With the success of The Avengers, it would appear the Marvel machine is now unstoppable. For all those in the know, Iron Man 3 represents a mere fraction of what's in store from this studio. So as exciting as it is to see Tony Stark in action again, it does feel like less of an event than some of the stand-alone movies coming our way this year (Man of Steel for one). This being said, Iron Man 3 is no less entertaining as it's predecessors - and does the job of furthering it's hero's journey with aplomb.
Shane Black takes over directing duties from Jon Favreau this time. Black takes a co-writing credit also, which is no surprise when you consider his past. Black was the go-to guy for testosterone-fuelled action scripts, overflowing with inventive and witty humour. His credits include; Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout and The Long Kiss Goodnight. In 2005 Black made his directing debut with the fantastic, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (starring Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr).
Blacks presence is evident upon watching Iron Man 3 - particularly in the script. The Iron Man films have all had humour. This time however we get some of the best gags from the least likely of sources; work for hire henchmen, an only child with Stark-like aspirations - and a particularly funny turn by one of the movies main stars!
Iron Man 3 kicks off after the events of The Avengers. In an interesting move (all be it obvious, from a serialisation point of view) the film deals with the repercussions of the extraterrestrial threat which the Avengers faced. Stark himself is deeply affected - and Black and his team present the human populous as forever changed and curious about their new guardians.
In an effort to get through his other-worldly experience, Stark does what he knows best - he tinkers! Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Stark are still very much in love and Tony still has a handful of (lesser-powered) friends to his name, including James Rhodes (Don Cheadle). Despite the support in place, Stark is suffering greatly with anxiety. To add insult to injury, there's a new villain in town - in the form of the Mandarin (a terrific Ben Kingsley). The Mandarin is a pastiche of middle-eastern fanaticism, intent on disabling western ideals.
After a spectacular attack on his home, not to mention the injury of one of his closest friends (security guard Happy, played by Jon Favreau), Stark finds himself far from home. His suit (by way of super computer, Jarvis) sends him to colder climes in an effort to solve one of many suspicious deaths. It would seem a handful of people have been spontaneously combusting - the cause emanating from a foreign substance in the body.
It's at this point one of the more popular Iron Man tales gets it's movie make-over. Extremis acts like a super drug, bonding with it's host in an effort to make them superior in every way. Like any other drug, if the hosts tissue/DNA rejects the substance, an overdose is inevitable. In this instance they tend to heat up!
With a madman such as the Mandarin controlling such a substance, Iron Man 3 offers up a different kind of villain. It's a refreshing change from another iron suit - although there's still plenty on the side of the hero this time (for all you metal-heads out there)!
Unfortunately (and this is my only real reservation) the last act offers up yet another shipping yard/dock-set action spectacle (which is anything but). After The A-team, The Losers, Red and countless others, surely the shipping yard finale/action scene has been done already. No doubt it's a cheap and effective way of staging an action scene, but it lacks smarts and inventiveness (see the Air Force One rescue earlier in Iron Man 3, for a truly memorable sequence). With the dock scene so close to the end, it regrettably leaves the viewer a tad underwhelmed.
Iron Man 3 has many attributes however - and can certainly stand along side it's predecessors with it's head held high!
No one has yet dropped the ball within this Marvel/Avengers movie-verse (we don't count The Incredible Hulk, do we?) and it pleases me to report that Iron Man 3 maintains the standard to which each adventure has aspired.
Thor: The Dark World is mere months away - and a week rarely goes by without a still or trailer for forth-coming adventures from the Marvel stable.
These characters and their ever expanding universe are here to stay - and I for one look forward to each and every adventure. Lets hope the ball stays in the air a while longer!
4/5
Iron Man 3 kicks off after the events of The Avengers. In an interesting move (all be it obvious, from a serialisation point of view) the film deals with the repercussions of the extraterrestrial threat which the Avengers faced. Stark himself is deeply affected - and Black and his team present the human populous as forever changed and curious about their new guardians.
In an effort to get through his other-worldly experience, Stark does what he knows best - he tinkers! Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Stark are still very much in love and Tony still has a handful of (lesser-powered) friends to his name, including James Rhodes (Don Cheadle). Despite the support in place, Stark is suffering greatly with anxiety. To add insult to injury, there's a new villain in town - in the form of the Mandarin (a terrific Ben Kingsley). The Mandarin is a pastiche of middle-eastern fanaticism, intent on disabling western ideals.
After a spectacular attack on his home, not to mention the injury of one of his closest friends (security guard Happy, played by Jon Favreau), Stark finds himself far from home. His suit (by way of super computer, Jarvis) sends him to colder climes in an effort to solve one of many suspicious deaths. It would seem a handful of people have been spontaneously combusting - the cause emanating from a foreign substance in the body.
It's at this point one of the more popular Iron Man tales gets it's movie make-over. Extremis acts like a super drug, bonding with it's host in an effort to make them superior in every way. Like any other drug, if the hosts tissue/DNA rejects the substance, an overdose is inevitable. In this instance they tend to heat up!
With a madman such as the Mandarin controlling such a substance, Iron Man 3 offers up a different kind of villain. It's a refreshing change from another iron suit - although there's still plenty on the side of the hero this time (for all you metal-heads out there)!
Unfortunately (and this is my only real reservation) the last act offers up yet another shipping yard/dock-set action spectacle (which is anything but). After The A-team, The Losers, Red and countless others, surely the shipping yard finale/action scene has been done already. No doubt it's a cheap and effective way of staging an action scene, but it lacks smarts and inventiveness (see the Air Force One rescue earlier in Iron Man 3, for a truly memorable sequence). With the dock scene so close to the end, it regrettably leaves the viewer a tad underwhelmed.
Iron Man 3 has many attributes however - and can certainly stand along side it's predecessors with it's head held high!
No one has yet dropped the ball within this Marvel/Avengers movie-verse (we don't count The Incredible Hulk, do we?) and it pleases me to report that Iron Man 3 maintains the standard to which each adventure has aspired.
Thor: The Dark World is mere months away - and a week rarely goes by without a still or trailer for forth-coming adventures from the Marvel stable.
These characters and their ever expanding universe are here to stay - and I for one look forward to each and every adventure. Lets hope the ball stays in the air a while longer!
4/5
Poster image courtesy: http://www.4twenty.co.uk/
Iron Man 3 poster illustrated by Jock - a comic-book and conceptual artist. Check out more of his amazing work at the above address!
See also: review of Dredd (poster by Jock) http://alexsmith365.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/dredd.html
Iron Man 3 poster illustrated by Jock - a comic-book and conceptual artist. Check out more of his amazing work at the above address!
See also: review of Dredd (poster by Jock) http://alexsmith365.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/dredd.html
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