Almost exactly a year after the premiere of “The Avengers,” “Iron Man 3” is the latest in the highly enjoyable “Marvel Cinematic Universe” series, which, at this point, is one of the most successful series of all time. The hype for “The Avengers” last summer was almost equal to “Iron Man 3.” I was wondering how they could possibly reach the level of that last film with only one superhero, as opposed to the variety of superheroes in “The Avengers.” Yet, “Iron Man 3” finds a way. It is a hugely entertaining, solid action film; and a great way to start off what seems to be a very promising summer for movies.
We catch up with our hero sometime after the events of “The Avengers,” where Tony Stark AKA Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) joined the other superheroes to battle off an alien army invading New York City. The event has traumatized Stark, leading him to hide away in his basement with nothing but his “toys” to keep him company. The toys are actually highly advanced Iron Man suits, many of which he can now control remotely, even from miles away. In the recent news, there had been some serious terrorist incidents across the world, which were claimed by a man named the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). With his distinct stern, emotionless manner of speech; a long flowing, tattooed cape; and possessing a clear indifference to human life; the man looks like nobody to mess with. But Stark decides to threaten him anyways, even providing his home address on live television. Not a good idea.
The first trailer for “Iron Man 3” really made me excited for the scene that would follow, as it seemed to be that first moment when Tony Stark’s world starts to crumble down around him, literally. The Mandarin and his crew attack Stark’s home, shooting rockets at it from nearby helicopters. Containing some well-timed slow motion sequences, earth-shattering explosions, and some incredible CGI effects, the scene is possibly the most impressive that Marvel has done so far. It gave the impression that the film would tread down a dark path, much like Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Do not be too alarmed, though. “Iron Man 3” is still every bit as fun. In fact, it might be the best mixture of action/comedy to date in the series.
Eccentric, sarcastic, witty, and sharply intelligent; Robert Downey Jr. has become synonymous with the Iron Man character, making it really difficult to picture the man in the suit without Downey Jr.’s face behind it. Never holding back on his most audience-pleasing aspects, Downey Jr. is at his full game here. Of course, some credit goes to the writers as well, who have written in some great scenes for Downey Jr. to show his true potential. Some of the high points include several scenes with a young kid, who helps Stark to get back on his feet after his house is destroyed. Very similar to a young Tony Stark, the kid is fearless and intelligent. The two make a good team, providing some of the film’s more tender moments.
Coming from an impressive resume of character roles, Ben Kingsley pulls off the Mandarin brilliantly; portraying a menacing, memorable villain. Guy Pearce may not get as much credit here for playing the film’s other villain, Aldrich Killian. Yet, in some ways, the character may be even more developed than the Mandarin himself. And this film finally had me liking the character Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), who I had no particular affection for throughout the series. Putting her sometimes right in the middle of the action, Paltrow proves that her character is more than just the whiny, overly sensitive girlfriend of Tony Stark. Unfortunately, Colonel Rhodes AKA War Machine AKA Iron Patriot does not have as big a part as he could have, only really appearing in a few scenes throughout the film.
Looking back, it is really the marketing for “Iron Man 3” that was the most clever. Providing a distinct impression with its overly dramatic trailer, the film often goes in a completely different direction. The biggest twist, coming about halfway through the film, is also the most amusing. It does actually make a lot of sense once you see it, but I still didn’t really see it coming. Not wanting to give any spoilers, though, I will say no more.
In “Iron Man 2,” the need for Iron Man-action is never completely fulfilled. It builds to a final confrontation between Iron Man and the bad guy, Whiplash, but then ends way too soon, making the movie as a whole easily forgettable. But the climactic battle of “Iron Man 3” more than makes up for it. Stark and Rhodes fight an army of bad guys, but luckily are backed up by their own army of remotely controlled Iron Man suits. Mesmerizing and expertly choreographed, containing scenes where Stark flies through the air, often switching from one suit to the next; these last few scenes provide some marvelous, tense 3D action; enough so that it will completely fulfill that action-thrill need.
Charming, funny, entertaining, well-directed, and brilliantly shot in 3D, “Iron Man 3” is a great start to the summer movies. Coming up, we have “Star Trek 2,” “After Earth,” “Man of Steel,” “World War Z,” and many others. I hope that they will all be as good as this.