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Review: Iron Man 3

Review: Iron Man 3

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Title: Iron Man 3
Director: Shane Black
Starring
: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce
Release: 25th February
Budget: $200,000,000
Box Office: We’ll have to wait and see!

Tony Stark returns from the events of New York and his first meet with the Avengers as a changed man! His encounter with the Chitauri (the aliens in case you didn’t know) and his brush with death have left an impact on him, one his ego can’t cope with, his partner Pepper can’t fix and his work on the suits can’t fill and while Tony wallows in denial, a shadow calling himself the Mandarin emerges and launches an attack on America and Stark.

Now for the sake of those who didn’t stay awake or weren’t able to get tickets to midnight screenings of the I’ll be doing my best to keep this spoiler free but can’t guarantee so please do read on at your own risk!

Iron Man 3 began filming in May 2012 and fans had been pondering for a while where the third instalment would them with many different arcs to pick from however with the world now reminded of it’s humble size in the grand scale of the Universe, the Iron Man 3 movie follows on directly from the events of the Avengers Assemble movie. The movie doesn’t steer away from it’s origins however and any fan will quickly spot that the film is as much about Tony’s past as it is about his future (like always, why are billionaires always haunted by their pasts?!).
After almost dying in New York Tony shys away from the world, his mind unable to grasp what he experienced and his ego a little bruised he retreats to his workshop at home, tinkering with the latestl model, the Mark 42! The movie opens up with Tony recollecting the eve of the Millenium, a boozey night in Switzerland, a gorgeous botanist and the founder of a Think-tank and an experimental process to heal broken bodies are distant memories, ghosts that the man remarks will come back to haunt him.

In the present Pepper meets with an old colleague, Aldrich Killian, a man who has found a way to recode the human genetic code allowing for enhanced speed and strength but also rapid healing and limb regrowth, recognising it’s potential as an instrument of war Pepper turns the offer down. At the same time a world terrorist announcing himself as the Mandarin broadcasts nationwide that he will teach America lessons before bringing his plan to an end – an attack on the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood draws Tony out of his recluse and when he openly challenges the Mandarin he finds himself drawn into a war one where the lines between right and wrong are blurred.


What we’ve seen in the trailers is surprisingly very different to what fans can expect in the movie! For once the trailers and hype haven’t betrayed the golden moments of the film before it reached the cinema screen and Iron Man 3 is all the better for it! Yes, there are plenty of explosions! Yes, there are plenty of gags and sarcastic jibes! BUT! There is so much more to the movie, too much to go into without spoiling it for people yet to go and see it!

It’s an extremely well written movie that offers us a chance to see how the man behind the mask is fairing now that the shine has worn off the mantle!
Downey Jr. is beyond perfect in his portrayal of the broken Iron Man, delivering an exceptional, believable and engaging performance as a man trying to find himself. His witty comebacks aren’t just perfectly timed jokes for the audience to chuckle at but a perfectly played defense mechanism for his bruised ego to hide behind and Robert cannot be faulted for his performance.
Nor for that fact can the rest of the cast with Paltrow stepping into the role of a more confident Potts and handling her more active role in the film with some serious gusto managing to stay on the right side of comic book exaggeration without becoming a joke. The chemistry between Paltrow and Downey Jr. hasn’t fizzled off by any means and their scenes together are just as entertaining now as they were in the first movie. Pearce and Kingsley shouldn’t escape mention either with Kingsley offering a terrifyingly (and familiar) villain, one that doesn’t need fancy powers or gadgets to cause fear and terror while Pearce plays the cunning and sly puppet-master with ease!
If I had to pick someone out it would be Cheadle who looks just as uncomfortable in his suit as he does in his role as Colonel Rhodes/The Iron Patriot but his performance as a sideline character (again!) doesn’t detract from the movie at all.

The movie looks and sounds beautiful and plenty happens on screen to keep even those who might not be so clued in on the Marvel Universe or the recent movies entertained! While Iron Man 3 could be considered one of those movies where you leave your brain at the door at a times it feels like director, Black, is holding up a mirror, trying to show us the real face of terror and the power those who control it can have over us as characters rant about terrorists, America, Pakistan, oil and threats and it’s interesting to see the movie take it on board, at times it’s handled a little awkwardly and just feels a little forced.

Sceptics and fans alike can rest assured, Iron Man 3 learned from it’s mistakes in Iron Man 2 and thankfully the film feels more like a sequel to the Avengers movie. If you weren’t able to see it last night then you have to go see it now! Iron Man 3 is to put it simply, brilliant and a must see for fans!

The film has released across cinemas nationwide today!

Good Points

Brilliant plot
Robert Downey Junior
Plenty of action
Did I mention Robert Downey Junior?
Fantastic performances / special fx

Bad Points

Lazy metaphors but who cares?!

Rating: 10/10

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