VERY well done! This is even GRITTY! Wow!

Rating: 9/10 (30 April 2008)

I have to ask ... Who better to play a middle-aged, wrung-out, loser than Robert Downey, Jr.? I say that with the utmost fondness, however, as I loved the IronMan comics as a kid, and I've never minded Robert Downey, Jr. as an actor. But in this role, he seems to have found his niche. I hope this run lasts for YEARS and gives Downey the inner Zen he needs to finish out his career with some pride.
Going back to the origins, as in "Batman Begins," and a plethora of other comic book-to-movie lines (Check out upcoming X-Men "Origins" movies, "Wolverine," and "Magneto."), seems to be the best formula for launching a new franchise, or breathing new life into a dead one. It certainly worked for Batman and Spiderman, and I'm sure it will work with audiences this time, even though IronMan is a "lesser" character who usually stands in the background vying for his 15 seconds of screen time. I am happy to say that Downey and a respectable budget resolves that condition and elevates this franchise to something more desirable and far more reverent than many other comic book attempts on film.
Downey really seems to connect with this character, and Gwyneth Paltrow is so funny as Pepper Potts. Yes, she's sexy, too, but she's FUNNY and so is Downey. I do believe audiences the world over will subscribe to this newly resurrected Marvel superhero in that he is completely human. You get Tony Stark, warts and all, and Downey plays him that way. He comes off so at ease in this part that it seems he was engineered specifically for this role.
All in all? It may be a little too risquÃ© (in places) and violent (in others) for the kiddies, but the rest of humanity should LOVE it. It is gritty and holds some thread of reality, which weaves itself throughout, although I must say that the finale is a bit tepid. It left something to be desired in the big finish and felt a tad anticlimactic. Still awesome, though.
And the toys ... there are loads of gadgets, toys, and comfortably spun one-liners. This is a story-driven, blockbuster-y , KABOOM flick with very little popcorn-ery to be had, although this IS an effects BLOW OUT of a comic book flick! It features a slick production style, top notch film quality, and a superb screen play. This superhero endeavor seems to be the birth of a new (and great) franchise, and I certainly hope it will not be the last. Indeed, there are hints as to another story line for a possible sequel. Did you notice?
It rates an 8.7/10 from...
the Fiend :.