Iron Man 3

Director: Shane Black

Stars: Robert Downey Junior, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kinglsey, Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle

Hugh's View:

So as another year trundles along, Marvel seek once more to expand their cinematic universe. For the unitiated, this is the film enterprise they have been building since the release of the first Iron Man film in 2008, whereby all subsequent releases from Marvel films have taken place in the same fictional universe, featuring characters and references which come from one film and lead in to another. Phase one culminated in the box office behemoth that was last years Avengers Assemble. Now begins phase two and the ball is firmly back in the court of the metal man that first got it rolling.

Despite that lengthy preamble, one of the most admirable things about the new film is the manor in which it seems to be its own entity. One of the (admittedly many) criticisms that were levelled at both the previous Iron Man film and the Captain America film is that they were burdened with a sense that the creative focus had gone in to setting up the Avengers film as opposed to creating something exhilarating and engaging unto themselves. Iron Man 3 suffers from no such problems. Here the focus is on showing the audience a good time and sparing no amount of energy to do it. With this mindset in place the results were always going to err on the side of positive.

This vitality is thanks in no small part to the introduction of director Shane Black to the franchise. As a man who made his name directing and perhaps more importantly writing fast moving and fast talking action classics such as Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout, he was the perfect choice for taking it in to a new gear. The character of Tony Stark is always meant to be the man with the best lines in any room and with someone like Shane Black writing them and an actor like Robert Downey Junior delivering them, it was always going to be a match made in heaven.

If Blacks contribution is the seasoning that gives this action casserole its flavour, there is no denying that Robert Downey Junior's performance is the meat at the heart of it, and what a choice cut he provides. That last analogy may or may not be connected to the fact I have just eaten dinner. That is beside the point.

The point is more that Tony Stark/Iron Man is the character that really kick started the career resurgence that RDJ has experienced over the past few years and this film really shows him earning it. With the suit and the hero it represents having been firmly established over his previous 3 film appearances, the focus shifts far more heavily on to the character of Stark himself. The soul of this film lies in the vulnerability of the human being behind the hero. With his previous ironclad heroics producing feats that challenge the comprehension of even his genius level I.Q, this third solo outing finds him struggling to cope with the physical, psychological and emotional needs of the man who performed them.

It sounds like weighty stuff and RDJ's performance never lets you lose sight of this, but at the same time his natural charisma and wit give the whole proceedings an almost feather-light feel which you are never less than happy to carried along by. It is easy to be dismissive of performances in blockbuster films as simply mindless acts of money making but this is a performance that you feel the actor truly invests in and as a result, you as the audience are completely behind it as well.

The films main villain in the form of Ben Kingsley's The Mandarin is likely to be a more divisive issue. It is hard to reveal too much without giving away massive spoilers but the point in which the full extent of his character is revealed will likely be a point when many viewers will decide whether they are going to go with the film or not. Needless to say it is not the same character know by the comic purists but from my perspective, this is a good thing. I found him to be a surprisingly apt representation of modern terrorism and Ben Kingsley's performance to be knowingly humorous and effective.

The film is not without its flaws. For me it felt slightly unfocussed in its second act. Whilst it is entirely acceptable that the film needed to separate Tony Stark from the Iron Man suit in order for the character arc to come to fruition, it felt at times like it was almost a segment from another film that had simply had Iron Man transplanted in to it. This section was also littered with coincidences and plot holes larger than the dimensional rift he flew through at the end of The Avengers. You would also have to think that Rebecca Hall will be having words with her agent as her role is the definition of thankless.

By the time the final showdown comes around though, you will have forgiven and forgotten all of these minor imperfections as the sense of spectacle and enjoyment is too overwhelming to allow for secondary assessments. Whilst this summer is set to be rife with action spectaculars, the climactic battle in this film sets the bar admirably high. It also features a sight gag that can stand proudly alongside those that audiences adored so much in The Avengers.

Ultimately the film is a significant success and lives up to the considerable expectations heaped upon its chrome shoulders. Shane Black gives the film an energy and humour that surges right through the screen and out in to the audience whilst Robert Downey Junior earns every last cent of his no doubt substantial pay cheque. It gives the rest of Marvels upcoming phase two slate a lot to live up to but if the rest of the journey is as entertaining as this, you can expect it to be just as profitable and well received as its forbearers.

Also Watch: 

The obvious choices would be Lethal Weapon, the film in which Shane Black made his name or Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, his previous collaboration with Robert Downey Junior. Whilst these are both excellent films and well worth checking out, the real forgotten gem in Shane Black's back catalogue, or should I say, Black catalogue...hmm maybe I shouldn't say that, is The Last Boy Scout. Spectacular action, truly hilarious and featuring a close to career best performance from its star Bruce Willis, it really is a must see.