Osbrink Talent Agency

Iron Man kicks off summer action movies

The summer movie season arrives with a clang as “Iron Man,” a second-tier superhero from the Mighty Marvel Comics universe, receives a first-rate film adaptation courtesy of director Jon Favreau (“Elf,” “Zathura”) and his perfectly-cast leading man, Robert Downey, Jr.

A standard origin story, “Iron Man” stays faithful to its comic-book roots while making necessary upgrades that enhance the characters’ rich history. Favreau and his screenwriters follow shortcuts instituted by the superior “Batman Begins” and the inferior “Spider-Man.” The first half establishes our hero outside of his costume. The second half ramps up the action as it confronts a central villain and lays groundwork for potential sequels.

Iron Man's true identity is Tony Stark (Downey), the genius son of a renowned weapons manufacturer whose family business, Stark Industries, provides cutting-edge technologies for our military's defense systems. In the comics, Stark was wounded while attending an armed-forces demonstration in Vietnam. Favreau comments on our current political landscape by shifting his action to Afghanistan, but he keeps the outcome the same. When Stark's convoy is attacked, he catches a near-fatal chunk of shrapnel with his chest. While detained by terrorists, the inventor builds an armor-plated suit that simultaneously keeps the metal away from his heart as it assists in his escape.

Casting makes or breaks a superhero movie — Christopher Reeve embodied Superman's hopeful ideals, but Ben Affleck made for a dull Daredevil. “Iron Man” gets off on the right foot because Downey is Stark. The actor comes equipped with a billionaire's unchecked self-confidence. And while Downey hedges when conveying the role's heroics, that uncertainty actually reflects Stark's own hesitancy embracing his newfound calling.

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Craig Cove