When I was growing up, I read comic books, and I remember that though he wasn’t my favorite, I liked Iron Man because he was kind of easy to draw. After forgetting all about comic books for many years, Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie made me get back into comics big time. Almost twenty years later, I’m still “back into them”. But Iron Man? He’s kind of a jerk in the comic book world… I haven’t really paid much attention.

Then came the announcement that there would be a live action movie to follow in the wake of Spider-Man and X-Men, and I still didn’t care.
Then they announced Jon Favreau would be directing. Sparks of interest flared up immediately, because I’m a big fan. Then came the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. would play Tony Stark, the billionaire industrialist that becomes Iron Man.
OK, this was gonna be interesting…

Now it’s the Monday after the movie opened…to more than a $100,000,000…and yeah, Iron Man the movie works. More than that, it rocks!

I don’t use the word exhilarating often, but it’s a good word for Iron Man. Comic book fans, action movie fans, and fans of good, quirky acting will love this movie. There’s been a lot of talk about how Michael Keaton was an odd choice to play Bruce Wayne / Batman in the 1989 movie, and how Johnny Depp doing a movie like the Pirates of The Caribbean was a weird combination, but history has gone on to show us they were inspired casting. Robert Downey Jr. now easily joins their ranks. The quirky, likable actor totally rocks this movie. He’s totally believable and oozes charisma. Just a great, great job!

Jon Favreau really opened up to comic book fans while this movie was in production. He respected the history of the character and the close knit community that are comic book fans, and turned out a movie that is fun and entertaining. I already liked and respected Favreau, but he just jumped up a level or two!

Terence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow are excellent in Iron Man, and I’m really glad that two critically acclaimed actors took a chance with a “comic book movie”, because they brought a lot of class to their roles. Jeff Bridges plays Obadiah Staine, and he is over the top, but very effective, and like the others, I’m glad he took a chance as well. It paid off big time.

So Iron Man is the real deal. Entertaining, fast moving, and exciting. It also has some treats for comic book fans that will send soaring through the stratosphere.
STAY THROUGH THE FINAL CREDITS!!!

Great job all around.