Downey, Jr. Creates an Inspired Superhero

Rating: 7/10 (13 May 2008)

In much the same way that Ron Perlman's inspired performance made "Hellboy" better than it would otherwise have been, Robert Downey, Jr. helps "Iron Man" be something beyond the standard superhero junk fests that become popular every year around this time. Downey is perfectly cast, though I never would have thought of him for the character he plays here, tycoon of a weapons manufacturing company who suffers pangs of conscience after seeing what his terrible weapons can do, and turns himself into the ultimate weapon so that he can stop others from using them.
Gwyneth Paltrow is Downey's assistant and love interest, and it's a bit of a shame to see such a smart actress stuck with such a dud role as this. She stands around in heels and looks worried while Downey tries to save her.
Jeff Bridges, shaved bald and sporting a bushy beard, is the movie's villain, and if the movie has a major failing, it's him. Bridges is fine in the role, but the villain himself isn't particularly menacing, and the final showdown is anticlimactic.
Be sure to sit through the end credits for a brief scene that promises a sequel.
Grade: A-