The "Iron Man: Ultimate 2-Disc Edition" is a must for fans of the source material. Will casual fans appreciate the second disc, packed with extras aimed at comic-book readers? Probably not, but that's no reason to miss out on one of the best comic-book movies ever made. Robert Downey Jr. has spent his entire life essentially being Tony Stark, and his performance here is perfect. That's impressive in a film full of spot-on acting and a focus on character over spectacle.

The movie itself translates well to the smaller screen. "Iron Man" is an intimate affair, the story of a man and his obsession, and benefits from almost cramped set pieces: a cave, a lab, a small village, the inside of the suit. Even the requisite throwdown at the end seems to only span a city block, perfect when you consider it's two men in heavy armor slugging at each other. That said, the more panoramic flight scenes remain crisp and effective.

DVD Bonus Features:

The Good: "I Am Iron Man" is a fascinating look behind the scenes from early production to last-minute changes. It's long, but worth watching. Too bad it doesn't include notes on the script; allusions to alternate plots are made but never explained. The first disc has a nice selection of deleted and alternate scenes, though with only one exception (which explains how Tony can fly to Afghanistan without, apparently, a pee break) there's a very good reason they were deleted.

The Bad: "History of the Hero" inexplicably speeds through Iron Man's early yearsin the comic books and then grinds to a glacial pace so modern writers can talk about... well, mostly each other. Newcomers to the character will gain exactly nothing from it, and hardcore comic-book fans probably know it all already. It's not a history of the hero so much as a history of a handful of (and mostly modern) writers and artists. Even serious fans may be let down: The section on Ultimate Iron Man glosses over that character's retcon (important because Ultimate Nick Fury appears in the movie).

The Price: $39.99