I fear falling into hyperbole by calling the film near-perfect, but in all honesty, it is.

Marvel comic book fans rejoice: Our savior is upon us, and his name is Tony Stark.

After the recent slew of Marvel movies, which can only be described as terrible abominations in the eyes of God, hope seemed lost in the house that Stan Lee built. Thankfully, “Iron Man” kicks off the summer movie season about as perfectly as any blockbuster has in recent memory.

The first sign that the flick was going to be a success came within seconds of the houselights dimming. Proving once and for all that there is a higher power, “Iron Man” foregoes the typical Marvel opening.

Instead of becoming top-heavy with a bloated credit sequence that boringly maneuvers through the human genome, the audience is instantly tossed into the film. This expeditious launch sets a frame that director John Favreau maintains throughout the film’s entirety.

Favreau, who previously helmed “Made” and “Elf,” brings a rarely seen clarity to the superhero genre. Outside of certain installments of the Batman franchise, most superhero movies feel like the piecemeal efforts of a studio blinded by the notion of making a buck. This isn’t the case with “Iron Man.” The film feels like a labor of love.

Favreau understands the nuances of the “Iron Man” universe. Set in a world in which men profit from the business of killing, he grounds the film in a reality that is quite familiar in this day and age.

As strong as Favreau’s eye comes across in the film, the true praise belongs to the cast. Nearly every supporting role is played pitch-perfectly, with the actors respecting the characters while still finding ways to have fun with them.

Finally, praise needs to be given to Robert Downey Jr. for the depth that he brings to his role as Tony Stark. It would have been easy for an actor to fall into convention while playing the billionaire playboy who just so happens to be one of the most technically gifted engineers in the world, but somehow Downey brings depth and grace to the role.

When Stark is walking through a Vegas casino with a dame on each arm, he spits out charismatic quips that would be at home in a Bond movie. In nearly every social situation, he brings this larger-than-life aura with him, even going as far as to mix a drink in the middle of an Afghani war zone.

However, there’s a fine line between the man Stark presents to the world and the man he sees when he looks in the mirror. These personal traits come out vividly during his interactions with his assistant, Pepper Potts, played wonderfully by Gwyneth Paltrow. The back and forth between the two of them feels like the repertoire between two lifelong friends, with each one knowing how to lovingly push the other’s buttons.

While the film appeals to a mass audience, comic fans are going to devour the subtle nods to Marvel lore, some of which even go as far as to set up characters and plot devices for sequels, and even, dare I say, an Avengers film.

After experiencing the gorgeous CGI involving the various evolutions of the hero, I can only imagine how amazing a film would look that gathers all of the Marvel heroes.

I fear falling into hyperbole by calling the film near-perfect, but in all honesty, it is. The only bump that the movie hits comes from the musical side of things.

Hans Zimmer, the composer of previous classics like “The Thin Red Line,” delivers a score that works, but never quite stands out. While I’m glad that the music never becomes overwhelming to the point of taking away from the images on screen, it would have been great to have an iconic theme to pin to the film. Sadly, like most superhero movies this side of the original “Superman” and “Batman” ’89, “Iron Man” is musically forgettable.

It might sound like nitpicking, but that’s simply due to the fact that the film is nearly flawless.

From the freshly abrupt opening to the grin-worthy final line, “Iron Man” is about as entertaining as a movie can get.

All signs are pointing toward this movie rightfully grossing half a billion and becoming the cornerstone for a franchise that will shine for decades to come. If the quality of “Iron Man” is any indication of how the rest of the summer movie crop will pan out, then we’re in for one hell of a season.

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