"A-" Rating by Robert W. Hammerle

While I am not prepared to say that "Iron Man" is the best comic book superhero to hit the big screen, it certainly does not take a back seat to any of its predecessors. It is a certifiable adrenaline rush, and it is without question pure, delightful entertainment from beginning to end.

Robert Downey, Jr. is perfectly cast as Tony Stark, a boozing, philandering head of a munitions company blindly selling his lethal hardware to the world with little thought of the consequences. Taken hostage on a business trip to Afghanistan, he is forced to confront the carnage resulting from his company's rockets and bombs, and he dedicates himself to making amends with the world.

Even in the midst of his drug usage, Downey has always been one of the finest actors of our time. While most of you have probably seen his Oscar winning performance in "Chaplin" (1992), how many of you have seen his tour de force in "Two Girls and a Guy" (1997)?

The latter takes place almost exclusively in his apartment in downtown Manhattan where he is un-expectantly confronted by two women (Natasha Gregson Wagner and Heather Graham) with whom he had been maintaining relationships without the other's knowledge. Wrapped in his own deception with no way out, he is simply astounding as he tries to regain some dignity while being forced to confront the ugly reality of his duplicity.

In addition, do yourself a favor and revisit Downey's incredible performances in such films as "Less than Zero" (1987); "Natural Born Killers" (1994); "Home for the Holidays" (1995); "Restoration" (1995); "Wonder Boys" (2000); Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2005); and "Goodnight, and Good Luck" (2005). He is simply an extraordinarily talented human being.

Much like Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy, you love Downey's character all the more because of his endearing flaws. More importantly, Downey infuses his character with many of his off screen personal weaknesses known to nearly everyone. As a result, it's almost as if the audience is part of an inside joke, and the movie is all the better for it.

In addition, Jeff Bridges is smartly cast as Obadiah Stane, Downey's surrogate father and the acting head of his company. With a shaved head and a full beard, Bridges brings a bit of wit and whimsy to a character that becomes a central dark force of the movie.

The likeable Terrence Howard plays Colonel Jim Rhodes, a close friend of Downey's whose loyalty is needed for Downey to survive both before and after his transformation. As his loyal assistant Pepper Potts, Gwyneth Paltrow brings some depth to a character that could have become a caricature in a lesser actress's hands. In that sense, she reminded me of Amy Adams graceful turn as Tom Hanks' long suffering chief of staff in last year's "Charlie Wilson's War."

But this is first and foremost an action movie, and the special effects are, in one word, special. While not as awesome as those seen in last year's spectacular "Transformers," they certainly come in a close second.

Much like the first two "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, all three "X-Men" films, the first "Spiderman" and the most recent "Batman" movie ("Batman Returns" by Christopher Nolan), "Iron Man" wraps its cinematic bells and whistles around a dark, at times witty, drama that will entertain both kids and adults alike. One can only hope that this summer's "The Incredible Hulk," starring Edward Norton and also produced at Marvel Entertainment, will be as good.