Iron Man

Rating: 9/10 (11 May 2008)

I had mixed feelings when I saw the direction this movie was heading. While I was excited that Marvel was taking a step out of the box by casting RDJr., it was still a superhero movie, being released early (possibly hinting at lack of faith) and seemed to be an orgy of CGI and summer hoopla...
I was quite wrong. My faith in RDJr. was well placed. The megalomaniacal turned benevolent was played brilliantly, and while he hit the requisite super hero swagger, RDJr. played without getting campy or superfluous. The effects were spot on without becoming a crutch or an excuse for lack of talent. The script was passable, and the gags were just right.
However, what made this film a 9/10? A solid leading actor and director , script and SFX all make a decent movie, but it was the cast as a whole that give the movie staying power. Terrance Howard, Gweneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges played their roles as well as RDJr. and set up a solid ensemble cast that balanced the movie well. You can tell that neither the producers, writers nor the director put their proverbial eggs in one basket.
In the end, you will be able to pick out various flaws and short comings, as did I. But, it is more enjoyable than your standard pre summer fare, and as a soft opening for Cinema-palooza Summer 2008, Iron Man is enjoyable and fun without getting bigger than it's britches.
Summary: Exactly what you would expect, which is not bad, and bests the recent entries into the Superhero Genre.
9/10