Iron Man 3 Review

I don't think I need to tell anyone how excited I was for this movie. This is the reunion of my two favorite people, Robert Downey Jr and Shane Black. Most of you probably know that their last collaboration, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, is my favorite film, so you can only imagine what I was expecting from this movie. Needless to say, I got everything I wanted...and more.

Iron Man 3 is a real throwback to the first Iron Man film. It takes Tony Start out of the suit (for the majority of the film), and, metaphorically, puts him back into the cave (this time without Ho Yinsin.) Conversely, the tone of the film is nothing like what we have seen in it's predecessors. This film carries a lot darker undertones, while also having a lot more comedic scenes. It truly is a dark comedy; one that perfectly balances the dark with the comedic mastery of RDJ.

I think a lot of the success of this film goes to Shane Black and Drew Pearce for their superb script. The witty banter that was exchanged between all of the characters was absolutely spot on. Whether it be Tony with Pepper or Tony with Harley, the wit of the dialogue never falters. That being said, this hilarity would be lost without these phenomenal actors that can do such quick banter, and deliver lines in such a way that personifies the script in the best of ways. This is the perfect melding of writing and acting that I haven't seen in quite some time, and I am always in awe whenever it happens.

This being a huge summer blockbuster, I was expecting a lot of action, but was hoping for less unnecessary action than Iron Man 2. To say I was happy with the action sequences in this film would be an understatement. I found every single fight to be perfectly choreographed, so that I was never lost and always immensely entertained. I should also give huge points to director Shane Black and his DOP John Toll for being absolutely flawless in their filming of such elaborate scenes. I think the biggest standout action scene (to me at least) was when Tony is fighting baddies with only one Iron Man gauntlet and one leg. Whoever choreographed that scene really knows how to entertain, while also not overdoing it.

I think anyone thing that earned Iron Man 3 huge brownie points for me was it's independence from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This movie didn't try to be a stepping stone to a bigger picture, like a set-up to Guardians of the Galaxy or even Avengers 2. This was it's own film, focusing on the character of Tony Stark and investigating just how he deals with his own demons. It is a great critical analysis of exactly who Stark is, and has very little to do with the Iron Man persona that he has dawned. This is just another reason why the script was so excellent. 

The final point I want to make is slightly spoilery, so if you haven't seen the film, skip this paragraph and come back to it when you have! I have seen that a lot of people are up in arms about how the Mandarin was treated in this film. To those people, I have to concede that I was a little disappointed (upon first viewing) about how underused Ben Kingsley was, but after a second viewing, I see that it was a good choice. Yes, I would have done it differently and utilized Kingsley's talents in very different ways, but I think that the message is a lot deeper this way. The Mandarin isn't a person so much as an idea. So, yes, those who are familiar with the comics and wanted to see the Mandarin they know and loved will be disappointed. But if you can see past that and see what the filmmakers were trying to do...I think you will enjoy what is put on the screen (and especially enjoy Kingsley's hilarious performance.)

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Summing this movie up is hard, but I'll try. This movie is haunted by the ghost of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, whether it be in the dialogue, or just from certain shots bringing back old memories (Tony and Rhodey at the end felt exactly like Harry and Perry. No joke.) The writing/directing of Shane Black was perfect, and exactly what this franchise needed. And he coaxed some spot on performances out of all of his actors to accentuate just how perfect this script was.

Writing: 9/10

Directing: 8.5/10

Acting: 8/10

Pacing: 7/10

Rewatchability: 10/10

Score: 8.5/10