AP

Robert Downey Jr. plays billionaire Tony Stark/Iron Man.

Iron Man is a big time summer movie surprise filled with eye-popping effects, cracker jack dialogue, and interesting characters. Robert Downey Jr. gives one of the best performances of his career as the arrogant billionaire, Tony Stark, forced to create an Iron Suit to save his life.

The hi-tech mechanical suit is meant to impress and it does, so does Gwyneth Paltrow as Mr. Starks assistant and Terrence Howard as a baffled military commander. Add Jeff Bridges as a maniacal co-worker and you have an action movie filled with smart dialogue.

Iron Man is the best film ever directed by Jon Favreau, he directed Elf and Zathura. His movie also features a wicked sense of humor and despite a few moments of mediocrity, it often soars into the stratosphere.

I'm impressed, Iron Man gets it right from beginning to end and the casting of Robert Downey Jr. is right on target. If the summer movie season is half this good, we are all in for a wild ride.

E-mail gcogill@wfaa.com