Iron Man. . . a hero with flaws

Movie junkie here. The summer movie season was kicked off in grand style last night with the premier of "Iron Man." I saw it last night and LOVED it. Director Jon Favreau hit the perfect balance between human story and superhero hype.

His choice for the savagely amoral hero Tony Stark was perfect: Robert Downey Jr. . . who has plenty of demons of his own in real life. I didn't expect to like him in this role. Turns out, I didn't like him, I LOVED him in it!

This is the cream of the crop of "comic book movies." A nine out of ten. A real, plausible, believable, sci-fi movie merged with a super-hero keyed in to current events. If only we had a real Tony Stark who would grow into this role. Unfortunately, greedy geniuses in the real world tend to stay greedy geniuses. . . and munitions makers tend to stay munitions makers.

The story is simple: a genius playboy munitions maker is captured in Afghanistan and forced to work on making a deadly missile for a terrorist warlord bent on taking over his own country and more. But with the courageous help of another captured scientist, instead of building the missile, Tony builds himself a suit of armor and breaks out of captivity.

He is a changed man by the time he returns home. He's experienced first-hand what his weapons do and wants to quit making them and turn his company's efforts to more peaceful ends. His father's old partner won't let him. . . chaos ensues. . . soon it's Iron Man vs the monster creation he himself inspired.

Robert Downey is so very believable as the playboy-jerk who thinks only of his own interests and is removed enough from life and real relationships to view the death he deals out as little more than a game. In captivity, his life in peril, he learns hard lessons and comes to value his own life and the lives of others. His change of heart is convincing without being maudlin or sentimental. And he doesn't turn into a saint overnight; he still has flaws aplenty.

Realism in a comic book hero movie. Interesting.

It helps that Downey isn't 22. He's old enough and strong enough to make the character multi-faceted. Plus, he's a lot more buff and appealing than I expected. And the Iron Man he builds is. . . well. . . if he were real. . . he'd be major a heart-throb. I'll have to see this movie a second time just to glory in the spectacular mecha sequences and the terrific special effects.

I now have such a crush on Jon Favreau. He's adorable AND smart AND talented. He's a good actor, but he's quickly becoming my favorite Hollywood director.

Go see it. Let me know what you think.