To be in full disclosure, let me just say that Iron Man was my favorite superhero when I was growing up. As an avid comic book fan I was thrilled to find out that Iron Man was the next Marvel hero to be made into a movie, until I learned that Robert Downey Jr. had been selected to play the lead. However, with each trailer and each sneak preview I found on line, I became more and more excited to see the finished product.
 
Unlike Spiderman, Superman and the Hulk, Iron Man is a self-made hero who isn’t educated by his father from a far off galaxy, haunted by the memory of his dead uncle or genetically engineered into the hero he has become. He’s kind of a regular guy that just happens to a billionaire playboy genius that’s smarter than Bill Gates, Steven Hawking and Albert Einstein rolled into one who has every possible cool toy that all of us billionaire playboy genius wanna-bees wish we could spend just one day of our lives playing with.
 
The action, cool toys and FX alone mean that every man-child in your youth group who can scrape up the cash and walk, peddle or bum a ride to the theater, will be seeing this flick in the next thirty-days. Probably many, many times.
 
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is the CEO of an advanced weapon system corporation called Stark Industries, which produces the most powerful (deadliest) weapons known to man. His primary client is the U.S. military who invites him to give a weapons demonstration to a group of generals in the beautiful, sun-drenched hills of a happy little place called Afghanistan. After demonstrating a new weapon called Jericho, Tony’s convoy is attacked by a group of terrorists and he becomes their captive.
 
There’s a certain amount of irony in his capture, as Tony realizes that his convoy was destroyed and he has suffered near-fatal wounds from some of the very weapons that Stark Industries produces. He is then thrown into a cell where his captors demand that he recreate the Jericho weapon system for their use or be executed. It is from this cell that he and his fellow prisoner, Yinsen, develop the very first Iron Man suit.
 
From there, things really take off!
 
Teachable Moments:
- When Yinsen, who advises him, "Don't waste your life." He later asks Tony if he has a wife and children, and when he learns that he doesn’t says, "So, you're a man who has everything and nothing."
 
- When Tony decides that Stark Industries must change directions, saying, "I had become part of a system that had become comfortable with zero accountability."
 
- As Tony discovers how little he has valued his true friends and how he has betrayed by one very close to him. One of these friends even gives up their life to save Tony’s.
 
- While having everything the natural world can offer, Tony learns that true wealth is found in helping others. After coming back from his first combat encounter where he had saved a village from being overrun, he removes his suit full of shrapnel, Penny begs him to stop what he’s dong. He answers that, in his heart, he knows that what he's doing is right. "I shouldn't be alive," Stark says. "Unless it's for a reason."
 
- Finally, as one man is dying from a variety of gunshot wounds, he says, "My family is dead. I'm going to see them now."
 
Spiritual Parallels:
- Tony’s journey to becoming Iron Man is, in many ways, as spiritual a walk as you can have without reciting Bible verses. He is the model of the spoiled rich-kid who has wasted most of his life on wine, women and – in his case - weapons. While he doesn't find God, he does find a higher purpose when he has the Marvel Comic book equivalent of a Damascus Road experience. He is no longer blind to what's going on around him but has found his purpose and reason to live.
 
- There are some other interesting spiritual parallels in Iron Man. From the high-tech, glowing power system that glows on Tony’s chest and must always stay attached to his heart (Christ’s light or our spiritual re-birth, perhaps?) to his virtually indestructible, high-tech suit of (spiritual?) armor.
 
 
Things to be aware of:
Several sexual references, some revealing outfits and Tony has a one-night stand with a reporter who asks him how he can sleep at night. There’s no nudity but plenty of innuendo and some kissing and rolling around on a bed.
 
This is definitely a violent movie.  It’s not Saving Private Ryan but there is plenty of bullets flying, blood spattering, people catching on fire and explosions that it is probably a good idea for you to preview the movie to make sure it’s age-appropriate for your kids before making it an “official” youth outing.
 
Profanity is scattered thoughout the movie and includes the use of God’s name in vain and Jesus at least a half-dozen times as well as two-dozen or more lesser profanities. Add that to a few people getting drunk and lots of people smoking and you can see why it might be best to do a quick viewing before taking your youth. Plus, you get to see it twice that way.
 
Conclusion:
Iron Man is a movie your kids will be seeing again and again over the next several months. That makes it a definite must see for you as a Youth Leader. If you pick out the positives, including the importance of loyalty and self-sacrifice and that being honorable is better than being rich, there’s a lot of material in this movie for you to talk with your kids about throughout the summer.

See this movie now and buy it when it’s released on DVD.