IRON MAN 3 - High Octane Action That May Leave Comic Purists Cold

When MARVEL Studio's released the original IRON MAN film in 2008, they had a game changer. The film took a second string MARVEL Comics hero and made him the center piece of the their fledgling Cinematic Universe. Then in 2010, with the release of IRON MAN 2 they expanded that universe by bringing in new characters like Nick Fury and Black Widow to expand that universe and lay the ground work for their upcoming AVENGERS film. In that sense, the prior IRON MAN films seemed to serve a larger purpose. Which may be why IRON MAN 3 seems to have some problems.

It must first be stated that IRON MAN 3 is, without a doubt, a full tilt action thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Director Shane Black has crafted a powerful film that will dazzle the senses and give you everything you could possibly want from IRON MAN film. Except maybe consistency. There is a lot of build up in this film. A heavy thread of terrorism that mirrors modern current events and even taps into some of our fears. The threat for our favorite billionaire playboy is ramped up thoroughly in the first act as Tony Stark struggles to come to terms with the fact that he is just a man in the midst of larger galactic struggles, and attempts to safeguard the love of his life, Pepper Potts. Unfortunately these threats never turn out to be much more than hollow.

Even with a healthy dose of explosions, hand to hand combat and plenty of fiery imagery, IRON MAN 3 builds up to a crescendo that while visually and viscerally exciting seems little more than contrived. The major threat of the first two acts of the film is revealed to little more than a joke, and the films major antagonist never really comes across as, well...threatening. That isn't to say that the film doesn't have breath taking scenes of danger and suspense. Now, the film does help to expand the larger MARVEL Cinematic Universe, but it's hard to see how any element of IRON MAN 3 will play into the upcoming THOR, Captain America, of Guardian's Of The Galaxy films. 

Having said all of this, most audiences will enjoy, even love IRON MAN 3. However, there will be throngs of comic book faithful that will feel a little betrayed by what ultimately takes place. IRON MAN 3 is in U.S. theaters beginning today.