Andrew Jenson | rawr reviews
Director Shane Black took over the Iron Man franchise with the mediocre addition of Iron Man 3. While fun and entertaining, this film did have some outstanding problems.The biggest problem and disappointment was the villain. For a comic book film whose predecessor presented a relatively believable and realistic bad guy, this film’s villain went overboard with his comic book cheesiness. The Mandarin, Iron Man’s threat, was certainly painted in an interesting and more believable way in the beginning of the film (mildly speaking), but this takes a dive after we learn more about him. Indeed, such a villain seemed more adept for a Thor than an Iron Man film.
Second, continuity was strained for plot devices. As shown in the trailer, an army of Iron Men comes to the aid of Tony Stark in a big, epic battle. In previous movies, the Iron Man suit was able to withstand countless attacks, including nuclear blast shockwaves, anti-aircraft missiles, and even combat with the demi-god Thor. Yet, in Iron Man 3 the suits built by Stark, were about as durable as aluminum foil. As cool as it was to see Stark go from suit to suit and have each constantly torn to pieces, I couldn’t help but cringe at their astoundingly weak construction.
Finally, Tony Stark was unlikable. His usual banter didn’t quite have the charm it did in the first movie and in The Avengers. He hasn’t matured or learned from his mistakes, causing him to make stupid decision after stupid decision. This was a great opportunity for his character to grow, but such growth is botched. As a result, his likeability went down several notches.
For all the problems I have with the picture, what could be left to like?
First, the supporting cast is great. Gwyneth Paltrow especially manages to stand out as Pepper, compared to the previous installations. The other actors were also enjoyable to watch — though I think Jon Favreau should stick to directing.
Second, the music was quite memorable. Under the supervision of composer Brian Tyler, the score took on a darker quality and shied away from the rock and roll style of the previous films. Hopefully, the rock and roll aspect will not be completely eradicated from the franchise in future films but toning it down in this film helped.
Finally, the story was really quite good, though it could have been so much more. I was actually invested in the plot, as opposed to Iron Man 2, and found myself legitimately concerned for the characters. If only Black could have explored it in more depth, this could have been one heck of an Iron Man movie.
Overall, Iron Man 3 is flawed and problematic at points, but is not a terrible movie. As a sequel and summer blockbuster, it is entertaining and fun. But, don’t be looking for much depth, or you may be disappointed.