I saw this movie the day before release as part of a promotion at a local theater, and I was blown away! I entered into the movie with reservations about a villain I knew nothing about, worries that modernizing the origin may not translate well on-screen, and serious concerns about rumors of Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury, but found everything tied together perfectly! Robert Downey Jr. pulled off the role of Tony Stark magnificently, and the rest of the cast added even more to the film. The special effects were wonderful, and tastefully done (I dreaded the thought of an all-obvious-CGI Iron Man) the storyline flowed well, and the ending was perfect, both to the portrayal, and the recent comics. Don't forget to stay until after the credits. There is a scene that doesn't add much to the movie, but does let us know what to expect from this franchise in the future.