Watching your favorite superhero being destroyed is never an easy task, especially when he’s beaten to a bloody pulp. But if he gave up right then and there, then he wouldn’t be a superhero, would he?
Iron Man bounces back in the first of many “Phase 2” projects for Marvel in “Iron Man 3.” Ever since his traumatic experiences in “The Avengers,” Tony Stark faces a whole new set of obstacles. While battling a serious anxiety problem, his life and the world around him shift. When audiences are first reintroduced to him, he no longer sleeps and spends his time focused on tinkering with his suit for improvements.
Meanwhile, terrorists and con men are dominating the non-supernatural world as they destroy the planet from the inside out. Tony must once again make the choice between controlling his own selfish tendencies and making the world a safer place for the people around him.
“Iron Man 3” delivers what Marvel fans have been craving since “The Avengers,” as Iron Man is as witty as ever. The film is full of surprises and twists at every turn and, shockingly enough for Tony, full of heart.
Robert Downey Jr. stuns as always, encompassing every fine detail of who Iron Man is while also leaving his own imprint on the character. His delivery is perfectly timed, making the most serious and uneasy moments laughable. Downey connects to the audience through the duality of Tony’s serious, ass-kicking side and sarcastic, ridiculous persona. This plays out in a few memorable scenes between Tony and a young boy — he is incredibly kind to the boy one minute, and the next, he’s ordering the boy to fetch him a sandwich.
Downey isn’t the only scene-stealer, though. Gwyneth Paltrow holds her own as the fiery Pepper Potts. She is no longer the docile personal assistant we once knew — she has become more of her own woman, and Paltrow makes jaws drop as Pepper finally enjoys her shining moment.
Ben Kingsley makes his mark on the “Iron Man” franchise as the cunning villain, the Mandarin. Kingsley takes the villain to a whole new level as he effortlessly portrays the dimensionality of the Mandarin though his well-tailored acting skills. Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce take their supporting characters and turn them into major players, with their fluently delivered one-liners and the care they give to developing their characters.
As in every “Iron Man” film so far, the writing is full of one-liners, sarcastic comebacks and scenes jam-packed with non-stop action. Nevertheless “Iron Man 3” also has something we have rarely seen before in Tony — a heart. Tony seems to be much more aware of the world full of people around him as he begins to take on the selflessness that we admire in other superheroes.
“Iron Man 3” is everything Marvel fans could ask for and more. However, without giving too much away, the ending may not be what the diehard fans want to see happen. But not to worry — “Iron Man 3” delivers in every other way imaginable.
Tony Stark has once again proven himself to be everything we need a superhero to be. He says it best himself: “I am Iron Man.”
A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, May 2 print edition. Laura Wolford is a staff writer. Email her at [email protected].