Last year at the end of April I went with my extended family to go see the Avengers at Copenhagen’s Imperial theater. Before the show we made an effort to eat at The Shawarma Grill House as we did last year (https://thefwoosh.com/2012/04/marvel-avengers-movie-whoa) and it is the perfect start for any Marvel movie experience. Once filled up on shawarma’s fries, hummus, and tabouli we made our way to the theater.
I’ll be honest, I did not know what to expect from the 3rd and possible final Iron Man movie. I do know that the “theme” would be part of a build up into the 2nd Avengers movie, whatever that means. My expectations were low, my excitement high. What could we really expect from a 3rd (4th) Tony Stark movie? After all, Avengers was as much Iron Man development as it was anything else.
Surprisingly, Iron Man 3 continued to deliver good, solid Tony Stark development. And that made the experience all the more entertaining. Developing a suit of armor is easy, but developing the guy that wears it? That’s another trick. Marvel did a fantastic job delivering another good, solid Tony Stark story.
It is important that people remember that Iron Man, as with many Marvel characters, is the story about the man behind the mask. Marvel prided itself, and still does pride itself, on focusing on the characters, or rather the flaws that drive them. Captain America being too weak to enlist, Spider-Man being a stereotypical physically weak science genius, Iron Man being a spoiled millionaire playboy. Overcoming those human flaws to become heroes is what allows them to save the world time and time again. Those flaws make them relatable. Iron Man 3 continues to focus on that theme from the comics and the first two films.
Tony is not perfect. And despite his super-genius and money and suit of armor, he’s vulnerable. He can’t protect everyone and his arrogance is often a source of weakness. In Iron Man 3, both of these flaws haunt him. As does his past, another ongoing theme. Tony’s mistakes, his way of dealing with issues, even his father’s dealings continue to haunt him, catch up with him. He’ll never truly right all the wrongs he’s committed; it is how he handles them going forward that is interesting.
Yes! This movie is a story about Tony Stark. But there is plenty of the suit in the film. Don’t worry, there is plenty of the suit in the film. They did an excellent job with the suit, in defining what it was and is to Tony, how the suit and Tony are the same. At the end of the first Iron Man film, Stark says “I am Iron Man.” You can’t have an Iron Man without Tony wearing the suit (and marketing will demand a new suit). You get a new suit and some 40 others. And they get plenty of action and screen time.
The action was well done in the film. Well worth it, big, big, fast-paced action.
There is a lot to see in this movie. It will require further viewings to enjoy the threads that continue to weave through the Marvel Movieverse. These stories are not simple, there are always implied events, referred to events, and a whole lot of reading into things. That’s what makes these movies fun to watch over and over again; the little tidbits and details that keep popping. The clues, the hints, the references, and the post-credit scenes and information.
The movie’s broken the overseas box office record set by Avengers pulling in $195.3 million over the weekend. That’s a hell of a lot of money and it hasn’t even opened in the US yet. Robert Downey Jr.’s contract is expired after this film, and I’m not certain what his status is beyond this film with Marvel. Hopefully the big box office draw will allow Marvel to bring him back. Hopefully he wants to come back. I can’t see anyone else playing the role.
What can I say? Go see this movie, once or twice. Or thrice. Take in another well written story about Tony Stark as Iron Man, take in some fantastic visuals and another fantastic tale in the Marvel Movieverse.
And make sure to plan a Shawarma feast before or after.
Check out Jedd’s review at fwooshflix: http://fwooshflix.com/2013/04/25/iron-man-3-review
As always you can discuss this topic further on the fwoosh forums: https://thefwoosh.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=78146
Marvel Studios have said that they are looking to follow the James Bond approach to superheroes, in that the universe will stay, and the actors will be recast. I like that, honestly, and think it will keep the universe fresh for a long time to come! I will hate it when RDJ stops putting on the suit, but man.. he made an entire comic universe possible in the movies, and that gives him an eternal geek pass and my absolute gratitude!
3D and I forgot it was in 3D so that’s a positive. I really get lost in these Marvel movies, like my wife said, “can’t wait for it to come out on Bluray to take it all in again.”
nice, i cant wait!
did you see it in imax 3D or in regular 3D? im curious to hear how good the 3D is, I had to watch AVengers imax 3D THREE times because it was soooo stunning, im sure i’ll be in the imax3D seat several times for this one too!!