By Frederic Germay
 A new breed of superhero swoops…or perhaps clanks onto the screen with this refreshingly new and original action flick. Despite it’s energetic trailer, I was initially skeptical about whether this movie would be a success. I had few doubts about whether this movie would fare well in the box office (it did extremely well), but it was the critical acclaim that I believed would be difficult for this film to obtain.
Being unfamiliar with the “Iron man” story, the idea of some billionaire with no special abilities hiding behind a protective suit didn’t really succeed in enticing me. Then again, “Batman Begins” had a similar premise involving billionaire Bruce Wayne in a bat suit and that turned out to be one of the best superhero movies in recent history. Fortunately, this movie wasn’t a disappointment either.
“Iron Man” follows the story of Tony Stark, a billionaire weapons designer for the military. Shortly after his presentation of his latest invention, The Jericho, terrorists viciously attack Stark’s military convoy. Stark awakens as a prisoner and is ordered to build The Jericho for the terrorists. However, Stark colludes with another captive to create the first Iron Man suit, which he utilizes to destroy much of the terrorist compound and escape. After that harrowing ordeal, Stark shuts down the weapons division of his company and obsessively perfects his Iron Man suit, and prepares to undo the damage that his weapons have caused on the world.
Most superhero movies place a great deal of emphasis on the special effects and action sequences to capture an audience’s attention. “Iron Man” doesn’t fail in this particular arena, but it can’t compare with many other superhero films such as “X-Men” and “Spiderman.” On the other hand, “Iron Man” makes up for its lack of action with an engaging storyline and an exceptionally well-done romantic angle. The chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Gwenyth Paltrow is believable and enjoyable to watch.
Bottom line, this movie is worth the price of an admission ticket. Despite what kind of filmgoer you might be, some part of this film will entertain you. Robert Downey Jr. proves that his acting acumen has perfected as the years have gone by, and Paltrow’s performance is definitely note-worthy. “Iron Man” may not be on the same level as “Batman Begins,” but it undoubtedly pays the perfect homage to it. I give this movie an 8/10.
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