Iron Man 3

Iron Man Three

A review

May 4, 2013

Viewed May 3, 2013

***.5 out of *****

“When sorrows come, they come not single spies
But in battalions. “

                                                Hamlet  Act V

                                                Shakespeare

            The outside spectator viewing the life of a brilliant, handsome, charming gentleman known as Tony Stark, who also happens to be Iron Man assumes the mantel of greatness is an easy one to wear.    Victorious over the forces of darkness of this world and the next not once but twice, Tony Stark aka Iron Man, virtually one in the same in the public’s eye, and the man who wears the suit seems to have it all.   After all he has cheated death not once but twice, and capable of expanding his power over his creative mind and his empire.  It is an illusion.  Hidden behind Tony though is a vast amount of fear and angst, who is he really, and will the sins of his past catch him after all? 

            Thus begins the premise to 2013’s first certain blockbuster, Iron Man Three.    The film, a mixture of the fantastic and the familiar, tries and sometimes succeeds on multiple levels, but works well enough for most of its long two hour fifteen minute running time to please fans of the character that anchors Marvel’s film universe.     This Iron Man could have used additional script polishes to flesh out its weaker scenes and narratives, but it is amazing to look at, with by far the best film effects of the trilogy.   The film also is one of the great misdirection marketing campaigns that I can remember, but fortunately for fans of the series features the most twists and turns of the whole series, with one huge one that turns the film upside down, and a few more surprises that represent a definitive shift in tone from the first and second film in the series.

            This third film is a vast improvement over the last outing which did little to expand the character, and was basically an excuse and additional setup to the film universe that exploded with last summer’s The Avengers.   This latest outing takes place after the events of that film and references it often enough that it maintains continuity.  

            This outing is long on plot and action sequences although viewers will be shocked to see so much of the film take place with Stark outside of costume, and the mid film shift in tone and the huge twist is likely to either play well with audiences, or cause some uncomfortable shifting in the seat  The first half hour of the film is pure setup as the audience is introduced in a flashback to two new characters, Aldrich Killian and Maya Hansen, each of whom remember Stark prior to his Iron Man days.     The film also introduces the long standing from the comics Iron Man foe, The Mandarin.    In this version the US is being tested from the threat of the terrorist, Mandarin who is striking at will and murdering civilians, and is targeting the President.    The film also introduces a powerful weapon in Extremis a biological tool which Stark and his allies must face.

            That said the less said about the plot the better.   I will say this much for the marketing of the film, it is nice to go into a film and be surprised.   Part of the credit and blame for both what works and what does not must go to director, Shane Black, who replaces actor/director Jon Favreau who is still in the film as Stark’s loyal friend, Happy.   Black takes the film in a different direction.   The film is much darker, and much more violent in tone from the first two films.   However it contains enough dashes of humor, but unlike the first film I found the humor to be a distraction.    This is a film where Stark and Iron Man are up against greater odds, and the minute by minute wisecracks only work to an extent.  

              Iron Man Three largely works because we are invested in Tony Stark’s success.    This is largely due again to just how much Robert Downey Jr. has adopted and made this role his signature one.    Downey infuses Stark especially in the middle section of the film, with just enough pathos that we believe he can be not only hurt, but that his conscious is taking a beating.    If only the filmmakers and the public could work through the darker stretches of the character arc it might be interesting to see where this area could be taken.   

            The best sequences in the film, the massive attack on Tony’s home, the air rescue out of Air Force one, and the climatic sequence that conclude the film are both enjoyable set pieces that are what audiences crave, but they are only part of the film.     Black, known foremost as a screenwriter utilizes everything at his disposal, but the one element from the screenplay by he and Drew Pierce is any true sense of emotional grounding.      The film simply exists as spectacle with little bits thrown in that indicate a more dramatic arc was needed.

            In addition to Downey the series marks an increased role for actress Gwyneth Paltrow.   Her Pepper Potts has been one of the better highlights of the series, but in this film the actress gets directly in harm’s way, even doing the Iron Man suit in one amusing sequence.    New cast members strike a mixed tone.   As the Mandarin, Ben Kingsley is sadly underused.   The presence of Guy Pearce, as Killian who makes a striking villain in his own right gives a sharp performance.    In what is becoming standard fare Rebecca Hall, an actress who seems initially out of place in a comic book movie gives a solid performance considering how underwritten her role truly is.  

            In the end the virtues of the film, its fine cast, excellent effects, and its visual flair override some of its glaring weaknesses.   Audiences are promised the return of Stark and Iron Man at least by the Avengers sequel due in 2015.    In the meantime, Iron Man Three is a satisfying entry in the series.   My only hope as it continues is that the next film is filled with some genuine sense of growth for its characters.   In a critical moment in the film fearing for his life and not her own, Paltrow’s Pepper screams in agony the name on her lips, the name not belonging to the hero inside the suit, but the man she loves and calls Tony.  

                                                                        Tommy Key

Rated PG-13 ( intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, suggestive content)