Iron Man 3 Review

24th Apr 2013

Shane Black is a man of subversion. He’s been doing it all the way back since the original Lethal Weapon film in 1987. He did it in his first film as a director Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (again with Robert Downey Jr). Now along with writer Drew Pearce he is applying it to the Marvel mould.

The genius about Iron Man 3 is how much they have moved on. Iron Man 2 perhaps tried to repeat the tricks, but didn’t take enough steps forward with the character. Here Iron Man 3 doesn’t shy away from change. Yes Tony Stark is still as blunt and blabbering as he always has been. Yes he’s spending a lot of time in his workshop with Dummy, JARVIS and the rest of his robotic crew. But he also takes giant leaps forward as a character.

Tony and his beau pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) come under threat this time from an international terrorist called the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). But about the same time Pepper is visited by someone from both her and Tony’s past, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) who has a few scientific ideas of his own. Add to the mix a former conquest of Tony’s (Rebecca Hall) and the stage is set for a grand attack on Tony which sees him out on his own trying to defeat his enemies before he can return to the safety of his home.

Anyone who has read the graphic novel of the Extremis story will spot some major changes with the characters and scientific ideas pulled over here into the film. The names are to a point only names and bear little resemblance to any of the characters; and the Extremis idea itself is purely one that has be poised for the bad guys use and not something that is likely to be bothering Tony Stark’s development of his suits.

Did we just say suits? Let’s just say that is Plural. And oh boy has he made a few improvements.

The ace in the hole though is perhaps Ben Kingsley’s terrific portrayal. There is a line in the trailer where his character says “You’ll never see me coming” and that is a line that has never been so true of any film. Kingsley sucks up the words from the script and delivers one of this year’s more memorable villains you’re likely to see, and he’ll surprise you all the way. Starks first formal encounter with the man is quite a revelation.

With so many characters it’s surprising perhaps that so many of the supporting cast get quite memorable roles. William Sadler pops up as the President, Jon Favreau returns as Happy Hogan in an extended and more vocal role this time. Even Killian’s henchman played by James Badge Dale gets quite a lot of the early action.

It helps perhaps that Pepper Potts and James Rhodes step in and out of the film when needed. It offers a balanced level of input from the characters Stark is around. Perhaps Rebecca Halls former flame gets the short end of the script, but she still manages to deliver the best she can in the earlier scenes she is in.

It also needs to be stated that Iron Man 3 is perhaps also the funniest of the series. Barely a scene goes by when there isn’t a huge laugh waiting at the end of every other line of dialogue, even in the midst of full on danger, or during a climatic show down.

In the end though, Downey Jr. is quite literally the man still. If the marvel cannon ever do slip up, and Iron Man 2 had plenty of skids – we never seem to be in any trouble when it comes to Downey Jr’s performance as Tony Stark. A character quite literally headed for the same iconic recognition as James Bond, Indiana Jones, Harry Callahan and Bruce Wayne; Perhaps cheekily acknowledged by the end of credits line “Tony Stark Will Return”.

Did we say end of credits? Obviously with this franchise you will want to hang around to the end of the credits for a bit more fun.

Exciting, a thrill, laugh out loud, Marvelous.