Iron Man is an exciting beginning for the summer movie season

Rating: 9/10 (12 May 2008)

While I have long been a fan of various superhero movies, I admit I only have a passing interest in the "Iron Man" comic books since I only read some '80s issues my brother owned when Tony Stark was suffering from alcoholism and a black associate had taken the mantle. That said, this was a pretty cool action movie directed by Jon Favreau with some subtle humor shoehorned in courtesy of Robert Downey, Jr. as Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow as his associate Pepper Potts. What a nicely romantic team they play here! While there's also Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges to fill up the capable supporting cast, I must mention Clark Gregg as a SHIELD agent who has his own amusing moments in his brief scenes with Ms. Paltrow. He's a regular on "The New Adventures of Old Christine". There's great drama in Afganistan and plenty of kick-butt action in whatever city this movie takes place in that I was wholly enthralled the whole way through. With a sequel already being planned, I wholly look forward to the next adventures of Iron Man! P.S. Check out Stan Lee being mistaken for Hugh Hefner here.