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Let's face it; superhero origin stories in movies are boring. Fans just want to see the superhero in action, not how they became the superhero because the fans already know. However, that exposition is necessary in order to explain to the rest of the audience why this superhero can do the things they do and why they do them. Ostensibly that's supposed to help broaden the appeal of a given superhero so that more than just fans will come and see the movie. It's not an easy task, and there have been hits (Batman Begins) and misses (Fantastic Four) when trying to pull this off.

While not a masterpiece like Batman Begins, Iron Man at least avoids being cumbersome like Superman Returns or X-Men and isn't at all as bad as the Fantastic Four. In fact, Iron Man is the perfect movie to kick off the summer months at the box office because it is what summer movies are supposed to be: lots of flash with a little bit of substance to help us take them seriously, and plenty of fun.

I really didn't have much interest in Iron Man until I heard that Robert Downey, Jr. was attached to the project. If there is a man on the face of the planet who is the real life counterpart of Tony Stark, it is Robert Downey, Jr. As expected, he does a remarkable job with the role and truly makes it his own. He perfectly captures the glibness and the sincere heart of Tony Stark, and despite very little space to do so, makes the transition of a selfishly unaware Tony Stark to a somewhat more heroic and caring Tony Stark totally believable.

What I didn't expect was some excellent turns from the supporting cast. Jeff Bridges brings to life a wonderful villain in Iron Man, and I only wish that he had more screen time, especially toward the end of the film. There's a point where his character makes a dramatic shift rather abruptly, and I can't help but wonder what was left on the cutting room floor that would have fleshed out that transition more fully. Still, Bridges holds his own with Downey on the screen and is just as enjoyable to watch as the film's star. Gwyneth Paltrow also puts in a great performance as Tony Stark's long-suffering assistant Pepper Potts, and there's some wonderful chemistry between her and Downey that's a lot of fun on screen.

The story is briskly paced with some nice action set pieces, but as I've already said there are times when the pace seems almost too brisk. Certainly there were some dramatic moments that would have had more impact given more room to breathe, but this is a comic book movie and a summer blockbuster to boot, so it keeps things movingly quickly and smoothly. I was especially glad that Jon Favreau was able to capture the essence of Tony Stark's rougher edges without being too explicit. We clearly understand that Stark is not a man of high moral character, has a way with women and a problem with alcohol, but these elements are handled in a fairly tame fashion. Still, parents should be aware that sex and booze are apart of Tony Stark's persona and they do find their way into the film. While not explicit, it ain't Disney either.

The toughest part with an Iron Man story is to explain why someone like Tony Stark would start sticking up for the little guy. Downey does a great job of helping us believe that his time in captivity, witnessing the death that his own weapons cause, could be the catalyst for that change. When someone who helps him tells him not to waste his life, we see the spark of purpose and meaning in Tony's eyes.

It's also observed that Stark is a man who has everything—wealth, women, fame, brilliance and more—and yet has nothing for he has no one he really cares about. There are so many people in this world who are in a similar position: they either are afraid that their life is a waste or they seem to have everything but really have nothing and deep down they know it.

Tony Stark solved those problems by becoming Iron Man, but that's a temporary solution at best. I'm happy to say the Bible provides permanent solutions for both problems. If you're the person who has everything and yet feels like you have nothing, what you may be feeling is the longing for the eternal. You see, eternity was put in all of our hearts, but it's left up to us to decide whether or not we'll embrace it. Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead to make the way clear for us to enjoy eternal life, but we must choose to accept that gift. When we do, that longing, that missing piece, that one thing we're lacking will finally be filled and then you can truly be a person who has everything.

As for not wanting to waste your life, there's certainly value for Tony Stark in the fact that he chooses to start saving lives instead of destroying them; but you can go one step further. You were made with a purpose, and you were equipped to fulfill that purpose. What is it? Well first, it's to know God and be known by him. God loves you, he loves you so much his only son died for your sins to make the way for you to have a realtionship with a holy God. After you come to know God, then you can start fulfilling your purpose, which in a way is similar to Iron Man's: saving people. The difference is that you can help save people for all eternity, not just for the moment. You can help people discover freedom from sin and life eternal; truly such a life is not a life that's wasted.

Iron Man isn't without it's flaws, but it moves at such a brisk pace that you're unlikely to really notice them until after the movie is over. Still, those flaws are minor and overall it's just simple fun. Plus, it has probably one of the best endings for a comic-book superhero movie that I can remember. While just about every superhero movie must position itself for the inevitable sequels (all dependent on the boxoffice), Iron Man executes this maneuver with a flawless, fresh approach that really ends the adventure on a high note.

Granted, if you've seen the trailers for Iron Man, you've already seen most of the highlights, but interestingly enough that doesn't ruin the movie. I still enjoyed watching Iron Man despite the fact I already knew just about everything that was going to happen. That credit goes to the talent of the actors and the director.

Yes, summer is here, and Iron Man is its herald. This is exactly what you expect from a summer blockbuster, and a bit more than you might expect from a comic book movie. While there are plenty of missed opportunities for deeper development and more fleshed out dramatic moments, it achieves exactly what it needs to: it sets up the Iron Man franchise for a bright future, and one can't help but leave the theater looking forward to the next one now that we've got all of this origin business out of the way. Here's hoping the video game turns out to be just as enjoyable.