Low expectations saved this for me

Rating: 7/10 (10 May 2008)

How many superheroes can filmmakers drain to absolute dehydrated shells? Look what happened to the Superman movies (5 so far counting the most recent waste of time) and the Batman movies (Also 5, if you don't count the recently yet un-released swan song of Heath Ledger). Actually, Batman was reinvigorated with a new innovative director, superb story and brilliant actors who saw its potential.
The same could be said for this the latest installment of what could have been a massive bore. The director, Jon Favreau, who is also an actor, had the stroke of genius to cast Robert Downey, Jr. in the part of zillionaire tycoon, Tony Stark. Downey, while not playing himself, clearly put some autobiographical stamp on his part which fit the character brilliantly. Tony Stark is a middle aged man who seizes the chance to redeem himself after a frightening wake up call (cue Downey's sordid past). Favreau also cast Gwyneth Paltrow and for once her character didn't make me want to spew vile as other female characters have done in lesser superhero flicks (eg. Uma Thurman in Batman bomb + Robin). One minor quibble, her character must be the loneliest person on earth besides Stark himself. No clear motivation as how she is attracted to him other than that.
Jeff Bridges acquits himself nicely, although it is never explained how he is able to be a threat to Iron Man (see the climactic battle if you don't know what I mean). Also his mumbling performance is a bit tiresome after a while.
The CGI is of course top-notch and quite unbelievable (really, where can you get such a supercomputer, let me know). There is a clever little sequence while Stark is perfecting his suit that mirrors a scene seen in Disclosure. As for the action sequences they are not that interesting, except for a glorious dogfighting sequence.
So I was only mildly interested in seeing it but once it was over I thought: "It could have been better but not the mind blowing bore I thought it was going to be".