Robert Downey Jr.'s high energy performance as a weapons manufacturer who develops a conscience really made this movie enjoyable. There's also lots of clever, funny dialog and a fantastic supporting cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard.

The most entertaining part of the film for me is the beginning before Downey as Tony Stark sees the light of justice and transforms into Iron Man.

When a reporter tells him he's been called the "Da Vinci of our time," he says, "That's absolutely ridiculous. I don't paint."

"What do you say to your other nickname?" the reporter continues. "the Merchant of Death?"

"That's not bad," Stark replies.

Stark is a spoiled playboy genius whose company manufactures high tech weapons of destruction until he's captured by the bad guys and sees that the weapons he sells are being used to kill innocent people.

Once he escapes, Tony dedicates himself to peace. He returns to his company and his long suffering personal assistant, Pepper Potts, played by Gwyneth Paltrow.

"You're eyes are red," Tony says to Pepper. "Are those tears for your long lost boss?"

"Tears of joy," she answers. "I hate job hunting."

"Vacation's over," Tony says.

Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane seems to relish the chance to play a very bad man for once in his career. He runs Tony's company and doesn't want to stop building weapons.

"We're iron mongers," Stane insists. "We make weapons. What we do keeps the world from falling into chaos."
"Not based on what I saw," Tony tells him.

Of course, there's some fun watching Tony learn to control his Iron Man suit and then his supersonic flights of fancy once he's acquired the necessary skills. But you expect all superhero movies to do that stuff well.

"Iron Man" is pretty silly when you get down to it, but it's so much fun you probably won't mind.

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