Saw Iron Man tonight, and I was blown away. Considering the critical reception, I was prepared for something good; but I didn't know what exactly, and I'm glad for that. In short, Iron Man is everything its genre should be, and in a word, that's fun. The action sequences are spot on for the character, the humor is built on sight gags that actually fit what's happening rather than breaking from the action, and the performances are excellent. Unlike the Spider-Man movies, especially 3, where characterizations are uneven - sometimes completely over-the-top, sometimes relatively believable - everybody here fits into the same genre convention mold. And because everybody obviously exists within the same general, larger-than-life style that comic book characters belong in, it's easy to accept their characterization as such.
Sure, the plot is a bit thin; but that's to be expected for a number of reasons. Iron Man is in no way intended to be a single film. Even if the franchise doesn't continue individually, Marvel has confirmed that they are setting up for The Avengers. This film provides a back story and a personality for Tony Stark in the exact fashion that we need if we're going to see more of this character - and more importantly, it makes us want to see more. It's also important to note that Iron Man's solo career hasn't left a whole lot of memorable material; his legacy is his character and the way he interacts with the rest of the Marvel universe.
I think that the film's strength is displayed perfectly in the sequence where Tony is perfecting the flight of the Mk. 2 suit. The look of exhilaration on his face as I learns to control his motion is spot on - the strange mixture of raw terror and pure joy is indescribable. In that moment and throughout the entire rest of the film, Robert Downy Jr, is Tony Stark.
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