‘IRON MAN’
By David Dickstein
The movie-going world needs another superhero flick like it needs another un-silenced cell phone or crying baby. But as sure as a tub of movie popcorn and a gallon of gas have no business costing four bucks, we’ll never be rid of annoying ringtones and babysitter-challenged parents. And if this summer’s slate of films is any indication, theaters will remain a haven for characters with superhuman powers.

About to save the world one baddie at a time are a reincarnated Incredible Hulk, a debuting Hancock, and a Joker-dealt Batman. Among the less-immortal set waiting in the wings are a virile Indiana Jones, a revved- up Speed Racer and a valiant Prince Caspian of Narnia.

Their do-gooding purpose in life is always the same, despite their different styles. Breaking the mold of crime-fighters with comic-book origins is “Iron Man,” the earliest of all the bravery-busting entries this season at the cinema. Iron Man isn’t some young dweeb whose extraordinary abilities stem from some freak accident. Instead, he’s a middle-aged genius who gets his might from a weapons suit he invented.

The motion picture debut of this Marvel Comics character is tremendously entertaining, and all of us Shadow Boomers should adore the fact that Iron Man and the guy playing him – the brilliantly cast Robert Downey Jr. – were born in our era, no disrespect to batty Christian Bale, super Brandon Routh, webmaster Tobey Maguire and soon-to-be hulkish Ed Norton.

“Iron Man” spends the entire two hours showing how Tony Stark, wealthy industrialist and playboy, becomes the metal-clad macho man created by comic-book god Stan Lee.

Our fun begins when Tony’s stops. On a business trip in Afghanistan, the snarky motor-mouth inventor of the U.S. Army’s most sophisticated weapons is kidnapped by insurgents who, among other nasty things, throw him in a cave, where he is ordered to create the mother of all weapons – or else. Tony’s smarts and his captors’ lack of them enable the American to develop a high-tech suit of armor and make one hell of an escape.

Tony returns to his Malibu home a changed man. He wants out of the weapons business, which hurts Stark Industries’ stock and his relationship with Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), his business partner since before Tony inherited the company from his late father. Tony’s new attitude includes setting his sights on just one woman, his loyal assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow fits the bill nicely). Tony’s plans include inventing garb befitting a guy named Iron Man.

Although the story plays out predictably and the ultimate battle between good-weapons suit wearers versus bad-weapons suit wearers is a letdown, director Jon Favreau (“Zathura,” “Elf”) turns in a smart, cool, action-packed winner that sets the bar high for this summer’s surge of cinematic superheroes.

3 1/2 of 4 Stars, rated PG-13, 126 minutes, ironmanmovie.com