Iron Man stands at the top of the pile of comic book adaptations, surpassed in this reviewer's opinion only by Batman Begins. Iron Man deftly handles the character's origin, showing us who Tony Stark was, who he is, and who he will become. The road from billionaire inventor to superhero is complicated, but entertaining.

Director and actor Jon Favreau has crafted an incredible film, and his comedic experience is evident in many of Tony Stark's quips. Favreau is no stranger to directing heavy CGI action scenes, such as in Jumanji and Zathura, and that experience pays dividends here. This is some of the most convincing CGI ever seen in a movie.

Robert Downey Jr. is perfectly cast as Tony Stark. He nails his persona as a well-meaning playboy/inventor, and manages to make the otherwise conflicting natures of his character work. He apparently re-wrote most of his dialogue and if that is the case, then his understanding of who Tony Stark is rivals that of some of the comics industries greatest.

Supporting cast members Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges do excellent jobs. The only character I had a problem with was Bridges'. I understand that changing him from a rival business man to a member of Stark's inner circle gives some perceived gravitas in the inevitable conflict between the two (I mean, who honestly trusts a bald guy with that beard?), but the change seemed unnecessary to me.