Shane Black's Dark Humor and Verbal Wit isn't Enough to Save This Formulaic Ruination of the Original Comic

Rating: 5/10 (3 May 2013)

Marvel's ridiculous dogmatic hold on their chosen formulaic plot structure for their films hasn't yielded the best products when it comes to their character specific adventures, especially in upholding untouchable comic book material and characters. After the atrocity that was Iron Man 2, where Jon Favreau tinkered with not only one but two villain interpretations Whiplash and Crimson Dynamo, it was clear that the reins of control might have to change hands in order to preserve the shreds of positive creativity that were rather limited. The decision to hire director/screenwriter Shane Black wasn't an odd one because his incredible sharp wit would definitely compliment the narcissistic persona of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark and has been evident before through penning the Lethal Weapon franchise and in his directorial debut Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. But not even the darkly humoristic additions or the frenetic action sequences could salvage the complete bastardization of the comic in relation to the utter ruination of Iron Man's devout nemesis, the Mandarin. Basically Iron Man 3 squanders needed guidance from its comic book source by completely ignoring its merits creating a storyline that is practically insulting to dedicated readers and longtime fans. What becomes crystal clear throughout the latest Iron Man installment is that Disney, with their unfettered franchise building of Marvel material, really doesn't care about original fans and seem to be quite antagonistic towards their love of the origins and characters in the comics themselves. There's no doubt that many desensitized moviegoers will find a great deal of enjoyment through Downey's witty banter and Shane Black's kinetic yet hollow action sequences, but the limitations posed by the Marvel formula is a creative barrier that needs to be eliminated. It never mattered who was piloting this cinematic suit, whether it was Jon Favreau or newcomer Shane Black, because the real villain behind the curtain is Disney and Marvel itself since their focus on potential merchandise in gadgetry has diminished the creative soul and drive of their pictures. Franchises might make money but sometimes, or most times when it comes to Marvel films, they make fools of us all when they claim ignorance to the original comics and create travesties of epic proportions much like Iron Man 3.
Read more: http://wp.me/py8op-y1 More reviews: Generationfilm.net