Tony Stark is a billionaire arms dealer who justifies his business with the knowledge that it is he that keeps the peace by providing the US with the "biggest stick" which is all that matters. That is until his convoy is hijacked and he is taken prisoner by a group of terrorists who are using the very weapons he designed to protect his country.

So, after constructing a battle suit whilst locked in the cave, he escapes with a new outlook on life - an outlook that his shareholders don't like very much. But in perfecting the suit which enables him to fly he learns a disturbing truth.

I must admit that I didn't know much about Iron Man before this film and I didn't quite know what to expect, but I was happily surprised.

Despite the ridiculousness of some of the concepts, as with many superhero films, they manage to convince you that it is actually plausible - the old bate and switch.

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) plays the lead role very well, but as gorgeous as she is Gwyneth Paltrow (Sliding Doors) seemed a bit wooden as his assistant and love interest, Pepper Potts (a really cheesy name that could only be used credibly in a comic).

There wasn't anywhere near as much action as I might have expected, but instead plenty of plot which was well constructed and interspersed with light comic relief. If there was anything I could be critical with about this film, it was the speed at which the final battle arose and how little heroism Iron Man actually did.

Having said that, moving him from being a selfish billionaire to being a hero that stops thugs in the street who were stealing a purse, would have been silly. This is a superhero who is concerned with big world issues, like arms trafficing. When was the last time you saw Spider-man attacking a tank in Afghanistan?

So, in conclusion, a really good film with some good relatively plausible action and a good plot - just maybe a bit rushed towards the end. One to see and maybe even one to buy.

see also:
Spider-man 3, Spider-man, Spider-man 2, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

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photo © Paramount Pictures.