Biff, bash, bang & plenty more. And what a villain in The Mandarin!

Rating: 8/10 (7 May 2013)

I'm tempted to say Iron Man 3 is the best of the franchise so far in this strand of the Marvel universe. While the 2008 original was thrilling and introduced the world to the mega-rich playboy Tony Stark and his creation perfectly, 2010's sequel floundered at times. With Shane Black taking over the helm from Jon Favreau, Iron Man is back with a punch and it's an absolute blast.
When Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) personal life is severely threatened and his home obliterated by a terrorist, The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), it becomes personal. Iron Man 3 is not so much about saving America from another larger-than-life villain but about personal revenge. Stark finds himself out of his depth and needing to rely on instincts and the core of his knowledge rather than the excessively equipped laboratories and workshops. As he battles villainy that runs deep, the stress on his relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and his own panic attacks, Stark must face the truth of the real question that plagues him: Does the man maketh the suit or the suit maketh the man?
Iron Man 3 opens with a fun pre-history of Stark where we see what an arrogant fool he was. It serves as an easy introduction to principal guest characters Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall) and Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) as well as a giving a wink to the fanboys and a nod to the previous two films. It sets the film up nicely as a romp with plenty of gadgets, effects, explosions and a broad smile. More than anything, Iron Man 3 is fun and, at times, very funny.
Black, directing only his second feature (after Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), has co-written the screenplay with Drew Pearce and his own taste for fun and excess is stamped all the way through it. We see far more of what makes Stark tick; his foibles are laid out for us to mull over and, rather than making him seem weak, he becomes more approachable, more tangible, to us. Downey Jr. is on familiar ground but stretches more to give a fuller performance. There are no surprises but he is satisfyingly suave and cheekily engaging.
Black gives Paltrow more to play with in this third installment. Whereas she was previously consigned to forgettable girl on the arm, her Pepper has a more integral role in the film and, even more, a substantial effect on Stark's life and decisions. Here we see that she genuinely matters to him. She is fun, she cares and she isn't going to stand for any more of his bad behavior.
Hall, as old flame scientist Maya, is just there. She appears in Iron Man 3 and is effective but, a day later, her presence is barely memorable and she fades behind even the vocal performance of Paul Bettany as Jarvis, the computer with more human qualities and attitude than, well, Maya.
Pearce almost reprises his role as Peter Weyland (from Prometheus) but with perhaps a little more tongue in his cheek and a step towards Bond villain status. We have too little of him to really enjoy but his moments on the screen are enjoyable as he evolves from geek to super-brained scientist with a political agenda. Pearce moves easily from star to supporting actor and rarely phones in his performances as certain other stars seem to on 'easy mortgage payment' movies. He adds a welcome edge to a film that would otherwise be all about explosions and digital effects but never slows down the pace.
Iron Man 3, however, belongs to one man, and he doesn't wear a metal suit. When we first meet Kinsley's Mandarin it looks as though we're in for a king-sized dollop of ham, as the trailer testifies, that should have been consigned to the bin along with The Hood (No, don't try to defend Thunderbirds, it just won't cut it with me!). But as the film rolls on and his character unfolds, Kingsley provides the greatest moments in a thoroughly enjoyable romp and one is left to wonder whether Downey Jr. respects him for his portrayal as the villain or is severely miffed at having his film well and truly stolen from him. The Mandarin is as memorable a character from Sir Ben as Behrani, Don Logan and Itzhak Stern; and just look at these characters to understand the true versatility of one of the finest actors working on stage and screen today!
There are certain names that, when they appear on the screen, leave no room for ambiguity. We know what we're getting from Pixar, Disney, Aardman Animations. The same is true of Marvel and Stan Lee; we're in it for the action, for the spectacle, for the disposable entertainment that will biff, bash and bang. Iron Man 3 gives us all of that and plenty more and it doesn't need 3D to make it work. Having watched it in good old two dimensions, only one scene looks as though it would have been more complete with the third dimension and it was in there purely for the gimmickry. Iron Man 3 doesn't need those cheap tricks with the talent in front of and behind the camera.
The final text upon the screen declares that Tony Stark will return. Whether that will be in Iron Man 4 or just the touted The Avengers 2 remains to be seen. But if this is the end of Iron Man in his own right, what a way to bow out! Who knows what the future holds for the franchise? For now, let's just sit back and enjoy every moment of this fantastic, explosive ride.
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