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The last Iron Man film was severely lacking a great villainous feeling, the action seemed like it went nowhere, and even the wittiness we have come to expect from Tony Stark just fell flat. All of that was back for Iron Man 3, making it perhaps the most engaging and entertaining of the series so far.
America is under attack from a terrorist known as The Mandarin, and when Tony Stark’s good friend Happy Hogan is left in a coma, Stark issues a threat to the Mandarin starting a war that this time Stark may not be able to win.
All of the key players are back, including Robert Downey Junior, Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle, this time under the direction of Shane Black instead of Jon Favreau( who reprised his role as Hogan). Not only was the film directed by Black, but the screenplay was written by Black and Drew Pearce, and probably featured the best one liners in the series thus far. Tony Stark is known for his sarcastic attitude, his ego and his confidence and even though he has struggling a bit since the events of the Avengers all the classic Stark personality traits were present.
Robert Downey Junior is flawless when portraying Tony Stark. He fits into the role so easily and it has been fun to watch him develop this character from an egotistical billionaire playboy to someone who struggles and battles anxiety. It was that aspect of the film that really sold the character development, it was a new side of Tony, a more vulnerable side of himself that opened up the film to new potentials and Shane Black was able to capitalize on them.
Newcomers to the series Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley and Rebecca Hall all had key contributions to the end result, most notably Pearce. Half way through the film the plot takes a turn, one that was completely unexpected and is drawing heavy criticism, but one that worked for film purposes. Kingsley and Pearce nailed their villainous roles, adding a little fun to it thanks to Black’s cheeky screenplay. Hall’s character tied the story together, playing a huge part in Tony’s past and now the present. Rebecca Hall is a fantastic actress and she proved that once again here. Another solid role for her.
This film could stand as the conclusion to the solo Iron Man films. It was a fitting story, one that tested Stark and his loyalties. It has become clear that Robert Downey Junior is Iron Man, and replacing him now for the Avengers 2 would be a terrible mistake. He has created something special with Tony Stark/Iron Man and it is a must that he see it through to Marvel’s ultimate conclusion (whether that be Civil War, or something else). Tony Stark has always been a great character, and having an actor with the talent that RDJ has play him is just a delight and something fans deserve to see for many years to come. On the flip side, if this does happen to be the last we see of RDJ as Iron Man, it’s been a lot of fun and I have been thoroughly entertained by the stories.
8/10
