 IGN's Todd Gilchrist recognized Downey as "the best thing" in a film that "functions on autopilot, providing requisite story developments and character details to fill in this default 'origin story' while the actors successfully breathe life into their otherwise conventional roles".Roger Ebert and Richard Corliss named "Iron Man" as among their favorite films of 2008.It was selected by the American Film Institute as one of the ten best films of the year and by "Empire" magazine as one of "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time".