The Iron Man Cometh

Rating: 10/10 (5 May 2008)

Wealthy billionaire inventor playboy Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) lives a life of luxury & lusty excess - he goes about his existence blithely building weapons for the military with little regard for what will happen in the long run, stays out gambling instead of fulfilling press junkets leaving his military pal Col. James Rhodes (Terence Howard) and longtime business partner Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) holding the fort and engages beautiful women in passionate one night stands, including a night of unprotected sexual intercourse with reporter Christine Everhart (Leslie Bibb), whom he leaves naked in his Malibu home, whom his right hand gal Pepper Potts (Gwyenth Paltrow) must deal with while he trots off overseas to check on some new weaponry. While there, he is captured & injured by Afghan terrorists who expect him to build them weapons in his last days as shrapnel eats away at his heart (from a missile he built no less). Instead, with the help of fellow inventor Ysen, he builds an iron combat suit and uses it to escape. Upon returning home, Stark experiences something of a morale awakening and decides to undo his career of military backing. This also includes building a better iron suit so that he can combat the forces of evil with it. Stane, who was plotting against him all along, is not pleased with this, leading to an inevitable clash between the two.
Infamous for his own real life substance abuse, Downey Jr. turns in an excellent performance as Ton Stark/Iron Man, bringing warmth, humor and humanity to a character whom some may not relate to easily. The film as a whole is excellently cast, with Bridges a stand out as the evil Stane and Paltrow as Stark's "girl Friday". After enduring the bland, lifelessly uncharismatic and far too youthful Brandon Routh & Kate Bosworth in the equally bland & boring "Superman Returns", the chemistry of seasoned pros Downey & Paltrow is a welcome breath of fresh air in an industry that is growing far too youth obsessed.
An overall fun film with an excellent balance of humor and drama. I look forward to the future adventures of this Iron Man.
Stay after the credits to see an amusing cameo from Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.