"Iron Man 3" Review

Following the mammoth success of The Avengers, expectations for the first Marvel film to follow it were almost unreachable. Financially, Iron Man 3 was a success. But was it the follow-up people were clamoring for? I'm afraid not.

Following the alien invasion seen in The Avengers, Tony Stark has secluded himself in his lab building one Iron Man suit after another. He is forced to deal with the emergence of The Mandarin, a deadly terrorist with unknown origins or intentions. He is assisted by his secretary/girlfriend Pepper Potts, and his friend Colonel James Rhodes whose War Machine armor has been redesigned as "Iron Patriot". He must also deal with a mysterious man from Pepper's past, Aldrich Killian and his invention "Extremis."

The story and characters work in some places yet feel unfulfilled in others. The decision to portray Tony Stark with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) was a smart move by the writers. His anxiety attacks which occur when someone reminds him of the battle of New York work. They feel as though they belong, and they are a valid excuse for the excessive amount of Iron Man suits Tony has constructed since. They have even been praised by well known psychiatrists as realistic.

Where the film fails is that it strays too far from the source material and tries to add humor where it is not necessary. It includes far too much slapstick and a few too many one-liners. At the risk of outing myself as an avid comic book reader (I am trying to avoid the term "nerd"), Iron Patriot was not a redesign of War Machine. Iron Patriot was a modern day alter ego of Norman Osborn (the Green Goblin).

Also the film includes a twist that not only feels thrown in for the heck of it, but absolutely ruins one of the best traditions in the Iron Man comics. I will go no further, as it is impossible to do so without spoiling the movie and thus violating my personal code. Yet, I will say that the film does not really have any solid reason for doing so other than trying to shock the audience.

Andrew's Standout for this film is the second of my top three favorite actors of all time: Robert Downey Jr. His performance as Tony Stark has everything that we have come to expect from it: the wit, the charm, the self-confidence. However, this movie adds a new element for Robert to try. His PTSD brings out a serious side to Downey that hasn't really come out since Chaplin back in 1992. His organic development from reckless, playboy weapons dealer into a serious hero with a stable relationship over the span of these films has been a fun ride to go on. If he drops the role after The Avengers 3, I will be upset, but he will have well earned his rest.

Sir Ben Kingsley portrays The Mandarin, and he does an excellent job of doing so. However, the direction that the writers chose to take his character leads me to believe they would have been better off casting someone of less prestige. He does phenomenally in what he is given to work with in the beginning, but overall he feels as though the film wastes his talents.

For a sense of getting the full story, see the movie. It will most likely build something towards The Avengers: Age of Ultron. But on its own, it teeters on the edge of good story.

B-