Movie Review Jackie K Cooper
"Iron Man 3" (Disney)
"Iron Man 3" proves once and for all time that Robert Downey, Jr. is the heart and soul of this Marvel Comic film franchise. Without him the franchise would not have the charm, the excitement or the humor that it possesses. In this the installment of the series he is an absolute necessity and has the entire weight of the movie on his shoulders. With such a load he cannot fly as high as he did in earlier stories but he still manages to give it enough star power to make it enjoyable.
The main problem with this 3rd installment is that it is aimed primarily at the fanboys. The story takes up shortly after the plot of "The Avengers" has ended and the facts of that film impact on this one. If by chance you did not see that movie then you might be confused by Tony Stark's (Downey, Jr.) funk which is driving him to sleepless nights. His lover Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) understands but can't really help him.
It is only after his home is attacked that Iron Man gets his mojo back. This is some fifteen or twenty minutes into the film and it has been proceeding at a crawl up to that time. When you are watching an Iron Man film you want the action to be quick, exciting and often. You don't want your hero spending his time navel gazing.
The movie has a large supporting cast that includes Ben Kingsley and Guy Pierce as villains, Don Cheadle as Tony's best friend, William Sadler as the President, and Paltrow as the love interest. Still these good actors (for the most part) lend little to the enjoyment of the movie. They are just filling holes that are required by the script. The most superfluous character is Paltrow's Pepper. She just drags the movie down each time she appears.
There are also inconsistencies in the story that will have the audience scratching its head. One scene has Iron Man fighting Aldrich Killian (Pierce). Killian manages to cut off Iron Man's leg but when Stark emerges from the suit he is physically fine. Why wasn't his leg missing?
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
Downey, Jr. is the saving grace of the movie. He looks the part physically; he is able to toss off the one liners to great effect; and he makes the man a believable hero. All else in this film may be less than great but Downey saves the day. This franchise is nothing without him. He is irreplaceable.
I scored "Iron Man 3" a depressed 6 out of 10.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com