Hatchet reporter Andrew Avrick describes his latest cinematic experience.
It’s a surprisingly well-written comedy in between explosions.
The “Iron Man” series bursts back on the screen in a flurry of high tech armor and dramatic destructions of Malibu mansions. This time we find Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) struggling to stop a horrific terrorism campaign being waged by The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). Audiences finally get a glimpse of the real Tony Stark, without his genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist reputation, or his famous suit. But despite this strong premise, the movie often feels like a wasted opportunity.
The film explores themes of dual identities, and like the characters it portrays, it also has trouble making sense of itself. The film’s subversive sense of humor, which blends extremely well with Robert Downey, Jr.’s sharp delivery, makes dramatic scenes awkward. The trailers prominently feature a somber Stark pulling a lifeless Iron Man suit through the snow, but in the film, the moment comes off as amusing.
It doesn’t help that Iron Man 3 is the first picture from Marvel Studios to be released in a post-“Avengers” world, both in terms of audience expectations and unnecessary incorporation of the events as a prologue. The characters incessantly remind each other (and in turn the viewer) about how different the world is after the Norse gods, wormholes and Shawarma laid siege on New York. The only person it seems to have had any effect on is Tony, whose crippling panic attacks are used as a fairly hollow plot device.
Regardless, “Iron Man 3” will still entertain most of the audiences it needs to impress with stunning visual effects and a solid cast, including Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow and Guy Pearce. Despite the missteps, it’s hard to knock the superhero blockbuster too much – things blow up, people say funny things. “Iron Man 3” is simply an average entry in a franchise where expectations are usually set a tad higher, slowing down Marvel’s post-“Avengers” momentum.
Starring: Robert Downy Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce
Director: Shane Black
Genre: Superhero action
