Spring has not yet fulfilled its seasonal obligations, but in Hollywood’s mind, summer has already begun. And what summer would be complete without the typical slate of new superhero flicks that surface with annoying, although somewhat gratifying regularity?

First out of the gates comes Marvel Studio’s Iron Man with Ed Norton’s The Incredible Hulk already turning green due to its June release date.

In Iron Man, the audience is introduced to Tony Stark, debonair millionaire and military weapons genius. Stark’s world is ruled by mad riches, fast cars, and fast … you get the drift. This arrogant captain of industry remains oblivious to the impact of his devastating weapons until he is captured by a band of terrorists. Forced to create missiles for the enemy, Stark has an epiphany and decides to atone for his past crimes against humanity by becoming the superhero Iron Man.

This time Marvel goes it alone sans big studio involvement from such former associates as Sony (Spider-Man) and Fox (X-Men). This is obviously a huge risk given Iron Man’s $186 million price tag and any miscalculation could make this first solo effort the last. Considering the high stakes, it came as a complete shock that Marvel’s new top dog, Kevin Feige, tabbed the relatively inexperienced John Favreau to direct this hulking project. Best know for his work on Swingers (1996) and the underrated Very Bad Things (1998), on the surface it appeared to be quite a reach to assume that he could possibly manage the reigns of a Hollywood summer blockbuster. It’s not that Favreau was completely uncomfortable in the director’s chair; he certainly honed his skills creating the epic Christmas classic Elf. Despite the skepticism that followed the Marvel’s selection, they stood by their curious choice and the results have the comic conglomerate thinking sequel.

Iron Man, charged on super computer graphics and quality performances, blasts into theatres with surprising depth and excitement. In this type of film, we often worry about the over reliance on CGI effects, but Marvel’s newest effort plays it perfectly; always giving ample time to the story and its well-crafted characters. The astounding visuals are carefully peppered throughout the film and are only incorporated to provide the required layer behind the more than competent cast.

Robert Downey Jr.’s career has certainly come full circle from driving naked down Sunset Boulevard high on heroin to assuming the titular role in Marvel’s Iron Man. The talent hasn’t been the problem with Downey, whose resumé includes a number of potent performances and an Oscar nomination for Chaplin (1992), but the vices and trappings of stardom. In Iron Man, Downey reclaims his assertion that his is still “marketable” and makes the most of his opportunity as a blockbuster leading man. He dazzles and delights as Tony Stark giving an ultra charismatic performance that spans the emotional spectrum.

One cannot help but draw parallels between the talented, yet darkly afflicted, Stark and Downey himself. The reasons behind his excellent portrayal are inconsequential, but we would be remiss not to mention Jeff Bridges’ impact on Downey and the picture as a whole. Bridges is fantastic as the exceptionally evil Obadiah Stane and commands respect as the remorseless weapons trader. Together, Downey and Bridges, provide the necessary energy to keep Iron Man’s repulsors a light and up to speed with any of Marvel’s past successes.

Despite all the admirable qualities of Iron Man, it is certainly by no means mistake-free. One minor problem arises with the oft-overrated Gwyneth Paltrow in the role of Stark’s secretary/love interest Pepper Potts. Her tepid portrayal is more of a distraction rather that a detraction, but it would be nice if she didn’t insist on mailing in every performance. A much larger issue arises after the required climatic battle between good and evil that needs to cite Peter Weller and RoboCop (1987) for inspiration. Instead of taking the time to end the picture creatively, Favreau’s Iron Man flounders a bit by choosing the easy way out by continuing his tiresome “rock-n-roll” approach to the film. However, in relation to the entire picture, this quibble can be overlooked due to the general consistency that Iron Man offers audiences. Although adopting an exceeding formulaic structure that the genre curiously requires, all things considered, Iron Man is an exhilarating and enjoyable summer time film experience.

Adam Neal is a mega movie maniac and founder of www.featurefilmreview.com. E-mail him at adam(@)featurefilmreview.com with comments about how you love Gwyneth Paltrow. Or perhaps a comment like this: “Dear Adam, I think all superhero movies suck. Your friend, Tim Jackson, Editor of New River Voice.”