Quick note before I start this review: Be sure to stay through the end credits! Many of you may already be planning to sit through them, but everyone else needs to understand this when they enter the theater. There is a very special surprise for everyone at the end!

“Captain America: The First Avenger” succeeds where “The Green Lantern” utterly failed; it gives us a superhero (one from the Marvel Comics universe) that is distinct from all those of his ilk, and its character is one we quickly come to care about and root for. Steve Rogers isn’t just some cocky kid from Brooklyn with an overinflated ego to match. He’s a sickly young man who desperately wants to fight for his country, but who has been rejected from serving in the military countless times. But what he lacks in health he makes up for in spirit. Steve wants to fight for his country not because Uncle Sam wants him to, but because (and he said it himself) he never backs down from a fight.

I also liked how the movie didn’t shy from its American roots the way “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” did. While it shied away from saying the slogan “a real American hero” out loud, “Captain America: The First Avenger” doesn’t do that. At the same time, it doesn’t just beat you over the head with blind American patriotism that would make Roger Ailes at the Fox News Channel proud. It has its share of American pride, but it’s really about the spirit of this unlikely soldier which keeps him sane after he is transformed into a super soldier. The outside may be different, but the inside of the man remains the same (almost sounds like “Robocop”).

Playing Steve Rogers/Captain America is Chris Evans who you may remember him from those dopey “Fantastic Four” movies. As for myself, I remember him best for doing a grind down an icy railing which led to his ultimate doom in “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.” Chris is perfectly cast and does great work in keeping his character from becoming just another clichéd war hero. His heart shines throughout the entire movie, and he never allows Rogers to become laughable or indulge in behavior that’s easily cringe inducing.

Once Steve is turned into the super soldier that is Captain America, you root for him to go into battle and defeat the Nazis. But seeing him become a pawn for the United States’ Government in hawking War Bonds is depressing even when his irrepressible spirit and love for country shines through. We understand his desire to prove himself, and out spirits rise along with his.

Of course with every superhero movie we get a vicious villain. In this case, that would be Johann Schmidt, Adolf Hitler’s right hand man who is later revealed to be Red Skull. This particular Skull has his own plans for world domination through his own organization of HYDRA, and he gets his followers to raise both hands instead of just the one for Hitler. With a stolen tesseract, HYDRA can eliminate their foes faster than those phasers that vaporized the red shirts on “Star Trek.”

Hugo Weaving portrays Johann Schmidt/Red Skull and gives “Captain America” the formidable villain it needs. Still, after being in all “The Matrix” and the “Lord of the Rings” movies, I kept waiting for him to say:

“Welcome to Rivendell Mr. Anderson!”

“Captain America: The First Avenger” also has the other requisite characters like the Army drill sergeant and the beautiful woman who dares the most macho men to treat her as a woman instead of the soldier she is. It’s not hard to guess who gets their ass kicked here. But director Joe Johnston succeeds in getting the best actors available to inhabit these roles and give them life beyond the mere clichés they could have been.

Tommy Lee Jones is highly entertaining as Col. Chester Phillips, a character we’ve seen in plenty of movies; a gruff, no nonsense military leader who expects nothing but the best from his soldiers. Jones however gives Phillips a wry sense of humor which much like the one Sam Gerard had in “The Fugitive.” Watching him being subtly dismissive of others and later coming around to see Steve Rogers is the man is a hoot, and he never ends up screaming all over the place like R. Lee Emery in “Full Metal Jacket.”

Then there’s Hayley Atwell who plays Peggy Carter, the female officer who of course becomes Steve Rogers’/Captain America’s love interest. But I really liked how her character was drawn out to where she doesn’t just exist for the sake of Chris Evans’ character. Hayley sells us completely on her tough demeanor which is no act, and she travels across the screen with an assured confidence that is not easily faked.

Joe Johnston got the job of directing “Captain America: The First Avenger” based on period movies he made like “The Rocketeer” and “October Sky.” There’s a lot of attention placed on the detail here (the story takes place 1942 to be exact), but it isn’t held prisoner by it. Heck, many of the tools HYDRA ends up using seem far removed from the 40’s, and they look like they came out of a sci-fi movie that has yet to be made for another 20 or 30 years. While he hasn’t made a great movie with this, he still has given us an undeniably entertaining one. It didn’t even need another terrific film score by Alan Silvestri to prove that!

In terms of the 2011 summer movie season, “Captain America: The First Avenger” isn’t better than “Thor” which for me had far more interesting characters, but it easily outdoes “The Green Lantern” which is one of this year’s biggest disappointments. Thanks to Chris Evans’ performance, Captain America finally gets the cinematic respect long since denied to him. It all serves as an entertaining prelude to next summer’s eagerly awaited “The Avengers.”

* * * out of * * * *

Another Marvel Comics hero finally breaks his way out of the Hollywood prison known as development hell! Getting us increasingly more pumped up for the long promised “Avengers” movie, “Thor” makes its presence known with thunderous abandon. Now like many comic books, “Thor” is yet another I haven’t read, so I can’t say how true it is to its origins. However, judging from the great Kenneth Branagh’s handling of the material, I imagine it’s very respectful and true to its source.

Heeding closely to classic Norse mythology, Thor is the god of thunder and heir to the throne of Asgard. But on the day of his ascension, the Frost Giants end up invading the planet’s deeper regions to retrieve the Casket of Ancient Winters, their source of power. They are easily defeated, but their violation of the truce put together between them and Asgard seriously pisses off Thor. Against his father’s wishes, he and his fellow warriors journey to the Frost Giants home planet of Jotunheim to keep some frosty ass. Odin however intervenes, and infuriated with his son’s arrogance, strips him of his powers and banishes him to Earth. For a warrior such as him, this does feels like a nasty insult.

First off, I got to say that I really liked the way Branagh handled this material. In the wrong way, this could have easily become high camp which would have been highly enjoyable for all the wrong reasons. But he takes all the characters and places they inhabit seriously, and infuses all of them with a strong humanity that defines them more than their place in the universe. Even the villains are remarkably complex as their corruption results not so much from a need for power but for a father’s love and approval. Of course, with Branagh directing, you can count on many Shakespearean references throughout (Iago from “Othello” and “King Lear” come to mind), and they are a perfect fit for this story.

I was also very impressed with how well Branagh handled the visual elements of “Thor.” The last time he made a movie heavy with special effects was “Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein,” but he seemed a bit out of his league there. Perhaps we should not be impressed as this movie of course has a budget that’s at least $100 million (not counting advertisement costs), but they key thing here is that effects succeed in being an extension of the characters instead of just dwarfing them completely. Then again, that giant creature the Frost Giants unleash on Thor immediately had Liam Neeson screaming in my head:

“RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!”

As Thor, Chris Hemsworth (who played Captain Kirk’s father in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek”) owns the role right from the moment he walks onscreen. He clearly revels in portraying the great power he possesses, and he is a gentleman when the situation calls for it. Seeing him as a fish out of water on Earth also makes for some splendid moments which are slyly comic. I’m also glad that Thor is not just another character who doesn’t want to be “the one,” conflicted about the things he is destined to do. With Chris, you know from the get go that he is fully aware he’s “the one” and owns that knowledge to where you feel his impatient eagerness to prove it to the universe. Instead of Anakin Skywalker as a whiny teenager, Chris gives us a powerful warrior worth cheering for and who learns from his mistakes.

As scientist Jane Foster, Natalie Portman’s casting in the role seems like such a no brainer. We know from her off screen life that she is a remarkably intelligent human being, so she doesn’t have to prove to us that she can be believable as a scientist. She sparks instant chemistry with Hemsworth (damn those six pack abs!!!), and that shy smile of hers kills me every single time. Right now, she appears to be overexposed since her deserved Oscar win for “’Black Swan,” but I’m not complaining about that in the slightest.

Then there’s the great Sir Anthony Hopkins whose portrayal of Asgard’s king and father to Thor, Odin, is in a word gallant. This is especially the case with the opening narration which he recites with such depth that it makes all other actors who’ve done it before him sound like they were sleepwalking their way through it. While many may think that this is one of those roles that Hopkins could do for an easy paycheck, it’s really one of the best performances he’s given in awhile and is a step up from such dreck like “The Rite.”

Tom Hiddleston plays Loki, Thor’s brother and the movie’s other main villain. What I liked about Tom is that he does so much more than give us a one-dimensional character. Much like Joaquin Phoenix’s character from “Gladiator,” Loki feels slighted by his father as he prefers another man over him, and he becomes eager to prove himself in the worst way possible. Hiddleston makes Loki into a character that is more spiteful than hateful, and this makes his eventual fate seem all the more tragic in retrospect.

There are other strong performances throughout this blockbuster affair to enjoy as well. Rene Russo, where have you been? Idris Elba makes a memorable Heimdall, and it never seems like a small part with him playing it. Kat Dennings steals a few scenes as Darcy Lewis, Jane’s co-worker whose science is more political than astronomical. And Stellan Skarsgård remains a dependable actor as always playing scientist Erik Selvig, a character who may play a more important role in the future.

Having said all that, “Thor” felt like it could have been more exciting than it was. It doesn’t quite have the same invigorating sweep as some of Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptations like “Hamlet” or “Henry V,” and it does feel like it takes longer to get to the action than it should. It’s not quite as entertaining as “Iron Man,” but I would rank it above “The Incredible Hulk.”

Still, there is much to like about “Thor,” and Branagh has done the best job anyone could have to bring this comic book hero to the big screen in such respectful fashion. It also benefits from excellent casting, especially Chris Hemsworth who looks like he came out of the womb a warrior with a heavy hammer in his hand. This is one of the few times where “getting hammered” will sound more like a threat than an embarrassing state of drunkenness.

Word of advice, be sure to stay through the end credits. I’m sure many of you already planning to do that knowing how the “Iron Man”’ movies and “The Incredible Hulk” ended, but I do feel the need to remind you. Also, don’t’ bother seeing this in 3D. Once again, the image is frustratingly dark and there’s no real need for an extra dimension. Save yourself some money and see it in 2D instead.

2D version: * * * out of * * * *

3D version: * * out of * * * *

I was racing to the movie theater, one of the smaller ones in the Los Angeles area, trying to get there before the movie started. My friends were all there waiting on my slow ass, and as usual, I had left my apartment at the last possible minute. Cursing myself and the slow ass drivers placed in my path, I hurried while risking the possibility that I just might get pulled over. With the economy now being located in the center of the earth while we slowly dig to it, the police are handed out tickets more than ever. Heaven forbid I make some sort of unnecessary donation to them and miss a film with friends. Anyway, with an enormous stroke of luck, I managed to make it to the theater just as the trailers were about to start. I was thankful to find my friends from work who managed to save a seat for me, and I was even more thankful to miss out on all those stupid commercials that AMC Theaters feel the need to inflict on us. It is an addictive thrill to get to where you are going in just the nick of time, and a hard one to get over (it would certainly be a good idea to though). Thank god for Japanese machinery, especially with it having almost 200,000 miles on it!

I bring this up because my maddening drive to get to the theater on time turned out to be more exciting than the movie I ended up seeing: “X-Men Origins – Wolverine.” It is the fourth movie in the “X-Men” movie franchise, and the first big movie of the summer 2009 season. It is also summer 2009’s first big disappointment. That seems to have been the case for the past couple of years that the first summer movie ends up not living up to expectations.

“Wolverine” takes place about 10 to 15 years before the first “X-Men” movie, and we get to see the pivotal character of Wolverine as a young boy who ends up committing a violent act that he can never take back, and ends up running off with his half-brother Victor Creed (later to be known as Sabertooth). From there, we get a spectacular opening sequence in which we see both of them fight in just about every large war they could have lived through. From the American Civil War to the Vietnam War, we see them fighting with the other side, taking their hits, and still come out of it all relatively unscathed. Of course, when Wolverine and Sabertooth end up being played by Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber, they stop aging for good. Very convenient for the box office, wouldn’t you say?

With this being a prequel, a lot of the suspense of the movie is sucked out right there because we all know that Wolverine is going to survive this, and go on to more adventures. Granted, some prequels can be exciting and leave you hanging on the edge of your seat (“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” is a perfect example of that), but it takes a really good script and precise direction to really suck you into the present tense of the movie you are seeing. The more you as an audience member are sucked into the moment, the more you forget about what you saw before. But since this franchise has been around since the early part of this decade, we have come to know these characters all too well. Since we know what will happen to them eventually, we spend more time trying to connect the dots between this and the other movies. It makes this origin movie all the less exciting as a result.

Seriously, this is really “X-Men” meets “The Punisher,” and by that I mean the Thomas Jane version. I haven’t seen the one with Dolph Lungren, but I doubt I missed that much. We see Wolverine working as a lumberjack after having left special ops six years ago, and he lives with his girlfriend Kayla Silverfox (the lovely Lynn Collins) in a secluded cabin up in the hills of Canada, but the past (of course) catches up with him like we expected it to. Logan (Wolverine’s real name) is approached by William Stryker (Danny Huston playing the same character Brian Cox played in “X-Men 2”) to get back into action because his half brother Victor is on the loose. Logan says no, and this had me rolling my eyes because we all know that Kayla is going to get murdered by Sabertooth, and that Wolverine will go for his revenge. In doing so, he will be forced to alter his body to where he will be the indestructible animal we came to know him as years ago.

One of the movie’s real stumbling blocks is that both Wolverine and Sabertooth are presented as indestructible. No matter how many bullets are shot at them or how many times they get stabbed, we know that they will just get back up and heal themselves in a matter of seconds. This knowledge affects the movie’s big action moments because regardless of whether or not they get the bad guys, we know that they will come out of this unscathed. We also know that Sabertooth is not going to get his due justice at the end of this one. It gets to where you expect either of these characters to start singing “Shoot Me Again” by Metallica from their “St. Anger” album. You know how that one goes right?

“Shoot me again, I ain’t dead yet!”

In terms of performances, Hugh Jackman still delivers the goods as Logan/Wolverine. If you think his recent successful stint as host of the Oscars might have softened his take on this character, you needn’t worry. Even with a script that deals with elements we have seen in other movies like this, he gives this comic book hero a real heart and soul just as he did in the other movies. Starting off an X-Men prequel series with this character was a smart move, but it’s a shame that the filmmakers did not give him a more original story.

Liev Schreiber also does good work here as Victor Creed/Sabertooth. While the script could have given the character a little more dimension, Schreiber makes the character an effectively dangerous rival with a never ending blood lust, and he keeps our interest along with Jackman throughout the movie’s 2-hour running time. It also makes me forget for short time of the fact that he has Naomi Watts (“Funny Games”) and I don’t. I guess that’s something I need to take peace with, darn it.

Other actors in the film don’t fare quite as well. Danny Huston’s portrayal of William Stryker lacks the complex nature that Brian Cox brought to the role previously. The fact that Stryker’s son is a mutant is brought into this film as an afterthought, and leads to one of the character’s more ludicrous actions. Stryker’s fate at the end of the film doesn’t make as much sense either because it makes you wonder how he could have maintained such a strong level of military command by the time he appears in “X-Men 2.”

Ryan Reynolds plays Wade Wilson/Deadpool, and it is kind of the same character that he played in the dreadful “Blade: Trinity.” While I did get a kick out of Reynolds’ sardonic wit and lightning speed with swords, his appearance in “Wolverine” kind of feels like a wasted opportunity. Ryan disappears from the movie too quickly, we don’t see him again until much later, and we are left with mutants who are nowhere as interesting as the ones we met in the previous “X-Men” movies. Characters like Agent Zero (played by Daniel Henney) are so one-note that they cease to be interesting almost immediately.

In fact, that’s my biggest beef with “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” it has an utter lack of character work here. What was great about the three previous films is that it gave us characters to care about as soon as they came onscreen. Bryan Singer, who directed the first two in this series, really took the time to make us feel what these characters were going as they were immediately branded as outcasts for being mutants. We sympathized with their struggles as they worked with Professor Charles Xavier to co-exist peacefully with humans. This made the action sequences in those films all the more exciting; we worried about these characters getting hurt. It was like we got hurt along with the characters. Brett Ratner’s “X-Men: The Last Stand” managed to continue that tradition regardless of what many may have thought of it. Truth be told, it wasn’t that bad.

But with this newest “X-Men” movie, these characters cease to be as interesting as they once were. They exist here as a means to an end, to guide Wolverine to the point where we first met him. We get introduced to some cool characters like Gambit, but it feels like he is being given only a test run to see if he will be popular enough to be included in future installments. More attention is paid here to the spectacle than anything else, and it shows. There are some great shots to be found in this movie for sure, but without stronger characters, they just come across as empty. There is no visceral feel to them, and not much risk is on display. Some of the moments look cool, but that’s pretty much it.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” was directed by Gavin Hood, and he previously directed the Oscar winning “Tsotsi” as well as “Rendition” which starred Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal. I’m not sure how much of the blame he should take for this one. Word is that the production was troubled (most are), and that executive producer Richard Donner took over directing duties for a few scene, and that the script was being rewritten constantly (no surprise there). I guess by bringing in an indie director like they did with Bryan Singer for the first one, the producers were probably hoping to bring a fresh and new perspective to the long running franchise. But Hood’s direction is not exemplary here in the way Singer’s does, and he makes this movie something more than an average action movie. There is nothing really special that he does that could have made this particular comic book movie more unique. Seems like there will be more of these movies that pale in comparison to last year’s “The Dark Knight.”

Indeed, there are many twists towards the end of the movie which serve to define the character of Wolverine. But the more that came, the less I started to believe them. There are gaps in logic that I am willing to accept in movies like this, but once I started thinking about them while watching what unfolds onscreen, then I am going to have some serious issues. Some plot twists would have required years of preparation for the characters, and I can’t see any of them thinking that far into the future. Much more attention should have been paid to the script, and the characters should have been given priority. They also should have given this film a much different story than an average one of a man scorned by the lost of love and the need for vengeance. We have seen one movie too many like this recently. Maybe we have had one conflicted hero too many now. Perhaps it’s time to bring back Bryan Singer to this franchise, or maybe he can direct another Superman movie.

It’s hard to dissuade you X-Men fans from seeing this movie, so I’m not going to try. Granted, I’ll be interested in hearing what you all think of this movie. Regardless of what I may think of it, I think you may enjoy it more than I do. Hugh Jackman is great as always, but his performance is not enough to make this movie work just as entertainment. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” should serve as a warning for future origin movies in how they should and should not be filmed. Seeing Wolverine before he goes on his Jason Bourne-like mission takes many of the mysteries behind Wolverine away and makes him far less intriguing. Sometimes it is better to not know so much.

Hopefully, J.J. Abrams will have more luck with his origin movie of “Star Trek.”

** out of ****

DIRECTED BY
Jon Favreau

STARRING
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tony Stark/Iron Man
Terrence Howard - Jim Rhodes
Gwyneth Paltrow - Pepper Potts
Jeff Bridges - Obadiah Stane/Iron Monger
Leslie Bibb - Christine Everhart
Paul Bettany - Jarvis (voice)
Shaun Toub - Yinsen

Year - 2008

Score - 4 Howls Outta 4


Let me make something perfectly clear: I'm a huge Marvel comics geek. It's been almost 10 years since I bought a comic, but I still catch up on my favorite characters through graphic novels every time I go to a Barnes and Nobles and take the time to read it through. One of my favorite heroes has always been Shell-Head himself, The Invincible Iron Man. Not only is the armor suit cool and can do really awesome things, but the man underneath that suit [Tony Stark] is very human with his faults and addictions. Though sometimes you would shake your head at the choices Iron Man tended to make, you never stopped rooting for him, hoping he'd find the way to make things right for himself and the world around him.

So upon hearing that an IRON MAN film was being made, I was kind of apprehensive. Can you blame me? Ever since SPIDER-MAN 2, Marvel films have been going down the hill. Remember ELEKTRA? GHOST RIDER? Those silly FANTASTIC FOUR films? What about the disappointing X-MEN: THE LAST STAND and SPIDER-MAN 3? Yeah, it hasn't been a great few years for Marvel comic fans. But hearing that Jon Favreau, a devoted comic book fan, was directing and bringing along Robert Downey, Jr. to play Tony Stark sold me on the get-go. And watching those trailers got me pumped up more, hoping those weren't the best scenes in the film. And to my relief, they aren't and the film is probably the first one to start off the summer movie blockbuster scene right. Make Mine Marvel!

PLOT
Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), alcoholic and ladies man, is a billionaire from making weapons for other industries and countries. He goes to Afghanistan to showcase his newest weapon that happens to be some massive missile deployment system that he deems Jericho. His travel is cut off by an attack on his convoy, which happens to cause him to be injured by one of his own missiles. He's taken prisoner by an organization called the Ten Rings, who want him to build their own Jericho along with another prisoner named Yinsen (Shaun Toub). Almost fatally wounded and now having to live with a pacemaker for his heart that Yinsen constructed, Stark reflects on his last hours before the trip. We see where his priorities had lied, as he would rather have sex with women and drink than maintain friendly contact with his best friend Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard), his mentor and business partner Obidiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), and long-time assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow).

This flashback gives him the motivation to do something right for a change. Instead of making Jericho II, Stark and Yinsen get parts together to create a metal suit. Stark manages to escape captivity and return home, where he sees the error of his ways and decides that his true purpose in life is to protect those he cares about. While trying to redeem himself in the eyes of his friends and the public, Stark decides to improve on the suit to destroy the weapons he's made that have fallen in the wrong hands. However, Stane is totally against that, stealing the original Iron Man prototype to create a Iron Monger of his own...

REVIEW
Summer 2008 at the movies has officially started and IRON MAN was the perfect choice to start the season. This film was so heavily buzzed that I was feeling that I was gonna be disappointed at how Tony Stark and company would be translated onto the big screen. I've never been so glad to be wrong. IRON MAN is an awesome AWESOME film with a terrific cast, excellent direction and CGI, and a fantastic story that will not only please comic book fans, but bring in new fans who have never took an interest in Iron Man before.

What makes IRON MAN work so damn well is how the story is presented. Most superhero films try to force the whole "I got superpowers so now I have to fight crime and be this good guy for society [even though I'm an asshole] while making sure evil people don't succeed in their manical schemes". IRON MAN doesn't work that way. Tony Stark is believably transformed from a man who revels in screwing as many women as he can and drinking as much alcohol as possible to a man who really believes in his heart that what he does is the right thing, no matter the consequences. This level of touch and class that allows our hero to become more responsble for his actions and attempt to make up for his past sins while still being an alcoholic and a prick is extremely realistic. He doesn't change personalities at the snap of a finger and become Dudley Do Right. He's always flawed, and that's not a superhero story. That's a human story of a man who wants to be good but is never really sure what that "good" is. Whether he gets there is up to him, but it's great watching him.

I also appreciated the humor in the story, especially by Downey's Stark. As with most comic book films, humor is planted inside the script for fans who know inside jokes and for the children and teenagers need to be entertained when things aren't blowing up. Sometimes this works, like in SPIDER-MAN. But recently, in films like GHOST RIDER and the FANTASTIC FOUR films, the humor has done more harm than good by not adding much to the plot. While the film has large amounts of humor, due to Downey's improvized ad-libs, it never feels forced or cheesy. It's totally natural and we can buy this billionaire to be such a smartass. I thought it gave the character a ton of personality, which makes me care alot about him and increases my want for him to succeed in his goal.

The CGI was also incredible, to the point where sometimes I would question whether certain effects were natural or not. The suit was made to perfection, as the right kind of light and shadow dawned on it and the way it moved was fantastic. The Iron Monger also looked great for the same reasons. The explosions and the array of weapons from the Iron Man suit were right on. I have no complaints about the CGI. That's a first because I usually have something to complain about these comic book films. But this one pleased me like no other.

I personally hope Jon Favreau directs every other Marvel Studios film from now on. Better known as an actor, Favreau took what he did right with ELF years ago and exceeded everybody's expectations. For a two hour film, the origin story never feels rushed or forced. The pacing is very strong and full of energy from beginning to end. The action was well shot and focused [loved that last scene, though it could have been a bit longer but I'm okay with that]. The film is also very balanced and is visually stunning in its telling. Favreau did a phenomenal job bringing this baby to the big screen. Perfectly directed in my opinion, and since he's doing the sequels, it should only get better.

The acting was great here. Robert Downey, Jr. was born to play Tony Stark. They're pretty much one and the same. He looks like the character. He shares the same demons with the character. He brought humor to the character that was refreshing and real. Even in the suit, Downey gave Iron Man a lot of personality. The man has been through hell and back due to his addictions, but with every fall, he's always stood back up bigger and better each time. He's a fantastic actor and I'm glad he's finally gotten the recognition that he deserves because of this film. The best superhero in a long time, in my opinion. He owns Iron Man from the start and I can't wait to see what else he'll bring to the table in the sequels and spinoff.

The other actors did well with what they were given. Jeff Bridges was delightfully evil as Obidiah Stane a.k.a. the original Iron Monger. With a bald head and that evil goatee, he definitely looked villainous. He could have been more fleshed out, but it didn't really bother me or take away from the film. You knew the moment you saw him that he was bad news and that's enough for me. Terrence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow were very good as Jim Rhodes and Pepper Potts respectively. I'm sure Howard will get a juicier role in the sequels when the War Machine arc pops up. And Paltrow, who I never found hot in my life, changed my mind as she looked F-I-N-E wearing a red wig and walking in those tight business suits and high heels. Plus she was a feisty little thing and I like that in my women. Growl.

There are also cameos by Favreau himself as Happy Hogan, Stark's driver. We also get another one after the end credits by Samuel L. Jackson. If you went home during the end credits, you really didn't miss much. Just something about the Avenger Initiative and...well, I'll S.H.I.E.L.D. you from the rest. Nothing to see here. Just move along and assemble.

THINGS I'VE LEARNED WHILE WATCHING IRON MAN

- Nothing to write here. I was too busy getting my geek on to be thinking of a list to write here. But I will say this: Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" is still a kick ass song after all these years. Ozzy is one rich bastard.

THE FINAL HOWL
IRON MAN is the best film I've seen all year. And it's definitely the best Marvel Comics film since SPIDER-MAN 2 in 2004. It exceeded my expectations and can not wait for the sequel in 2010 and the proposed THE AVENGERS flick that's being worked out with Downey protraying Iron Man in that film as well. Favreau is also attached to that project as well, giving me a lot of hope for Marvel Studios. Rank IRON MAN as one of the greatest comic book films ever made. Who knew? The summer has started with a bang and if you're not one of the $200 million worldwide who hasn't seen this film yet, please do so. Now.