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The superhero film movement happened in spurts dating all the way back to Richard Donner’s 1978 film Superman: The Movie, but with Iron Man, Marvel Studios declared the genre was here to stay. Iron Man lays groundwork for a greater franchise effort, and indeed, nine years later (this review is written in 2017), that franchise shows no sign of slowing down. For better or for worse.

Iron Man is an origin story featuring Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role. Downey plays Tony Stark, a snarky, rich inventor who is supplying technology to the U.S. military. But after he’s captured by terrorists and gets a chance to see firsthand how his weaponry is being used to devastate people, Stark  creates a new mission in life. Originally, the Iron Man costume is created simply as a means to escape his captors, but it soon becomes a vehicle for keeping world peace. One of the more interesting aspects of the story are the ways the government and Stark’s own corporation become foils to his peacekeeping plans.

Iron Man doesn’t stray far from a tried and true formula. Downey’s charisma goes a long way in distinguishing the movie and keeping us invested in the action. I personally have a love/hate relationship with Tony Stark, though. Why are we so enamored with womaninzing, narcissistic, assholes like him? Why do we reward such bad behavior with our laughter and adoration? I get Tony Stark. I think he’s funny sometimes. But the fact that he’s the kind of guy we’re ready to spend a decades-long franchise with — that’s somewhat troubling, isn’t it?

With Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Terrence Howard. Directed by Jon Favreau.

Oscar Nominations: Visual Effects, Sound Effects Editing