Not bad at all, but no classic.

Rating: 7/10 (1 May 2008)

The season of blockbuster movies in 2008 kicked off with yet another adaptation from Marvel Comics, this time the lesser known Iron Man. This being the first independent film from Marvel Studios, with its all-star cast, it's clear that they're pinning high hopes on this one.
Director Jon Favreau does it clean cut, going by the same ol' "rule of thumb" in making comic book movies; hero inherits power, tests them, uses them, then villain gets his too( you know the rest but in case you didn't I won't spoil it for ya). Some of his bad decisions almost proved costly though; for example, his choice of non-linear story-telling in the beginning(he seemed to have taken the "Batman Begins" example too literally) nearly backfired. Unlike Christopher Nolan who utilized the style and enhanced the story-telling process, it gave some minor pacing problems to Iron Man, which continued towards the end. Despite that, Favreau has his share of praises though; his reputation as an "actor's director", letting the Oscar-worthy cast improvise their performances, was what separated this from the mediocrity suffered by the likes of Fantastic Four etc. And the numerous references made to the figures and icons of the gargantuan Marvel Universe would send the pulses of fan boys racing, in what looked like another step towards a "Avengers" movie(an all-star team of Marvel superheroes).
Robert Downey Jr. is almost perfect as Tony Stark. From the moment he came into the picture, the entire movie thrived on his abundant flow of charisma, dry wit and deadpan humor, comparable to the likes of Jack Sparrow from the Pirates movies. It really makes you wonder who else could have commanded the role so seemingly effortlessly. The rest of the cast is more than competent; Jeff "Lebowski" Bridges is unrecognizable as the ruthless and manipulative Obadiah Stane, while Gwyneth Paltrow is *gasp* likable as the damsel in distress. Terrence Howard is underused here but matches Downey Jr. with his own brand of humor, and one of his lines which underlined his future role even gave me goosebumps.
All in all, a great way to start the summer, as the world braces itself for yet another year of sequels and adaptations.