Better than I had expected...

Rating: 8/10 (16 May 2008)

From all the hype I heard about this film, I decided to see it. I thought this would be another superhero movie disaster that has too much CGI and no plot, but I was proved wrong. Most superhero films don't have an academy award winning script, but "Iron Man" pulled off with a decent story that has no holes. I was very impressed by it, particularly with a surprising anti-gun/war message delivered nicely by Robert Downey Jr.
To my surprise, Downey did a pretty good job as Tony Stark/Iron Man. He's funny, entertaining, and a hero that could easily be liked. Terrence Howard as the amusing Jim Rhodes and Gwyneth Paltrow (beautiful as ever) as Iron Man's assistant are pleasant additions to the film. Jeff Bridges wasn't a bad villain, although I did not find him to be in the caliber of Jack Nicholson as "The Joker" or even Willem Dafoe as the "Green Goblin".
The one thing that I did not like about the movie though was the lack of romance. Whether it is Batman or Spider-man, the good guy always had a girl. Gwyneth Paltrow's character can be considered a damsel in distress at the end, but the relationship never grows between her and Iron Man. I'm not trying to sound like I am a lover of chick flicks, but in my opinion, a good superhero should always have a girl, or at least someone to love.
Overall this is a great film with a solid plot, decent acting, and wonderful CGI that is not overdone. For you popcorn lovers, this is your ticket. 8/10