After Marvel’s success with Superman, the Fantastic Four and the X-men trilogy it was only a matter of time before someone converted the Iron Man comic book into a movie. After all, there’s plenty to do with a guy who can fly, no? You probably wouldn’t guess it, but this movie already has a pretty long history. Way back in 1997, Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise already expressed interest into the title role. Tarantino was approached to be the director. No deal came through, but it did nine years later, with, erhm, Jon Favreau as director and Robert Downey Jr. as Peter Stark in the title role !? I’ve always been an admirer of Robert Downey Jr, but does he really have superhero-credibility? No need to worry, after having seen this movie you won’t be able to imagine anyone else playing the role of Peter Stark. Downey is a perfect fit for the snobbish, arrogant yet genius playboy. Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t much more than the slightly ignorant but ravishingly good-looking assistant Pepper Potts. Surely plenty of girlfriends will be dying their hair red the coming months. I’m not so happy with Jeff Bridges though, he’s just not convincing.

With the target audience mostly being male, aged between 15 and 30, a movie needs certain things to appeal its viewers. Lots of explosions and impressive special effects? Check! Gorgeous girl who falls for the hero-to-be? Check! Absence of a complex plot which might distract its viewers? Check! It’s pretty obvious how this movie will turn out. Anyone not figuring the plot out after five minutes surely should watch more movies. Or buy a brain.

This doesn’t mean I didn’t like the movie. When buying a stub for Iron Man you know what to expect, you want to be entertained. Don’t be late for the screening, as there’s not much time to settle down. The movie quickly hits into gear, wasting no time with such trivialities as character development. The first hour is great entertainment, the special effects are impressive without being stupid (Transformers, anyone?). I did wonder how Stark managed to cut such a nice fitting hole (the heart, you know) in his t-shirt though. The big disappointment in this movie is the villain. I won’t spoil it here (you should have figured it out already anyway), but the villain is not, well, villainous. Also, how come the villain is able to master the Iron Man suit within five minutes, whereas it takes Downey months and a few wrecked cars? A big scratch on the record.

This movie is only the beginning, the set-up. Release dates for number two are planned already, and surely number three will be on the books as well. Iron Man is already featuring in the upcoming new Hulk movie. In the first installment you meet the hero and his supporting cast. You’re introduced to the capabilities of the suit. So, for number two I’d like to see a decent opponent, preferably with a pair of brains. We already know how the love interest will work out.

The first hour is really good, the second a bit less but still worthwhile, and the movie goes out with a blast (don’t leave before the final credits have rolled) which will make you want to see the sequel. And that’s exactly what the big men at Marvel would have wanted. A job well done for director Favreau, a man who certainly grew up after once wanting to become the Ultimate Fighting Champion.