After The Avengers blew away critics and the box office, the second phase of the Marvel cinematic universe started with the third Iron Man movie. While I very much enjoyed the first Iron Man and The Avengers, Iron Man 2 left me a little disappointed. Not to mention, third installments rarely bode well for most superhero movies (besides The Dark Knight Rises, name one third installment of a superhero move series that doesn’t blow). Does Iron Man 3 break that trend, or does it rust under pressure?
After the events of The Avengers, Tony Stark is not in a good place. He has been having panic attacks, spending his time build- ing more Iron Man suits, and creating more distance in his relationship to Pepper. After an international string of bombings leaves his friend, Happy Hogan, severely injured, Tony threatens the Mandarin, resulting in the destruction of his home and making it seem like he died. Partnering with a 10-year-old boy in Tennessee, and eventually his old pal, Rhodey, Iron Man tries to bring down the Mandarin.
The plot is filled with many twists and turns that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. It does a good job of combining various elements from Iron Man comics. One of the biggest issues I had with Iron Man 2 was it took a huge step backwards in terms of development. In the newest installment, it takes both steps forwards and backwards. It established that it is not the armor that makes the man; it is the man that makes the armor. Tony’s interactions with the young boy really help with building his character. It shows that Tony does not have to rely on his armor as much as he has to.
The movie takes a step back- wards in his relationship with Pepper. At the beginning of the film, he says, “I need to protect you because you are what I care most about.” Three scenes later his attitude changes to: “Hey terrorists, here’s the address of my house where my girlfriend is and the only defense is an incomplete suit!” Their relation- ship does get some focus in the beginning, little to nothing in the middle, and a little in the end.
One of the biggest problems of the Iron Man movies are the villains. This is no exception. While the twist on the vil- lain was interesting, the true villain’s motivation for his crimes does not seem enough to support his cause.There was a decent climactic fight with him. Fans of the character in the comic will be very disappointed, however. Though I did not like how the character was this movie so that’s no excuse. The same goes for Iron Patriot; Rhodey did hardly any action with this suit in the movie!
Robert Downey, Jr. once again steals the show as Iron Man. Since this is his fourth movie in the role (fifth, if you count the cameo in Incredible Hulk), I’m pretty sure you know what to expect at this point. He plays a darker yet funny version of the character, so it was enjoyable. The rest of the cast also does a good job in their roles. Don Cheadle is more enjoyable this time as War Machine/Iron Patriot, Ty Simpkins, who plays Harley, his kid sidekick, doesn’t do bad for a child actor either.
The effects were very well done, as usual. Ranging from Iron Man’s suit to the Extremis victims, there were plenty of fight scenes in this movie both in and out of the suit. The climax is especially entertaining with the dozens of Iron Man suits joining the fight. It’s the best toy commercial ever!
While Iron Man 3 was much better than its predecessor, it is still not as good as the original. The special effects and acting were done well, and while character development moves forward, it also takes a step backwards as one of Iron Man’s best villains in the comics is not used to the full potential. Even if the villain was significantly altered, they still could have done a better job. Overall, the movie does its job as a good popcorn flick, and I enjoyed watching it.
Movie Question of the Week:
Which super hero or movie villian has the best weapon or power?
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