The Man in the Iron Everything

Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man are going to be pissed….

A new comic book hero – a very little known at that – is making the transition to the silver screen, and he’s doing it successfully. Robert Downey Jr. kicks off 2008’s sizzling summer season in Jon Favreau’s Iron Man, the first production from Marvel Studios, which, you should know, has become and fully funded, autonomous company.

In a fun, defining role of a lifetime, former-Bad Boy-of-Hollywood Downey plays Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist-and-genius inventor-turned-heroic Iron Man.

The star has battled excesses in the past, but, much like his munitions mogul alter ego, he managed to turn it around. Who knows how it happened in real life, but in the movie, someone tells Stark, after recognizing his talent, “Don’t waste your life.” Cue the 180.

Iron Man puts us in the thick of action right away – a smart move from Favreau, an actor-turned-director who has helmed such crowd-pleasers as Elf.

After Stark is kidnapped in Afghanistan and forced to build one of his own weapons for the bad guys, he decides to put his smarts to good use and build a high-tech iron suit to escape captivity.

But when he uncovers an evil plot with global implications, of which his company has become an unwitting participant, Stark decides to perfect his invention and don the armor to protect those he has put in harm’s way.

And thus, a hero – and blockbuster franchise – is born.

Iron Man is a sexy, loud, entertaining movie. It’s funny, too.

Downey is quite perfect as flawed Stark, and he definitely ups the game of his already-effective co-stars, Terrence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow. Jeff Bridges co-stars as Stark’s bitter associate Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger.

Especially noteworthy is the chemistry between Downey and Paltrow, who plays his spunky assistant, Virginia “Pepper” Potts. It’s rather remarkable, and one of the movie’s strongest suits. (Thank goodness for sexual tension.)

If this movie is to serve as an indicator for what is to come this season, then we’re in for good one. Better yet, this movie sets everything for a sequel beyond nicely – and the truth is I wouldn’t mind one bit seeing Stark back.

My Rating ***1/2

Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Update 1: Marvel Studios has announced, on the heels of a $101 million opening weekend for Iron Man (better than anyone expected), that it will release part deux on April 30, 2010.

And wouldn’t you?

Here’s to hoping the sequel features a kiss between Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, though.

The company also announced plans to bring to silver screens a few other superheroes, namely Thor and Captain America, as well as a movie that would bring together these three plus the Incredible Hulk.

Awesome!

Update 2: Iron Man’s official weekend tally was $98.6 million.