Over the weekend, I went to watch the new movie Iron Man 3. I will admit that I am an avid Marvel movie fan and could almost not contain myself at the prospect of this new movie entering the Iron Man trilogy.
For those who have never seen any of the Iron Man movies, here is a brief summary: they are about young billionaire, philanthropist, genius, and playboy Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) – who is a legendary weapons builder and designer – is giving a presentation about a new missile in Afghanistan. There is an accident in which Tony is gravely wounded and then kidnapped by enemy combatants. He barely survives, using a piece of shrapnel and car battery to defibrilate his heart. While imprisoned, he creates a suit with the ability to fly and shoot. He uses this “iron man” to escape and get home where he continues to work on perfecting the suit, unaware of the troubles that will ensue.
In the third movie (starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley), Tony Stark starts seeing his world crashing around him as mysterious explosions occur without any trace of a bomb. He is not only dealing with heavy stress catalyzed by a devastating scene in New York, but also his relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). These emotional issues are only compounded when he faces a mysterious terrorist, known as ‘the Mandarin,’ who starts making attacks on the US. When one of Tony’s old friends (and bodyguard) is badly injured in one of the Mandarin’s mysterious explosions, Tony along with the help of a young boy (Ty Simpkins), make final adjustments to the suit and begin to piece together the secrets of the Mandarin — whose final “lesson” promises to be the most painful.
The scenes and set-pieces were captivating. The interactions between characters were mesmerizing, and director Shane Black did a wonderful job of showing how Tony had changed greatly while still keeping his witty humor and other old qualities close at hand. Tony battles inner demons and external daemons and puts forth much effort to keep them under control. This movie was a great continuation of the Iron Man trilogy, complete with a startling plot twist and a surprising conclusion which left me stunned. As the credits rolled down the screen, I joined my fellow moviegoers in saluting this tribute to the Marvel series, Iron Man, with a tumult of applause that lasted long into the credits before I left for home.
I would recommend going to this movie if you are one for the Marvel movies, and, even if you’re not, you might be pleasantly surprised by Iron Man 3.
