Iron Man (Paramount)
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges
Rated: PG 13
Running Time: 2hrs 6 mins

Overall rating: A-

JUST as I was about to give up on super-hero movies adapted from comic books, dismissing them as cheap attempts by producers and directors to strike box-office gold, Iron Man flew into cinemas and has made me realise that worthwhile projects can be unearthed from this action-adventure sub-genre.

Don't get me wrong: I think Spider Man and its sequels were superb efforts, worthy of the movie ticket price, but where Spidey descended into predictability, Iron Man comes to life with a witty and refreshing take on what an action-packed super-hero saga should be all about.

Robert Downey Jr (Zodiac, Gothika) is surprisingly remarkable as the brilliant Tony Stark, the uber-wealthy weapons manufacturer who later becomes the title character. The actor brings rare charm, confidence, wit and sarcasm to his performance which makes the character very likeable.

Following in his late father's footsteps, Stark (who runs Stark Industries) has been involved in the construction of military weaponry for years.

During a visit to Afghanistan to offer demonstrations of his WMDs, he is kidnapped and held prisoner in a cave for three months and ordered by his captors to build a missile to earn his freedom. Instead, with the help of a fellow prisoner, he builds a powerful armoured suit from the material and embarks on a quest to right some terrible wrongs.

Director Jon Favreau (Elf) delivers a sure-footed production with special effects done just right that put many previous action-hero flicks to shame. His cast is terrific too: Howard is ideally cast as Stark's military pal, Jim Rhodes; Bridges smartly plays Obadiah Stane, Stark's right-hand-man, while Paltrow gives a good account of herself as Pepper Potts, Stark's assistant.

With the solid support he receives from his co-stars, Downey Jr reaches a new career high in Iron Man. A quick-witted womaniser with a taut, well-proportioned physique, the flashiest whips and private jets, Downey's Stark is a complex character living the high life. Fortunately for viewers, when he dons that fire-releasing iron suit, he doesn't lose his complexity, the wit or the sarcastic appeal.

With style, edge and a heaping of brashness, Iron Man is a fun, entertaining and well-wrought cinematic treat.

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