[BreakABone]

Excerpts from a pretty good review of the movie. Can't wait to see really.

It uses CGI to advance the story rather than to populate the screen with pretty images. And, perhaps most importantly, the humor is restrained enough to avoid pushing the film over the line into camp or self-parody. Over the years, there have been only a handful of exceptional superhero movies, and Iron Man is among them.

Favreau has crafted the production to maximize appeal for both to those steeped in Iron Man lore and those who have never previously heard of the Mighty Marvel Metal Man. This is much like what Chris Nolan accomplished with Batman Begins: stripping away the legend and building it up gradually, using narrative and character (not action and effects) for the foundation.

There has never been a more inspired choice for a superhero than Robert Downey Jr. In recent decades, we've seen the likes of Christopher Reeve, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Nicolas Cage, Christian Bale, and others don capes, cowls, and masks, but none has accomplished this with more style, wit, and panache than Downey. His performance is riveting. He commands the screen. He nails Stark, making him much more than a charismatic fusion of Bill Gates, Hugh Hefner, and Howard Hughes.

Comparisons can be made between Iron Man and Batman. Both franchises feature rich men who turn to crime fighting as a way to provide balance. Both have lots of gadgets at their disposal. And both have faithful retainers who offer help and advice (Alfred, Miss Potts). Yet, in terms of their cinematic incarnations, even the latest Batman inhabits a pseudo-fantasy world. Tony Stark is grounded in something close to our reality. This gives Iron Man a sense of immediacy that even the fine Batman Begins does not have. Yet Iron Man and Batman Begins have a lot in common in the way that they rework the tired "superhero origin story," replace stereotypes with legitimate characters, and remember that everyone in the audience is not a 14-year old boy.

When it comes to tone, Iron Man achieves something at which many of even its most celebrated predecessors have failed: it doesn't feel like a superhero movie. Instead, it's bigger and more inclusive. The superhero elements are present, so devotees will not feel slighted or duped, but Iron Man wants to be more than just a summer genre picture or an appetizer before the next exploit of a better-known icon. The movie justifies the hype and, in addition to standing solidly on its own, it promises bigger and potentially more interesting developments for the sequel that no one doubts will be made.

I disagree with it being the most inspired choice. I personally till think Bale as Batman is top of the list. But as it stands, Downey Jr. is quickly approaching top 3 status.

http://www.reelviews.net/movies/i/iron_man.html