Coen bros meets Marvel comics

Rating: 8/10 (19 June 2008)

I wasn't surprised by how good this film was because I went into the theater without any expectations. But I was tickled up and down by how successfully this basically violent comic book story co-existed with a pretty profound anti-war message. Robert Downey Jr. was pitch perfect in adapting to his various sub-roles, so much so that the transitions between extraordinary man and super hero were practically seamless. Jeff Bridges was an exceptionally good bad guy. But Gwyneth Paltrow was unfortunately lackluster in her effort to lend some genuine romance to the picture. In short, if you liked Spider Man and The Big Lebowski, this movie is for you, in no small part because the film constantly pokes fun at the comic book genre without ever being explicitly disrespectful.