Worth the hype, Iron Man (rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, as well as a brief sexual situation and language) is an imposing addition to Marvel’s big-screen superheroes. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) is a playboy and the grown-up whizkid head of Stark Industries, a weapons manufacturing company started by his father.

After an ambush in the Afghani desert, he’s holed up in a cave for three months, ostensibly building a missile for his captor. Upon his escape, having discovered that the weapons he’s built to defend his country are being placed directly in the hands of the bad guys, he vows to reform his company and starts tinkering in the basement. Meanwhile, his business partner Obadiah Stone (Jeff Bridges) is out trying to save the company . . . or is he?

Iron Man is certainly backed by some political undertones. The original comic book placed Stark’s saga against the Vietnam War, but it’s been easily updated for today; these familiar terrorists hide out in caves and prey on innocent villagers. Stark Industries’ logo bears a striking resemblance to that of Lockheed Martin. Tony’s change of heart doesn’t equal simple pacifism, but rather a desire to come up with something to save the innocent while punishing the bad guys.

Director John Favreau has pulled together a tour de force film, equal parts adventure and drama, in which stuff blows up with impressively satisfying force. Robert Downey, Jr. is, simply put, brilliant - rather than succumb to the melodrama that often pops up in this genre, Downey mumbles his way around screen, rarely taking his wealth or braininess too seriously, but is downright frightening when he is doing what he feels is right. He doesn’t have any particularly magical superpowers. All of his clout lies in his wealth, brains, charm, as well as his canny assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and a handful of near-future technologies.