Iron Man

It's been a little while since I wrote a full review so I might be a little rusty. Anyway, yesterday afternoon I saw "Iron Man" and I've gotta say it's a good way to start out the summer movie season.

Based on the Marvel comic book, "Iron Man" tells the story of Tony Stark, billionaire playboy and weapons manufacturer. Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) does what he wants when he wants and loves every minute of it. However, during a visit to troops in Afghanistan where he reveals his newest missile system, Stark's life takes an abrupt turn. Before he knows it he's being held captive in a cave carrying around a large amount of shrapnel. The only thing keeping him alive is the artificial contraption created by the kindly Yinsen (Shaun Toub), a fellow captive. Stark's terrorist captors order him to build weapons for them. He builds something else instead and upon his return home, Tony Stark is a changed man. Sort of.
Credited to several screenwriters, "Iron Man" works due to Jon Favreau's direction (it has a somewhat bigger budget than "Swingers") and Downey's terrific performance. The sense of fun each brings to the film is palpable. They are also aware that Stark is not angst-ridden nor is he forever scarred by a childhood trauma. He's much more fun to spend time with than Peter Parker or Bruce Wayne. Actually Stark is more fun than Iron Man and how often can you say that about a superhero's alter-ego? Downey plays Stark as a man who knows his life is changed forever but he's rolling with it with the same sense of humor he always had.
The action scenes are put together well and while the effects are hit and miss they're still better than most films of this nature. Only near the end does the film start to run out of steam.
"Iron Man" is a very enjoyable movie that manages to avoid many of the standard cliches present in most comic book films and with a supporting cast that includes Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jeff Bridges, it also features a better caliber of acting than usual. There will be better movies this summer ("The Dark Knight" for one), but there will be many more that are worse. "Iron Man" is just fun and that's all I really asked it to be. Be sure to stay all the way through the end credits. 7.5/10.