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Iron Man 3

 
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Vlad Piranha
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Joined: 15 Jul 2005
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PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2013 11:39 pm 
Post subject: Iron Man 3
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When we last saw Tony Stark, he had performed admirably during the events of the film The Avengers, removing all lingering doubts about Iron Man's ability to protect the innocent when called upon. He grew as a character and learned to contribute to a team rather than go it alone as he almost always does. In the events of Iron Man 3, he once again finds himself in a battle for survival, but operating alone is now a frightening thought to him. Stark's Iron Man persona was created as an answer to the bullets and bombs of a violent world he hoped to save from itself. Built to withstand the worst threats he could imagine, Iron Man was virtually invincible in a combat environment. His world is now so much larger than it was and even someone as wealthy and brilliant as he is can't help but feel weak and vulnerable in a universe populated by gods and gamma monsters. His armor was meant to be the centerpiece of his legacy. Now, as Captain America's jab no doubt rattles around in his head, he contemplates who and what he really is without his superhero alter ego. Were this identity crisis not trying enough, he very quickly finds himself squaring off against a frightening terrorist mastermind known as The Mandarin. The death and violence that Stark always rooted out has, quite literally, been brought to his backyard and it becomes clear that the Mandarin and his resources are a significant threat to be reckoned with regarding himself as well as everyone and everything he cares about.

The way I see it, the three Iron Man films feature three major conundrums for the Tony Stark character. Iron Man questioned his ideals. Iron Man 2 tested those ideals and questioned what he was willing to fight for. Iron Man 3 leaves the simplest, yet most important question of all, for last - who am I? This makes Iron Man 3 more like the first film in its emphasis on characterization, but spends even more time with it, making this a very character driven film. The balance of plot and character development was a delicate one, but I believe it was well handled. While some of the expected witty banter may needlessly fatten up certain scenes, I found Tony Stark far more interesting and heroic without his suits. This successful mission is thanks in no small part to Robert Downey Jr.'s acting chops. He didn't bookend his involvement with Iron Man with a lackluster effort, to say the very least.

The film suffers from some flaws that will irk some viewers. While I liked how character development as a whole was made a priority, it wasn't kind to all players. While a magic wielding comic book villain like the Mandarin would inevitably be retooled to work in a more realistic and gritty movie universe, the liberties taken with his characterization in this film will surely be very offensive to die hard Iron Man fans who have waited for five years to see a showdown with his arch-nemesis. I imagine that this is especially painful for them since Thor and Captain America enthusiasts were given brilliant representations of Loki and Red Skull. One of my biggest pet peeves in storytelling is when a popcorn movie like this is crammed with modern political sensibilities to make it more hip and relevant.

Iron Man 3's tone is noteworthy for how it differs from its predecessors. While I don't miss the childish barrage of sexual innuendo from Iron Man 2, other elements from the previous films have been changed, sometimes out of necessity. Now that the Avengers have been established within the continuity of this universe, the fun cameos that have led up to this point are missing. Iron Man 3 is not a lead-up to anything. It stands on its own and focuses on serious, and sometimes melodramatic, plot points. This feels more like an action movie with comic characters in it rather than an action-packed comic book movie. The previous Iron Man films helped to further establish the superhero flick as a nascent sub-genre. For better or worse, IM3 steps away from that framework a bit.

I'd give this a B+ and recommend it as a decent way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I did not see it in 3D, so spend the extra bills at your own peril as I have no idea what your money will be buying. Iron Man 3 is better than Iron Man 2 was in many ways, but lost ground in others, so you end up with a bit of a toss up. There was more time spent with supporting characters to make them cool, especially James Rhodes. While I regret that this film didn't quite get the villain it deserved, or the tight pacing that would have helped it, it still functions and the action was very well handled. I think the film succeeded at what it was trying to do and I did like it quite a bit. Stay for the end credits Easter egg. Those have become a tradition and you won't be left wanting.
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tru.pairadocs
Backstabbing Turd-nugget Spymaster


Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Location: Michigan
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 3:48 pm 
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Good review as always Vlad, +1

*SPOILERS..sorta?*
My one big question after walking away from the movie was why didn't he get that shrapnel removed from his heart in the middle of the 1st movie after he escaped from captivity?
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massive
Captain Ass Kicking Asshole


Joined: 13 Mar 2005
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PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 5:38 pm 
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tru.pairadocs wrote:

*SPOILERS..sorta?*
My one big question after walking away from the movie was why didn't he get that shrapnel removed from his heart in the middle of the 1st movie after he escaped from captivity?


Duh! The screen writer was too focused on the awesome chest light
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I'm offended that a zombie holocaust isn't on the list. It would be terrifying, sure, but it would be pretty sweet if you think about it.
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Stealth
▲RAWR TRIANGLE RAWR▲


Joined: 13 Mar 2005
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 8:01 pm 
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I have two scenarios, but here's something to consider: We're dealing with huge lapses in time.

Remember that he invented his first micro power plant in his chest that not only saves his life but powered his suit.

In the second movie, he was sucumbing to metallic poisoning generated by his life saving device. Had he been able to remove the shrapnel, he would have done so, rather than changing the metal cartridge. He mustn't have been able to remove it as he even invented an entirely new element.

In the third movie, he must have mastered his technology due to the vast amount of suits. Tech must have advanced far enough to make the removal of a sensitive area possible.

The second theory is that if the tech was possible, it can be noted that Stark is egotistical and selfish, but mainly a rich businessman. Being a star of his magnitude could cause a lot of stockholders to drop and for people to lose faith in his company. It's not that he would sudden become poor overnight, but he seemingly enjoyed his life and the people he hired. With Pepper being a major crush, he most likely didn't want to worry her or cause her stress while she ran the company.
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Vlad Piranha
Dictator-Elect
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Joined: 15 Jul 2005
Location: Sector C Test Labs.
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2013 8:58 pm 
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-Spoiler City-

There are two things to consider in regards to the arc reactor. One is pretty straightforward, the other is a bit more psychological.

First, the ending to the film implied that in order to help Pepper's condition, Tony would need to master AIM's research into bio-engineering. By doing so, he figured out how to isolate its regenerative properties for medical purposes. This is how he was able to survive a procedure that once would have killed him. Up until this point, a surgical removal of the shrapnel would have been the proverbial cure that's worse than the disease.

Secondly, in keeping with the film's tone, there was a psychological attachment to the chest piece. I've heard of terminal cancer patients who suffer from depression after they find their diseases in remission. That's all a matter of identity crisis. As strange as it is, people define themselves by their tragedies and shortcomings and cling to them to make sense of thier existences. Stark's life up until his imprisonment is something that he'd grown to be ashamed of. He preferred the current, broken version of himself to what he used to be and drew a clear distinction between the two men. That's the importance of him tossing the Arc into the ocean at the end of the film. After Iron Man 3, he realized that it wasn't circumstances that forced him to be one of the good guys and it wasn't an obligation. It was all pure choice. Iron Man wasn't a persona he created to combat the terrible things that Tony Stark did, Tony Stark was Iron Man. He made mistakes, he would fix them, and tomorrow was another day that could be whatever he wanted it to be and whoever he was that day would be good enough.
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tru.pairadocs
Backstabbing Turd-nugget Spymaster


Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Location: Michigan
PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2013 7:03 am 
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Ahh that makes sense Vlad, I had considered the second point but hadn't thought about the first
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plunderwondr
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Joined: 21 Mar 2013
PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2013 4:08 pm 
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Love the review, but watching that movie was a large let down to me. I found Tony Stark fairly interesting (nothing compared to the first film) in character, but the movie just fell flat as another movie trying to suck out the last of the money instead of bringing a story to life for me. Still, closure enough to the Iron Man movies to be worth seeing if you enjoyed the other 2.
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