A comic book movie that doesn't stink (Nick Fury spoiler)

Rating: 7/10 (27 May 2008)

As someone who is unfamiliar with Iron Man in particular and Marvel Comics in general, I was intrigued by the good reviews of this film that I read. A movie based on a comic book character that doesn't stink? How is this possible? I was happily surprised that the movie doesn't stink because Robert Downey, Jr. plays an actual character instead of a caricature of a superhero. The other actors do a great job as well, but he really carries the show. His character growth, from the initial naiveté and arrogance stemming from thinking his weapons were purely used for good, to the realization that what his company was doing was more complicated than what he thought, to his development and actual use of the Iron Man suit, shows a two-dimensional playboy tycoon's transformation to a full-fleshed human being with a heart.
While "Iron Man" is a movie purely for entertainment and not a contender for any acting performance Oscars, the character development was enough to make this English major proud. It also left me wondering why other superhero movies aren't this good. If "Iron Man" can do it, why can't other movies? Perhaps other characters have not been as fleshed out as Tony Stark was in the comic books. I don't know for sure, because I don't read Marvel comics. Maybe this movie also should be taken as a call for more developed characters in movies purely meant for entertainment, instead of just the cool fighting scenes and flashy special effects movies Hollywood seems to be always cranking out to make money. Surely this is more difficult to do, but as this movie's performance at the box office shows, such effort would be heavily financially rewarded.
Well, enough of the review, here is the spoiler: As for the scene with Samuel L. Jackson playing Nick Fury that you all missed, it played after the ending credits, discussed the "Avenger Initiative," and left no doubt in anyone's mind that there will be a sequel.