I wanted to check out Iron Man before seeing the sequel, but that didn't happen and I am only now getting around to it. When I saw the sequel I said it may be better than the first, but that is wrong. Iron Man is superior entertainment and takes the superhero movie in an interesting new direction. By not being self-serious and having a sense of humor while retaining all the other traditional elements of the genre, Iron Man is an excellent flick. Robert Downey Jr. is the unlikely but excellent choice as the hero. Terrence Howard was good as his sidekick, Gwyneth Paltrow equally good as his assistant, and Jeff Bridges, whom I originally did not like as the villain, I now believe is the right choice. Though the second installment is fun, it does not match up to the original.
***1/2
