The summer movie season typically begins on the first weekend in May, and for the sixth consecutive year, Marvel holds that slot, this weekend opening the summer box office with IRON MAN 3. For better or worse, this is actually a somewhat difficult film to describe because the marketing campaign has kept a surprising many things under wraps, and of course we don't want to publish any "spoilers," which would basically involve revealing anything that official advertising hasn't, so I'll just do the best I can.
This third chapter in the Iron Man series is actually has much or more a spin-off of last years mega-hit, MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS, because it is those events from which the film takes its main cues. Although IRON MAN (2008) and IRON MAN 2 (2010) were directed by Jon Faverau (who returns to play Tony Stark's head of security, Happy Hogan), the director's reins have been handed over to Shane Black, who also co-wrote the script. As promised, Black has based IRON MAN 3 primarily on the comic books' "story arc," Extremis, but considering that the previous two films borrowed liberally from the same storyline, the whole trilogy (to date) is really a three-part loose adaptation of Extremis. That actually explains the manner of this film fairly well, that is, it doesn't at all play like a chapter in an adventure serial. It plays like a third act.
The newly-branded "Iron Patriot" nee War Machine.
As aforementioned, or implied, the story takes place shortly following the events that took place in THE AVENGERS, and Tony Stark, aka Iron Man (played by Robert Downey, Jr.), is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress due to his near-death experience in the New York battle. In his state of stress, Tony throws himself into his work, and that puts a strain on his relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). On top of all that, a flamboyant terrorist calling himself "the Mandarin" (Sir Ben Kingsley) has declared war on the United States and the western world. After Tony broadcasts a direct challenge on the Mandarin, his entire Malibu mansion state is destroyed in a startling attack, and Tony only escapes with his life and a malfunctioning Iron Man suit. Presumed dead and left with little more than his considerable mental facilities, Tony sets out on an odyssey to earn back his life while he ponders his legacy.
The primary theme of the film involves the age-old story of the young and brilliant idealist fighting for a dream, but then come the compromises, the influences and the egos; how can one make the progress with purity? It's a ponderous film, and the symbolic comparisons between the man and the image is fun to pinpoint laced throughout the story and imagery.
Ben Kingsley as "the Mandarin".
A terrorist makes a house call.
If you've seen a Shane Black film before, you can get a pretty good idea of his tone and conventions, i.e. the Christmastime-set events, black humor, a bit of a caustic sensibility, witty quips throughout (but that's inherent to the Iron Man films already) and writing some of the funniest lines for throwaway characters like henchmen. It's has a distinctly different feel from IRON MAN and IRON MAN 2; I would describe those films as "rock 'n' roll". In addition to the heavy metal (especially AC/DC) soundtracks in those films, they were also very hip and brash, with a taste for fine machinery. IRON MAN 3 is, well, a bit like jazz, I guess. I'm still not positive if that quite fits, but it's more polished, more calculated and more soulful. In the superhero genre, most films are prone to villains who overshadow the hero, but the Iron Man films haven't had a problem with that (although that was a disappointing aspect of IRON MAN 2), and this third film is the most "Tony-centric". It's a character study of Tony Stark/Iron Man, especially that Tony vs. Iron Man dynamic. Even though they're not, the antagonists almost feel incidental, and I do mean that in a good way.
Tonally, it strikes me as a Tom Clancy adaptation but on sci-fi steroids, mixed with 1990s James Cameron, and for that matter, a lot of other big action movie in the 90s. The action scenes have that particular aesthetic, with lots of pyrotechnic spectaculars, and desperate and ridiculously difficult scraps. I would rather that some of the science fiction elements were toned down some, but in the end, those pitfalls are largely inconsequential.
Iron Man (Downey, Jr.), down for the count.
As Pepper quips, "Wow, that was really violent," IRON MAN 3 also amps up the violence quotient in its inventive and rather intense action sequences, fantastical as a lot of the elements are. However, Black has mixed in a much more potent children presence in this film than most summer action would get near, but like I said, it's reminiscent of 90s action movies, where that kind of thing was prevalent. Plus, it provides an opportunity to show the cynical and standoff-ish Tony interacting/clashing with admiring children.
Most remarkable about IRON MAN 3 though, is how tightly-wrapped the whole thing has been kept. There is an abundance of extremely bold plot twists and character developments just about the whole way through, and even if I tried to spoil them for you, I doubt you'd even believe me. I know I wouldn't. I am definitely planning to see it again soon; I'm still trying to get it to sink in. It appears as if Marvel has some pretty bold plans in store for "Phase Two" of their Marvel Cinematic Universe. As usual for these films, be sure to stay through the credits for a post-credits sequence; it's a real doozy.
YOU MIGHT LIKE IRON MAN 3 IF YOU LIKED: IRON MAN (2008) KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005) TRUE LIES (1994) TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY (1991) LETHAL WEAPON (1987)
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