“But the most potent FX are Downey’s eyes – those big, expressive brown orbs that seem to be highlighted with natural mascara to make them pop. Downey uses his body like a dancer or an acrobat, but has there been any other actor since, maybe, Bette Davis whose eyelashes are so vital to his performance? Favreau seems to understand this: When Tony puts on his Iron Man mask, we spend as much time inside it, just looking into Downey’s eyes as they fill the screen, as we do watching him zoom through the atmosphere or stomp around on the earth’s surface. It’s the best special effect in the movie … Downey has entered a hard-earned period of grace in his career, where it seems he can do no wrong. He’s always been exceptional, but right now we’re just so glad to see him. It helps immeasurably, of course, that he consistently brings more to his material than the part demands. Whether the movie itself doesn’t measure up to him, or is very good indeed, he contributes something that makes it – or, at least, him – something to see.”
– no-one, not Spider-Man, not Aunt May, no-one says “With great power comes great responsibility” in this movie. Which is odd, because…that’s literally what the film’s about.
