films. Everything was a chance to crack a joke, not many scenes had real gravity or emotion to them.
First off, if the dialogue were like FF, this film would've never made this much money. FF had a horrible story and horrible dialogue... hence, it made a mediocre return at the box office and was generally trashed by viewers and critics. Iron Man is succeeding because it's a vastly more serious film. Not "serious" as in "it's a dark drama". More serious in that characters act like human beings, responding to situation in ways that audiences can identify with. A solid story helps to move the plot along, and because it's an action flick, there's also *gasp* action!
Like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon and Batman Begins, humor is interspersed (sp?) to show the audiences:
Yes, the characters themselves realize these situations are out of the ordinary. Just like you would, they're making light of strange situations to cope with them.
But let's focus on your idea that "every scene was a joke set up" and few scenes had any emotion or gravity to them.
Every single minute of Stark's imprisonment had gravity to it. No one was talking about their dead parents and how grim the world is (batman, batman, batman), but Stark's fellow captive dies while talking about how he'll finally meet his family... Stark and the man discuss how Stark my have riches but that he is "poor" in friends and meaningful relationships. The lead terrorist even threatens to shove a hot coal down the co-captive's mouth. NOTHING about any of these scenes was played in a "light hearted" or "family friendly" way.
The only laugh-worthy moment in ant of the captivity scenes was during the break-out when one terrorist kills himself while trying to shoot the armor.
That whole chunk of the film ALONE disproves your ridiculous assertion, but let's continue.
Stark's interaction with Potts at the party where she's wearing the dress. Stark's longing for a real relationship was played up in the scene... no humor. The awkwardness evident in Potts mannerisms might get a chuckle, but it was genuine (not comedic) awkwardness. The resolution of the scene has Potts barely knowing what to do, and Tony (now feeling awkward himself) goes to get drinks for them.
Another scene: Stark hears news of the Ten Rings terrorists storming throygh the middle east. We see his frustration build as he watches the news. Eventually he suits up and flies off. In the middle east, Ten Rings members are slaying families in the streets. Jericho missiles are destroying towns. Women and children, screaming in fear, are shoved into trucks. One son tries to run back to his father. A terrorist leader throws the boy aside and begins stomping on the father. The father is to be shot in the head... the Ten Rings member ordered to do so is clearly reluctant to shoot a defenseless man in the face. Trembling with fear, the terrorist shouts at the man to look away.
Iron Man arrives on the scene, coldly eying the events around him. Battering and blasting several Ten Rings members, he kills or critically injures them all in a violent display. Other terrorists use women and children as human shields. Iron Man lowers his arms, uses his targetting systems, and shoulder-mounted guns shoot all of the terrorists square in the foreheads.
Iron Man then gives the terrorist leader to the people of the village and flies off.
Yet again... another chunk of the movie without humor. After that, Iron Man dispatches a tank easily... so easily that audience members could get a laugh out of how awesome the scene was, but it was not light-hearted at all.
Stane's talk with Potts when she's trying to spy for Tony: tense moments. No humor. Stane yelling at his engineers about miniaturizing an arc light reactor: no humor. Stane's battle with Tony (minus the "how did you solve the freezing problem?"): no humor.
Stark's talk with the press following his return home: showed character development. Showed him questioning the morals he'd built his life around. Questioning the work of his own father. No humor.
Stark himself is a playboy billionaire. He's smart, and he's arrogant. He also likes to lighten up any situation he's in. This is displayed best in the humvee scene. He can't stand the silence. He HAS to get people's attention focused on himself. But as anyone whose watched the film can see, when it's time to get serious... Tony gets serious.
Now this film may be more family friendly than Batman Begins, but that doesn't mean it IS a family friendly, light-hearted flick.
Because really, Batman Begins is more family friendly than Predator or Schindler's List. That doesn't mean BB is family friendly or light-hearted entertainment.
Just stop dude. You look like an idiot!
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