Review: Iron Man 3

In order to prepare for the release of a movie sequel (especially ones I like), I usually watch the previous installment(s) of the franchise.  It was a sweet experience to remember the magic of my first viewing of Iron Man, and to remember the great spectacle of Iron Man 2.  Those films hold a special place in my heart in that they raised the bar of comic book cinema to the level we currently expect.  But, in this particular instance of preparing for Iron Man 3, I think it was probably a mistake.  As you will soon learn, I felt that the movie in question was a great movie, but it didn't feel like an Iron Man movie.

THE BAD

The movie started out quite off-beat.  It was a funny opening to be sure, but it felt so very different from any of the previous Marvel movies.  I honestly felt like I had stepped into an Iron Man knock-off film.  And this feeling was fairly pervasive through the movie for me.  

I realize that after having Tony Stark as part of The Avengers, certainly leeway should allowed to venture into the supernatural and/or unbelievable landscape that a movie like Thor would encounter.  However, it felt like the writers didn't even try for verisimilitude, which I would argue is a huge component of why the first two films were so successful. The magic of watching a guy NOT using magic become a superhero was severely absent. Also, I think in going for more depth in the characterizations of the main cast, they took away the type of light-hearted fun that the previous two installments were famous for. 

I'm kind of neutral on the musical score.  It wasn't memorable, but it also wasn't overdone, which is the tendency for many of these movies. 

THE GOOD

This is without a doubt the funniest of any of the Marvel films, if not the funniest superhero film ever.  The timing and banter are so well executed that there were times I thought I was watching an Aaron Sorkin scripted scene.  Shane Black, the director, certainly knows his way around comedy.  Jon Favreau's attire and hair in those first few minutes were just spectacular. 

Richard Roeper said that Robert Downey Jr. deserves awards consideration for his performance in Iron Man 3.  While I wouldn't go THAT far, I would say that he gives a fine performance on caliber with his others.  I think that he was going for more depth, which he arguably achieved.  

Gwyneth Paltrow was just amazing in this.  She had an even bigger and better role here and she also showed a lot more depth.  But, again, I think that her character was different than the other films.  You could definitely feel the difference in directors, and it allowed her to give a deeper performance, for better or for worse. 

Don Cheadle was probably the biggest surprise in this one.  He rose above his previous performance and proved why he was chosen to replace Terence Howard.  

There is a tween boy, Ty Simpkins, that shows up about halfway through the movie, and I must say he was a delight.  He is probably the only child in the world that can go toe-to-toe with Robert Downey Jr. in regards to dialogue, and actually remain unscathed.  He held his own in ways that a lot of other actors can't.  

CONCLUSION

Like I said in the intro: this is a great movie.  It just didn't feel like an Iron Man movie.  That being said, it should not be missed.  It is well-paced and is likely to please audiences of all types.  4/5 Disco Balls.  

Definitely stay after the credits.  It was so very funny, although not quite on par with The Avengers post-credit schwarma-scarfing-session. 

PARENTS GUIDE

There wasn't much explicit profanity, but there was some sexually related dialogue present. There wasn't any nudity. There was some implied sex and immodesty, but nothing explicit.  The violence is a bit much and would be scary for younger children.