Iron Man Will they introduce "anti-american" elements in IM?

[X Knight]

hey all,

this is my first post here on the Iron Man boards, and I guess I have a strange question.

In his Q+A with fans, Favreau mentioned that IM will have a geopolitical theme to it.

But, do you think they will also introduce an "anti-american" or "anti-war" theme in this movie? That is, use the movie to make swipes at the pro-war, foreign policies of the Bush administration.

while I'm not an expert on Iron Man's history, from what I know, he is an industrialist, capitalist, weapons manufacturer. And, it seems, one could argue that Stark/Iron Man has more of a "conservative" leaning.

However, given that this is Hollywood, and given our current political climate, the Iraq war's unpopularity, etc.,.........do you think they will downplay that aspect of IM's character? Or else make Stark appear "foolish" or "in the wrong."

And, considering that Paltrow has been cast as Pepper Pots ( who's been described as Stark's "conscience" ), and since Paltrow has received heat in the past for making "anti-american" remarks, I hope that they will not use the Pepper Pots character to act as a "mouthpiece" for Paltrow's views.

perhaps I am over worrying.......it's just that I am conservative myself, and I find myself more and more interested in IM's movie.....moreso than other comic book franchises.

 

[HR-PUFF&STUFF]

most of the time tony has looked out for number one and that has got him in hot water with a lot of people over the years. so i don't think there is anything to worry about the war or bush bashing.

 

[Sun_Down]

Just how would Gweneth use the character as a "mouthpiece"? Is she just gonna ad-lip some anti-Bush lines and they're just magically just not gonna be edited or what? Yes, you are worrying too much.

 

[X Knight]

yah....i hope i'm wrong and just over worrying.

it's just that with Hollywood, you never know.....especially when you got a protagonist who is a weapons manufacturer/ industrialist/ capitalist/ conservative-type character.

Stark, given that background, would seem more of a "target" than other heroes, especially in our current political climate, where such characters are probably not the most popular.

i really don't know why, but over the last few days, I've found myself anticipating this movie, more than any other future comic-book movie. I really have high hopes for the franchise......

 

[YJ1]

perhaps I am over worrying.......it's just that I am conservative myself, and I find myself more and more interested in IM's movie.....moreso than other comic book franchises.

Marvel isn't that stupid. Superman Returns took tremendous heat just for consciously choosing to change his tag line from "Truth, Justice and the American way" to "Truth, Justice and all that stuff." Trust me, this turned a lot of people off from paying to see it. Being Marvel's first solo endeavor, I doubt they want to alienate anyone.

I was proud to be a Marvel fan when the first image released from Spider-Man 3 was Spider-Man landing majestically in front of the American flag. At roughly the same time, the liberal hippie throwback writers at the WB were taking heat for their Super disappointment.

I'm a HUGE Iron Man supporter but the only way I'd turn on this project would be to try to inject anti-American or anti-war sentiment in to the film.

Remember Sony/Marvel raising the banner in Spider-Man 1 ... "You mess with one of us, you mess with ALL of us."

 

[X Knight]

true.....those are good points. and, I would be turned off from the movie, too, if they injected anti-American, anti-war sentiment into the film......

but, Spider-man 1 came out right after 9/11, so there was more "solidarity and unity" in the country then. now, it seems we're back to being pretty divided and polarized.

and, look at what they're doing to Stark in the Civil War arc ( which many feel is a critique on the Bush administration, Patriot Act, etc. ), making IM into the "villain"......

 

[Gonking]

I was proud to be a Marvel fan when the first image released from Spider-Man 3 was Spider-Man landing majestically in front of the American flag. At roughly the same time, the liberal hippie throwback writers at the WB were taking heat for their Super disappointment.

that scene of the flag almost made me vomit. Same with all the stupid patriotic stuff from other films. I hope Iron man introduce anti-war elements.

 

[Sun_Down]

Marvel isn't that stupid. Superman Returns took tremendous heat just for consciously choosing to change his tag line from "Truth, Justice and the American way" to "Truth, Justice and all that stuff."

They'd have taken much more heat from the rest of the world (yeah, there's a rest of the world) if they kept it.

 

[Orko Is King]

I think one of the things they may touch on is that weapons and technology in the wrong hands is dangerous for everyone, not just Americans. I don't think they'll point fingers at specific politicians, just general themes.

 

[YJ1]

They'd have taken much more heat from the rest of the world (yeah, there's a rest of the world) if they kept it.

If the rest of the world can't remember past the last five minutes then they're morons and it really doesn't matter what they think. America's history and ideology is always something to be proud of and admire. People overseas can bitch about a war that doesn't even concern them but the war on terror never promised to be neat and clean.

 

[Joker]

see, if the war in iraq had anything to do with terrorism, I would agree with you, but it doesnt, so that's a moot point

 

[X Knight]

well.....the theme of weapons and technology falling into the wrong hands is interesting........i hope that's something they explore.

come to think of it, that would actually parrallel what's going on in the real world........y'know with terrorists trying to get ahold of weapons of mass destruction.....rogue regimes ( like Iran and N. Korea ) pursuing nuclear weapons......

i mean, the Iron Man armor is essentially a "weapon of mass destruction" itself. so, perhaps, that is something Tony will have to contend with. to make sure his weapons and technology don't fall into the wrong hands.....especially when rogue elements like the Mandarin are involved....

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Probably nothing extreme, like a full-fledged slam, but I can see them slightly updating the Extremis arc--having Stark get the piece of mine lodged in his heart in modern day Iraq or Afganistan, instead of Desert Storm.

 

[ultimatefan]

It won´t be too extreme, but Tony Stark is an arms manufacturer and that´s not a job that makes you sleep like a baby at night...

 

[Doctor of Doom]

Well to be fair, in the comics he starts off as a weapons manufacturer and then STOPS because he finds it wrong...

 

[Hunter Rider]

If the rest of the world can't remember past the last five minutes then they're morons and it really doesn't matter what they think. America's history and ideology is always something to be proud of and admire. People overseas can bitch about a war that doesn't even concern them but the war on terror never promised to be neat and clean.

That's a blanket statement as if all of us from other countries should be in awe of the US and just roll along with them,many of our soldiers have died out there helping the US soldiers in a very questionable war

Now this topic is gonna be delicate,i suggest we try to keep it about Iron Man's stance in the movie and the film itself not our own ideals

I think they will do as Orko said,show the danger of weapons tech in the wrong hands but at the same time can we in this day and age really afford not to design it given the need to protect countries

 

[3dman27]

That's a blanket statement as if all of us from other countries should be in awe of the US and just roll along with them,many of our soldiers have died out there helping the US soldiers in a very questionable war

Now this topic is gonna be delicate,i suggest we try to keep it about Iron Man's stance in the movie and the film itself not our own ideals

I think they will do as Orko said,show the danger of weapons tech in the wrong hands but at the same time can we in this day and age really afford not to design it given the need to protect countries

i agree with you request that we keep this thread abotr stark's /im's stance in the movie

 

[Zen Ith]

I love how we can casually suggest putting messages into a film aimed for kids (it's going to be a family film) that tells us to hate the policy of America.

If this thread had "anti-muslim" instead of "anti-american" in the title you would be up in arms.

Not saying America doesn't deserve it's criticism, it deserves A LOT, but what you are suggesting is negative propaganda.

 

[Chris B]

I love how we can casually suggest putting messages into a film aimed for kids (it's going to be a family film) that tells us to hate the policy of America.

Actually, I think it will be more of the opposite. Favreau has said this film will have a geopolitical theme to it. That has lead me to believe that this Iron Man film will be like the first two X-Men films: aimed at adults but accessible to kids. Now that doesn't mean that the film will have an anti-American undetone, which the comics never had and if the film did it would reflect that the filmmakers missed the point.

 

[TheVileOne]

I remember an article or some such where Favreau addressed Stark being politically conservative and how that isn't popular right now. The overall impression I seemed to get is that he's not going to make Tony Stark into his current AND stupid Civil War type of role/character.

But I think that is an interesting concern on how Tony's politics and leanings would be portrayed in the movie, as if he was in the "wrong" for being a conservative. Generally in Hollywood movies, conservative = bad or evil.

 

[Zen Ith]

Actually, I think it will be more of the opposite. Favreau has said this film will have a geopolitical theme to it. That has lead me to believe that this Iron Man film will be like the first two X-Men films: aimed at adults but accessible to kids. Now that doesn't mean that the film will have an anti-American undetone, which the comics never had and if the film did it would reflect that the filmmakers missed the point.

Not saying the film will be anti-american. I'm saying that it's laughable this thread is suggesting a message that spreads hatred against a country.

 

[ultimatefan]

Well to be fair, in the comics he starts off as a weapons manufacturer and then STOPS because he finds it wrong...

It´s an origin movie, so they are supposed to get to that topic.

 

[Zen Ith]

The entire film could be about Stark realising he enjoys using his technology for tood, rather than for destruction. At the beginning he is just a weapons manufacturer, but when he finds out about that heart disease, evades certain death and becomes an alcholic due to stress he finds a new lease of life and becomes Iron man. By the end of the movie he completely changes his ways. Mandarin is against technology, Iron Man could come to thse conclusions by proving technology isn't sometime to be feared or hated.

 

[X Knight]

well, as the creator of this thread, i first want to thank all of you for responding.

also, more to zen ith's point, I would like to clarify that the intent of my thread was NOT to suggest they add anti-american / anti-war themes in the movie.

I DON'T want them to do so, as that would just turn me off of the movie.

 

[R_Hythlodeus]

I hope they´ll add some. It would make the movie more enjoyable.
after all, tony is a capitalistic pig and who is interessted in watching a movie about a neo-con?