Possibly one of the best comic book adaptations ever

Rating: 8/10 (3 May 2008)

Like a few, I was one of the people that though this movie would totally blow, based on the trailers. So, I went in with very low expectations. I walked out with a smile and exclaimed to my friend "That was pretty good!" It really was. The movie is a bit slow moving but done very well. A very selfish man, Tony Stark (played surprisingly brilliant by Robert Downey Jr.) is hit with reality and turns against what he's worked towards all of his life. But it's a force that won't go down without a fight.
The script for the movie is not incredible, but the way the cast delivers it is. Robert Downey Jr. is great; he's very convincing, and even when he changes to a more heroic type, it's not overdone and he hasn't changed as drastically and unrealistically as some might think.
Other actors include Terrence Howard, who was good, Tony Stark's friend in Afghanistan (I forgot his name) was good, Jeff Bridges was pretty good (with the exception maybe of his last scene in the film), and Gwyneth Paltrow, who was excellent with the exception of the showdown. She overdid it in that scene, and I was surprised by the sudden cheesiness that overcame her.
Like I said, the movie is a bit slow moving, but when it delivers, it delivers. The action sequences were good, though my least favorite was the climatic showdown, which was too clichéd for me. The movie as a whole is clichéd, but its done intelligently, so the clichés don't feel as clichéd.
I was happily surprised. I thought this would be another Fantastic Four, but I'd stick it between Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins, which are my favorite superhero movies. I haven't seen a ton of comic book movies, just mainly the superhero ones, and this is one of the best of those superhero-comics-turned-movies. It's a fun movie the whole family could see and enjoy. But you can honestly enjoy it. 8.0/10.