Jon Faverau directs Robert Downey Jnr., Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow in this selfish billionaire weapons manufacturer turns armour clad flying superhero origins story.

Not quite the blast I remember. The middle act where Tony Stark finds his feet modifying his suit is still witty and energetic. Everything else feels a little perfunctory. Maybe as this was the wild experiment that would eventually be defined into the uncrackable Marvel formula you expect more from it. I just see a decent summer blockbuster, poppy but no more outstanding or spectacular than Indy 4, Hellboy II or The Incredible Hulk.

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