Iron Man

Back where it all really started, though at the time there weren't many signs that Iron Man would turn out to be much more than X-Men, Fantastic Four, the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films or Ghost Rider had - a decent film, maybe the launch pad for a sequel or two. 

It still stands up fairly well today as a film in its' own right and as an access point for the MCU, though it lacks the polish, pace and layering that would become standard by Phase Three. It's solid rather than superb, and would rightly prove a great template for introducing a superhero to a wider audience from this point on, admirably remounting a very sixties origin story to the present day.

TEN GREAT THINGS FROM IRON MAN

ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

It seems obvious in retrospect but the casting of RDJ wasn't a no-brainer back in the day. A talented actor with a filmography that did him little justice and a reputation as a troublemaker, he was a gamble for Marvel especially compared to the proven box-office of other names attached to the role such as Tom Cruise and Nicolas Cage. But he repays that faith instantly, completely convincing as the heartless playboy, the changed man and the superhero, making Tony Stark so compelling that interest doesn't flag when Iron Man's not on screen.

HO YINSEN

Retooled to fit in with the 21st century origin, Yinsen stops being a plot device and starts being a character - arguably the most important in the whole MCU, as he's the one who inspires Tony to become a better person. Ably played by Shaun Toub he's a real person with a tragic history and an awesome moment when he charges Raza's men alone and firing wildly into the air, to buy Tony time. His last words to Tony are not to waste his life, and he doesn't. Everything that happens from this point on can be attributed to Yinsen's faith.

JARVIS

Jarvis the butler became JARVIS the computer system, partly to avoid comparisons to Bruce Wayne and partly because a butler is maybe a bit of an outdated accoutrement for a modern playboy. Instead he becomes an omnipresent computer programme with a wry wit, ably delivered by Paul Bettany. In an example to the MCU's depth this gathers extra resonance both for JARVIS' future as Vision and past in Agent Carter as a more traditional version of the character, allowing the supposition of a hugely nurturing relationship in the largely unseen years between this film and the deaths of Howard & Maria Stark. 

DUM-E

The robotic arm Dum-E does a surprisingly good job of providing comic relief throughout with its' inappropriate use of fire extinguishers, and thanks to Robert Downey Jr's timing takes on a strange little personality for a prop as he argues with the over-zealous thing. It becomes a fun thing to look out for in future films and adding to the emotional impact of the destruction of Stark's home in Iron Man 3. The flagging up of it being designed by a 16-year old Tony in the opening spiel is a great moment too.

PEPPER POTTS

Pepper had flitted in and out of the comic in the twenty or so years before the film as times moved on from it being okay for Tony Stark to have a besotted dolly bird secretary. However the absence of JARVIS gives her a more appropriate role as a PA. She's scripted perfectly as the only person strong enough all along to tell Tony things he doesn't want to hear and be too indispensable to sack. Gwyneth Paltrow delivers her lines perfectly and shows considerable skills; along with John Favreau as Happy she buttresses the film, providing early warning of Marvel's ability to build up secondary characters.

"THROW IN A LITTLE HOT ROD RED..."

As important as the casting of Robert Downey Jr was the design of the armour and, after some teasing with the steampunk cave-built Mark 1 and the silver Mark 2, the headlining red-and-gold Mark 3suit lives up to the hype. Co-designed by Adi Granov (artist for the acclaimed "Extremis" comic arc that revitalised the character) it's perfect, a fine balance of classic and modern, with just the right weight and look to it.

THE ASSAULT ON GULMIRA

Amusing experiments and moral revelations are one thing but Iron Man needed some real punch and the shameless catharsis of the assault on the Ten Rings base in Gulmira provided it. The tech provided a great humanitarian excuse to beat the human shield-induced stalemate keeping the US military from intervening and the Mark 3 armour gets a great workout, highlights being the casual destruction of a tank and the precise targeting of terrorists hiding behind civilians.

"I AM IRON MAN"

The comics' use of Iron Man as a secret identity had often been more than a little hokey and was scrapped a few years before the film, allowing the character considerable growth and dropping a need for dizzy explanations. It wasn't the worst cover identity ever but it had seen its' day and wasn't even considered for the acclaimed Ultimates series. Here it's teed up in a purposefully daft manner, first pitched by Coulson and then questioned immediately before Tony just confesses to the press dramatically, affirming the character's growth into a transparent human with little time for silly games.

BLACK SABBATH

This is more a personal one; in the nineties, when in the UK especially the idea of an Iron Man film was a daydream, I used to listen to this song on my discman and imagine it as the soundtrack to something starring the hero. It blatantly wasn't, the doom-laden verses don't even remotely fit the character but hearing that hook kick in over the end titles was a great moment for me personally. And less selfishly for the character as a whole; Marvel movies were big enough to get what they wanted.

THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE

The first post-credits scene is a treat in itself, film imitating art as Samuel L Jackson appears as Nick Fury, six years after the Ultimates version had been modelled on the actor, without permission. It all got straightened out with Jackson being cast. But what's more exciting is his offer to Tony of a place on the Avengers Initiative. There wasn't just going to be an Iron Man 2, there was going to be so much more. The most ambitious film universe in history was beginning.