As far as the new wave of comic book adaptations go, this is admittedly one of the better ones. But for crying out loud...really? Did we need this movie? Again, I'll admit that Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark is perfectly cast, Jeff Bridges pulls in a fine performance as Obadiah Stane and most surprisingly, Jon Favreau manages to make this otherwise-by-the-numbers film palatable (you've got your very noticible "acts" and your very literal "arch villain"). OK, OK, OK, it is a very entertaining film. But it's a very dim beacon in a sea of recent superhero/comic adaptation movies...and I mean a SEA (in the last 10 years, what do we have? Sin City, 300, Daredevil, Elektra, Ghostrider, Constantine, Monkeybone, Cat Woman, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell, Ghost World, Mystery Men, Art School Confidential, Man-Thing, The Punisher, Bulletproof Monk, A History Of Violence, Road To Perdition, Josie And The Pussycats, ANOTHER Superman, ANOTHER Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, TWO Incredible Hulks, TWO Batmans, TWO Fantastic Fours, V For Vendetta, TWO Hellboys, THREE Spider-mans, THREE X-Mens, FOUR Blades...I'm sure I'm missing some and you and I both know there are plenty more to come). Again, I ask: Did we need this film? Or better yet...did we need some of those other films? It's impact is softened thanks to the plethora of pap it has to contend with. Am I being overly harsh? Perhaps. Aren't most films "adaptations" of novels or biographies or short stories or other such previously released reading material? Yes. I suppose I'll let you be the judge of that...but if you're looking for an entertaining film about a comic book hero's origins expertly-but-typically made, look no further.