Entertaining origin story which bodes well for franchise

Rating: 8/10 (16 November 2008)

Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" fundamentally changed the superhero genre and became a gold standard. What it delivered was an often dark character piece with action to match and it was a blockbuster that art-house filmgoers could enjoy. When he came to direct "Iron Man", Jon Favreau had Nolan on his mind and has cited that film as a key inspiration. Favreau has not matched Nolan's achievement, but he has delivered a terrific piece of entertainment, which is not without depth and is superbly cast and well made.
The central character of Tony Stark has to work if this film is to be at all successful, and he does, thanks to a snappy script and an absolutely excellent performance from Robert Downey Jr. Stark is similar to James Bond in one respect. You're happy to admire him as smooth and suave on screen, but know that, if he were an actual acquaintance of yours, you would probably loathe him. Despite his gambling, womanising, smug playboy nature, Stark is likable because Downey Jr. makes him unbelievably charming, funny and engaging. Added to this, Stark's character has an arc. Its progression doesn't span the whole film, and it isn't particularly original, but it does provide a point of connection with the character which makes Stark, and indeed Iron Man, a success.
The pitch-perfect casting doesn't end there. Gwyneth Paltrow is far less annoying than she could have been and does make the ludicrously named Pepper Potts sympathetic. Terence Howard does a decent job with little to work with (his role is a place-holder for the inevitable sequel). However, the real star of the supporting cast is the ever-excellent Jeff Bridges, whose former-mentor Obadiah Stane is a treat to watch whenever his inversely-haired visage is on screen.
The action is done very well. ILM's special effects are flawless and Favreau has a grip on the sequences which are thrilling and entertaining. The final sequence misses the mark a little but still has its moments. The rest of the film is humorous, entertaining and not a minute too long, which suggests that more time could have been spent on character.
All-in-all, this film is a decent and entertaining set-up for what could be an interesting franchise. With this cast and the apparently safe hands behind the camera, we should be in for more superb entertainment in the inevitable sequel.
4 Stars out of 5