THOR: THE DARK WORLD REVIEW

It’s been a while since I did my last review and we are fast approaching the end of 2013 and so far the list of action, adventure films has been mediocre to say the least. Well be prepared to add another one to the list.

Thor 2 aka The Dark World directed by Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones) is the sequel to Marvel Studios Fantasy, Adventure, Sci-fi, Thor and a follow up to the aftermaths of Avengers and the second Phase 2 film, which finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) bringing peace to the Nine Realms and ending a two year war.

But before everyone can go back to celebrating and drinking themselves stupid, love interest and Astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) discovers mysterious portals opening up in London and is sucked up into one of them before finding and becoming infected by a dark and mysterious force of energy called the Aether that in turn awakens the vanquished warriors, the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim who have been in suspended animation for thousands of years.

Led by their leader Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) and his loyal Henchman Algrim (Adewale Akinnuove-Agbaje), the Dark Elves seek to recapture the Aether in order to bring eternal darkness to the universe. Thus an invasion attack is led on Asgard that ends in unexpected tragedy for Thor and his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins).

Seeking vengeance and a means to stop Malekith before he can accomplish his goals and also having to save Jane before the dark force inside her consumes her, Thor and his allies put into motion a plan that will kill two birds with one stone, but it requires having to team up with the one person who Thor cannot trust, his imprisoned and war criminal step-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

With the way the plot sounds one would assume it would be a complicated mess but surprisingly the overall film is a tad bit too simple that tries too hard at pretending its smart but for the most part it gets the job done. What makes this film really tick is the way it manages to cram so much information and moments into its fast-paced running time.

Clocking just under two hours The Dark World is a fun, (and I use that term loosely) rollercoaster ride that starts off somewhat slow before reaching the halfway point and taking off at unexpected speed, making the film a entertaining past-time to sit through. But with that said the introduction of new faces and the return of old ones means that the majority of supporting characters don’t get the character development that they deserve.

While Director Alan Taylor manages to give everyone their moments to shine the lack of screen-time for each of them makes one yearn for more than is offered. The Warriors Three (Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano and Zachary Levi who replaces Josh Dallas as the character of Fandral) especially appear here and there as quick glimpses and each having one small part to play when it comes to the plot. I

Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander) gets a bit more screen-time with hints of a possible relationship forming between her and Thor but a love triangle never takes place and her character feels like a pretty face passing by. Then there is Heimdall (Idris Elba) who follows the same fate but has enough screen presence to still play a vital role in aiding Thor and proving himself to be a badass when he needs to be.

Nevertheless, what character development could be spend on these more interesting characters is wasted on more uninteresting returning ones, Dr. Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), Darcy (Kat Dennings) and her Intern and potential love Interest Ian (Jonathan Howard) who are nothing more than the film’s three stooges, providing the comic-relief and so-called humour that for the majority of the film really feels overdone.

Surprisingly Frigga (Rene Russo), Thor and Loki’s mother is given more to do here then its predecessor and offers some of the more emotional moments that this film provides, making it one of the more unique Marvel entries.

But overall, while the Supporting Cast does their best with what they are given it is the main performances and interactions between Hemsworth, Hiddleston, Portman and Hopkins that provide the story with the emotional investment that push the plot along.

Chris Hemsworth returns again as the mighty Thor, displaying his buff muscled arms and mighty Hammer and showcasing to us that he truly is the God of Thunder. But his character arc while understandable and an obvious progression of his character never really shines out. Where in the first film he had to learn about humility and managing to accomplish it in the most unrealistic time possible here he just plays the typical hero, the role feeling cliché but it is the small humour that Chris displays that makes his character shine. 

Natalie Portman’s romance between Thor which felt rushed and too quick to be taken seriously in the first film is given more time to develop here this time around and Portman herself manages to be more interesting and into character. That is until she is taken to Asgard her where her dull personality comes flowing back out and what should have been a story of her character learning and understanding the ways of Asgard and Thor’s family gaining insight as to why Thor loves her is never developed. Her time in Asgard itself is overly short spend and done with before it can even begin. 

With that said it is with no surprise that Tom Hiddleston’s performance as the fan-favourite Loki God of Mischief, manages to steal the show in every scene he appears in, giving us a look at his damaged and hurtful self. Add in the brotherly rivalry and trust issues between him and Thor and the film’s second act really stands out. The banter between them is not only funny but also natural giving their performances a more human quality and real-life feeling then the previous films have done. Loki’s character arc itself feels developed and full-filled and if it had ended here it would be on a powerful note but considering his popularity and multi-layered performance Hiddleston’s return is only inevitable. 

 

Sadly this is as good as the film gets because the rest of the performances and overall quality and structure of the film are disappointingly bland, unoriginal and quiet childish.

The portrayals of the film’s two major villains performed by Dr. Who actor Christopher Eccleston and Adewale Akinnuove-Agbaje is an underdeveloped mess. With their appearances hidden in the excellent make-up, which gives them a unique look and a frightening one for Akinnuove-Agbaje after his transformation into the terrifying monstrous Kurse, the characterization of their characters is cliché with no real motivation or character growth gone into them. The very fact that they are unrecognizable because of the make-up design means that any actors could have played their roles making it even more obvious that this was a simple quick pay check for them.

One could argue that the difference between the many other comic book movies is that Marvel Studios focuses on its title characters instead of trying to up the stakes by giving us better villains but as a saying goes, “A Hero is only as good as his Villain” and in this case it would ring true.

Not been able to connect with the Villain at all or having a somewhat psychological connection been formed between them that would make their battle feel more epic and emotional makes us want to not take them or the world they’re in seriously enough. There is a subplot of revenge and tragedy thrown into the mix but it all moves too fast like it is an afterthought and is never really made a big issue out of thus making everything feel too rushed. 

Again, it’s not as if the plot is complicated or hard to understand but that the plot and characters move too fast to really allow us to get a sense of who they are. There is a glimpse, moments, where Alan Taylor is trying to show us that this sequel can be much more than it is. But the difference between this project and his more darker, intense and human emotional filled works is that The Dark World never quiet reaches the so called layers of darkness that it promises. As said before, it is too childish and bland and that is mostly because of the god-awful humour and attempts at comedy. 

The Comedy overloads the entire film to the point where nothing can be taken seriously. The Marvel films are indeed known for their humour but the problem with Phase 2 so far is how Marvel seems to only be relying on that aspect of genre to sell its film to audiences. There is a time and place to crack jokes but when every scene and attempt is made at sprouting out a gag or joke it becomes repetitive and annoying. 

When a dark or serious moment does take place the film doesn’t take the risks to allow for those moments to develop naturally and instead throws in a joke scene to quickly lighten the mood as a way to change the subject and make us feel differently about what just occurred. It feels wrong, forced and just tacked on to the point that the film insults one’s intelligence.

It is at this point that Thor 2 starts to resemble more of a children’s Saturday morning cartoon instead of the type of superhero movie we have come to know and love. It loses its balance and in the end doesn’t know what it wants to be. It feels like a jumbled puzzle board thrown about that never quiet manages to fit together.

There are the subtle moments by characters and Loki’s dark sense of humour and uncaring nature which is part of his personality just comes off as natural along with a very specific cameo that just works so well. But the rest of it, namely anything to do with Darcy and Crew is vomit-inducing.

A lot of viewers have complained over the too serious nature and dark elements of such films like The Dark Knight Trilogy for example but Thor The Dark World makes me want to commit Seppuku because it doesn’t take itself seriously enough and tries too hard to be funny and never learns that less is more.

The Special Effects and action sequences are impressive enough but do have a television like quality to them at times gives them a cheap look and feel along with the fact that some parts are a obvious rip-off of other films that have done such set pieces better but there are some exceptions.

The Attack on Asgard is a major highlight mostly because of the epic entrance Kurse has that kick-stars the action. And everything with Loki is pretty much gold. And while the final battle is unique in the way its presented and shot because of the portals, which make it an edge of the seat worthy final-fight, it is unfortunately let down by the forced tacked in jokes, gags and underdeveloped villains but overall it is the forced gags that let it down.

But as said before the film is fun confusingly enough. Yes it is annoying, underdeveloped, rushed with horrible Slap-stick humour, but something about the way some scenes are done and the way the action flows so well together almost makes it give off a epic like feeling of fantasy plus Loki and his interactions with his family make this a sequel worth watching.  

In Conclusion it’s not bad and does entertain in a good way. While the forced humour lets it down and stops it from being the epic masterpiece it could have been and the short running time means a lot of characters don’t get their worth of time, Thor The Dark World is a decent entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it isn’t as good as the first one in my humble opinion but is more fun to watch but it is still a slightly disappointing sequel that does however end on a unexpected and shocking cliff-hanger. Give it a go but don’t expect anything much from it. And stay after the full Credits for Two End-Credit Scenes.

Overall I give this a score of…6.5/10

LIKES:

·    Tom Hiddleston as Loki. “Nuff Said”

·    Kurse. This guy is just plain badass and terrifying. This is a Henchman done right.

·    The Special Cameo involving Loki and Thor.

·    End Credits Scene One. This End Credit Sequence that appears mid-way through the Credits at the end sets up Guardians of the Galaxy and Phase 3’s MacGuffin. Really gets you pumped up for what is to come in the future. Then again they spend six years hyping up the Mandarin and look how that turned out. Fingers crossed it turns out well.

 HATES:

·    The Humour, the Gags…God I hate it all.

 

·    Darcy. The best way to describe her is that Darcy is the Jar Jar Binks of Thor. The big difference between this and the next two Star Wars Prequels is that George Lucas was smart enough to give Jar Jar as little and unfunny of a role as possible. But clearly Marvel really don't give a toss and want to torture us as much as possible.

 

·    Ian. This guy contributed nothing to the overall story and was like Darcy just a comic relief with no real purpose. Having one Darcy Binks was bad enough. But two is over stepping the mark.

 

·    Erik. What the hell happened here? This guy should’ve been suffering from Loki’s mind control in a silent and angry mood kind of way while regretting his actions and coming to terms with them. Not getting butt naked and running around like Woody Woodpecker. Way to ruin what could’ve been emotional character development for him. Instead he’s also reduced to a stupid ass comic relief.

 

·    The Warriors Three. These guys deserve so much more.

 

·    Lady Sif. She’s Thor’s love interest in the Comics and at one point even becomes processed and turns evil. Sadly with the way things are going now we’ll never see any such type of plot develop and its even more sad because Jamie Alexander is perfect and has potential.

 

·    Anthony Hopkins. The guy actually doesn’t look like he cares about doing this role and he just comes off as very bland. That and his characters an ass and douche compared to how he was in the original. Hopkins himself has said in a Interview that he's done with the role so good riddance I say if they want to get rid of him.

 

·    Malekith. Not a big fan of this villain so I wasn’t very excited to see him in this film in the first place. And rightfully so. The guy hardly has any scenes and doesn’t have a huge presence and feels like a waste. That mostly has to do with the fact that all his backstory and development scenes were deleted from the final cut. A shame really.

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS REVIEW

 

The Twelve Film in a long running franchise and sequel to the 2009 Reboot/Prequel/Sequel of the now Alternative Universe brings back the previous Enterprise Crew for another epic trek with J.J. Abrams back in the Director’s Chair and giving us another action-pumped adventure with emotion, humour and a visually impressive crafted Sequel that really brings out the darkness to it.

Taking place sometime after the events of the first film we find the USS Enterprise Crew in the middle of a rescue mission on the red forest planet of Nibiru, trying to save an indigent species from extinction via volcanic eruption. Things go wrong that put Spock’s (Zachary Quinto) life in danger and thus Kirk (Chris Pine) and Crew disobey the Prime Directive in order to rescue their fallen comrade from the depths of the fiery chasm, resulting in them revealing themselves to the natives and thus breaking protocol. 

This brings with it consequences that diminish Kirk from his command of the Enterprise with Admiral Pike (Bruce Greenwood) taking back command and it also causing a rift of mistrust between his relationship with Spock who at the same time struggles to maintain his level of logic and emotion between his Captain and relationship with Uhura (Zoe Saldana).

At the same time a mysterious Starfleet Official by the name of John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) sets up a deadly trap that ends with an attack on a Starfleet base in London setting in motion events that end with tragedy and the attempted assassinations of Starfleet officials.

Wanting vengeance, Kirk leads the USS Enterprise onto a mission to find and destroy Harrison who has escaped and hidden himself behind enemy lines in the very heart of the Klingon home world itself. But unknown to them they are being pulled into a web of shadows being mutilated between Harrison and outside forces that ends with History repeating itself.

 

Without giving away too much more that isn’t already known beyond this point I will say this, rarely do I leave the theatre without been annoyed or disappointed, but in this case I walked out with a huge smile on my face at having enjoyed something that not only entertained me but rekindled my somewhat lacked passion in the overall sci-fi space genre.

Star Trek Into Darkness is by all accounts one of the most fun, emotional, intense and amazing visual experiences I have had in a long time and that coming from someone like me who is used to ripping films and games apart left and right is a miracle. With that said there are flaws but not enough to ruin such an enjoyable experience.

J.J. Abrams directing talent shines through (plenty of Lens Flares will contribute to this) showing he has a clear understanding of how to make an entertaining film that manages to showcase several genre elements to create a product that will appeal to mass audiences. 

While he might have neglected certain aspects that made fans fall in love with the Star Trek franchise in the first place there is still plenty here that not only will draw in older fans but a whole new future generation, resurrecting a dead and dried out series with a more exciting dynamic to it that will surely hold audiences interests for years to come and the key to how J.J. Abrams has achieved this is through the clear understanding of ‘Balance’.

From the moment it starts to the very end the film is paced in such a way that it manages to Balance its many mixed ingredients chronicling between its brilliant performed characters and their very natural interactions to the intense and visually appealing and at times realistic and brutal action sequences to its use of Emotions that define the Themes of what one would do to protect their family.

 

That particular Theme is ever present between the relationships of Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Bones (Karl Urban), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Sulu (John Cho), Chekov (Anton Yelchin) and the rest of the Enterprise Crew, particularly in the first ten minutes which sets the excited tone of what a rollercoaster ride this film offers. But most importantly it reunites the whole team together and shows us they aren’t just a crew but a caring group of people that have become part of a family together, strongly enforcing the theme.

And through those relationships and interactions friendships are tested, sacrifices are made and friends are hurt and killed over the consequences of actions others bring showing just how much of an emotional overhaul each actor brings to their performance. 

And while some of these performances are undermined, mainly John Cho and Anton Yelchin’s who get very little screen time, they are given moments to shine and to do new things that they hadn’t done before in the previous film and managing to still be useful, their characters never really feeling unimportant or not needed.

Some of these character moments are brought out through the use of the humour that manages to poke fun at the mythologies and attitudes of specific characters (Red Shirt Jokes included) such as the strange relationship between Spock and Uhura that brings up the obvious question of what its like to date and love a Vulcan along with Karl Urban as Dr. Bones, a one-man army of metaphors and one-liners whose overall comedic timing that nears annoyance to others is brought up and offers plenty of laughs.

Then there is Simon Pegg who gets a bigger role here in the grand scheme of things that occur later on. While his attempt at a Scottish accent might cause ears to bleed from annoyance, Pegg still manages to entertain.

The awkward romance between Spock and Uhura is developed further this time around and in the context of the characters and story it seems fitting enough, providing Uhura plenty more to do than her Original TV Series counterpart ever managed to achieve in her long run.

While purist may find it controversial, the relationship feels real, the writing really bringing out the realism between the over-emotional girlfriend and unemotional Vulcan who is really just hiding the inner pains from the previous film that are carried over here, adding a element of uncertainty of how much control Spock has over his feelings that could explode in rage at anytime. And that right there is one of the strongest elements the film offers, which is the amount of emotion the characters give out. 

That link of friendship and loss is ever stronger between the relationship of Kirk and Spock, the two of them while being polar opposites also being the two that keep each other in check and showing the strong bond they have developed over a short time and just how much they both need each other. They are not only best friends but also brothers.

It is the pinnacle story arch between these two that the film explores, with Kirk having to learn what it truly means to be a Captain and Spock having to understand what it means to be loyal friend.

This is tested by the film’s villain and most mysterious character, Benedict Cumberbatch whose role as ’Thou Shall Not Be Named’ aka John Harrison is a performance that embodies a new take on a certain character that not only is mesmerizing but also sinister to behold.

He feels like a Cobra, hypnotizing you to his every word with those cold, calculating eyes and deep, commanding voice and striking when you least expect it with such ferocity that will leave you terrified and cautions as to what he will do next as he works his way around manipulating the Crew to his own ends. 

Not only does he kick ass, wiping the floor with anyone who crosses his path, which adds a somewhat realistic and human animalistic vibe to him that that further showcases his savagery making him a very dangerous adversary, but his calm attitude that excels deceit and danger is almost similar to the likes of movie villains such as Hannibal Lector from Silence of the Lambs.

A true monster in disguise that is ready to explode in great fury and vengeance. Add the sheer presence he sheds throughout the film making him steal every scene he appears in and Benedict’s performance is certainly one of the best villain portrayals, up there with the best of the best.

Other Performances include newcomers Alice Eve as Dr. Carol Wallace and Peter Weller as Admiral Marcus. Eve’s Carol isn’t the typical dumb-blonde and is actually given some major things to do that help advance the plot while also serving as a homage to its classical predecessor that will possibly see more of a relationship between her and Kirk in the possible sequel. While her presence might feel small, her character is overall an important element to the family theme the film goes for.

Peter Weller however has more of a presence, serving as the Head of Starfleet and portraying the typical cliché like Head Officer that seems to be hiding more than the eye can see. Nevertheless, Weller is a surprising face to see and his role is welcomed here and he does what he can with what he’s got alongside the fact that while some may find the outcome of his character predictable it is still one of the unexpected moments that many might not foresee.

This makes Into Darkness one of the better movies to surprise and not ruin the experience of what has been built up already, showing once again that Abrams knows how to balance things out in being able to crafts multiple genres into one.

 

In terms of the variety of emotions the film exhibits then there is the humour and seriousness that it manages to balance. It is funny when it needs to be and funny when its not even trying but once the darker elements start surfacing the film never sugar coats it, managing to show just how violent things can get and how real they can feel too with Abrams never trying to hide the horror that such events can bring. It is brutal, tragic and emotional, certain moments and scenes managing to create a whole different atmosphere to what some audiences might’ve been expecting. 

That is thanks to the Soundtrack by Michael Giacchino who brings some of these to life with his use of a different variety of music that adds the right touch to make the scenes feel different and atmospheric. Praise goes to the Tracks ‘London Calling’ and ‘Ode to Harrison’ in particular for its calm and somewhat mysterious and emotional feelings that they bring out.

Action wise the film has plenty but they aren’t as focused on as its predecessor, with the film opting to tell a character driven plot with the Action driving the plot forward and never being put in there for the sake of just becoming pure eye candy. 
 

The Action mostly involves Benedict kicking furious ass and Pine and Zachary being in the middle of it. And that is one of the brilliance of the way the Action is shot and told. While it has its fair share of Visual Effects that the film tries to display it is the characters that the action is focused on majority of the time.

It isn’t as overly explosive as typical action films these days and they don’t last as long either, the sequences that there are, going at a fast paced speed and being over before they even began with the Opening really being the most lengthy. 

Then there is the climax of the movie that to a variety will feel is anti-climatic but I personally found it originally refreshing and satisfying. A lot of films these days opt to go for a big epic grand final that never really delivers but Into Darkness keeps it simple and to the point, managing not to get wrapped up in having to set up another Sequel and wrapping things up in a such a way that completes the story arches of the main characters.

Overall, if one found the action in the first film enjoyable then it is not so different here with some scenes being a slight copy of the previous one but with a different dynamic and purpose to it including one set-piece that invokes a stunning resemblance to the film Inception but managing to feel different and original.

As for the Visuals, they are stunning but are only there to create the mood and atmosphere the film sets itself in, the visuals never really stealing the show or being overused showcasing once again at how well everything is balanced out in order to progress the narrative and characters forward without ever having the visuals actually take away from it but instead used to info us.

Some people will compare this to Star Wars but instead it felt like what a Sci-Fi film with a variety of characters on a space ship should feel like. This is what the previous Star Wars films should have been. What this film does is show that the most important element of it is its characters because that is where the true heart and soul of telling a story lies.

While the Narrative isn’t the most original thing written up the journey the main cast take to better themselves and having to understand their own feelings and actions is what makes this such a compelling thrill-ride. Its simple and easy at the front but has a lot of heart behind it that make this an emotional and exciting experience to behold. 

Plus there are the Easter Eggs and massive Star Trek fan service for the fans to enjoy including J.J. Abrams own spin on a classic scene that is retold in the same manner but with a different spin to it. To many this film will be considered a remake because of this one short scene and while it might not be original it at least is done differently and feels more homage than a rip-off.

And of cause there is the Universe in which this Trek takes place in that many need to be reminded off. It is an alternative universe based on the same characters and stories that the originals were based in.

As such, events that happened there would logically occur again here but with different results and consequences and thus Abrams’ retelling of such a important part of the Star Trek History is acceptable because while it might not be new it is still done in its own way that also helps build and develop the character arcs that the story set for them but also further enforces the fact that the old Treks are still very much an important aspect of history itself.

Whether this particular entry is better than its predecessors is up for discussion but overall for me this film was an unexpected surprise that both entertained and moved me. While some will love this, there will be those that will consider it a blasphemy to its long heritage. I however see it as a worthwhile and fun film to watch that not only is different and yet the same but also reminds me to respect and enjoy the older stories as well.

J.J. Abrams Star Trek Sequel is as every bit good looking, funny, surprising, shocking, sad and adventurous as its reboot outing, with performances by a Cast that outdoes itself with a sinister and remarkable Villain that is every bit as memorable as he is frightening, help to make this not only a wonderful Sci-Fi but a impressive Star Trek film that never slows down and questions our very morality and actions regarding Justice and Vengeance.

I award J.J. Abrams a score total of...8.5/10

Likes:

 

·    Benedict Cumberbatch as Gary Mitchell. His Khan was refreshing but still true to the one from the old series. I hope they bring him back as Q in the next one. Seriously, give Soran an Oscar. This guy managed to send chills down my spine.

·    Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as the ironic Kirk and Spock is fun as ever. Their chemistry together really holds the film together. Their interactions with Benedict really bring out their characters individual layers.

·    The rest of the Supporting Cast. Everyone does a great and wonderful job. Zoe as Uhura is given more to do and doesn’t feel like a simple shoe in. John gets a terrific moment to show how much of a badass he can be without a sword and Karl Urban is funny as always.

·    Bruce Greenwood and Chris Pine’s scenes together are as great as ever. While short they are examples of the depth these actors bring to their respected characters and to the themes that underline the story.

Dislikes:

 

·    It was too fast spaced at times and it could’ve used some breathing ground to slow down a bit otherwise it is a tightly told film that I wish went on longer.

IRON MAN 3 REVIEW

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Fresh off from last year’s epic box office hit The Avengers Assemble, Iron Man 3, directed and written this time around by Shane Black, takes place after the previous film’s events and finds Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) aka Iron Man struggling to find peace in a world he thought he knew while also facing some demons from his past which plays into the film’s overall theme.

The Story follows with a Flashback to a pre-Iron Man Tony that sets up the upcoming threat and events to come before cutting back to present time to find us with an obsessed Tony who has been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and secluded himself from those closet to him including Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) which drives a wedge in their relationship, all the while Tony continues to create more and more new and improved Iron Man suits in order to better prepare to protect himself and most importantly her.

The latest and primary Suit of the film, Mark 42 has its big reveal in the opening with Tony using new technology to telepathically call the Suit to him with bits and pieces attaching to his body here and there and offering a interesting and humorous way of suiting up for the duration of the action sequences.

At the same time The Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley), mysterious leader of the Ten Rings whose presence was hinted at in previous instalments finally unveils himself to the world by committing acts of terrorism around American and threatening the US President (William Sadler) directly.

Having failed to take proper matters into their own hands during the Invasion crisis at the time of the Avengers, the President takes it upon himself to handle this latest threat and issues Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) aka War Machine to hunt down the Mandarin while being repainted and redubbed Iron Patriot as a symbol of hope to America and its people.

Plus there is the inclusion of Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) and Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall), their respected characters taken from the comic storyline that the film is inspired by and has adapted, Extremis, who are people from both Tony and Pepper’s past that appear somehow embedded in the Mandarin’s schemes.

That is the basic outline of the third solo Iron Man plot and already it sounds a bit too much. If there was one thing that Iron Man 2 suffered from then it was the many subplots and characters coming in and out throughout that film. However Iron Man 2 still managed to maintain a certain pacing that moved to reach a concluded goal by the end while still managing to develop its characters and bridge the gaps between its predecessors and sequels.

Iron Man 3 while not overly complicated manages to tackle its multiple characters and plot threads through the okay-written script laid out by Shane Black and Drew Pearce, starting slow before racing off to a thrilling climax. However the story does suffer from the lack of character development with its supporting cast, the film opting to focusing its full attention on the title character at all times and less on returning and new comers.

It is a back to basics, a solo film through and through as it follows Tony’s journey through his obsession and somewhat drug-like-addiction with the Iron Man Suit, questioning whether it is the Suit that makes the Man or vice verse while at the same time exploring the element that made the character so appealing in the first film, that Tony Stark’s most dangerous weapon is his mind. 

And the film shows these through its use of the action scenes where Tony has to be creative and intelligent when without the suit, creating interesting and engaging scenarios for Tony to solve and overcome while at the same time managing to be very original and entertaining that in the end gives the film a type of Bond like feeling as Tony comes up with various home-made gadgets and weapons. 

The Action Sequences themselves are visually impressive and original, managing to combine real life stunts and visual effects to create spectacular sequences that up the tension, drama and humour with the action always focused on Tony at all times which might be disappointing for some who were hoping for a very long final battle with the Iron Legion Suits each getting their fair share of screen time but only a few making a quick second cameos here and there.

Then there is the overall tone, which has a very distinct 80s vibe to it with some scenes in particular paying somewhat homage’s to certain classics. But the closet comparisons would be Shane Black’s first feature film back in 2005, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (also starring Robert Downey Jr), which borrows many subtle moments and structures from that film making Iron Man 3 feel almost like Shane Black’s family friendly version of it, making this not the traditional Marvel Studios picture seen in the previous Phase Ones but still managing to retain the style of plot structure and humour seen in them.
 

And right there is one of the disappointing aspects of this film. The Trailers and Marketing have managed to deceive audiences that they are in for a thrilling dark and serious story this time around but the reality is far worse. The film while offering moments of grim reality is overshadowed by the amount of humour peppered throughout all its scenes. 

With Shane Black behind the writing it would’ve been assumed that some form of the dark humour in his previous works would be thrown into here. Instead the humour is hit-and-miss and even at times very childish and insulting to the intelligence of the mind. Nevertheless, RDJ manages to deliver every line and moment with wit and perfect timing, making the film at times very funny, maybe more so than the Avengers but still not managing to quite set itself up there with the likes of the original Iron Man.

But Performance wise, Robert steals the show, showcasing he hasn’t gotten tired of the character yet and instead embodying the character and becoming one with it proving that whoever might take up the role in the future will never be as good or as committed to it the way Robert is.

Gwyneth returns again to hammer in the romance and drama that has become the backbone of the franchise, the chemistry between Robert and her still sparking with no hint of it ever dying down making them one of the best onscreen couples in superhero movies. Plus the added short moments here and there where Gwyneth kicks ass in more ways then one and looking good while doing it if somewhat ridicules makes her character one not easily forgotten.

Don Cheadle whose presence was mildly off putting in the previous film, what with taking over the character role of Rhodey from Terrance Howard in the original film seems right at home here, showing a lot more comfort in taking over someone’s part and making it his own.

Shane Black’s buddy cop like writing in his lethal weapon series is brought onto here between Robert and Don, helping to solidify their relationship as both best friends and rivals with their competitive banter and teamwork. That said, the role of the Iron Patriot is wasted here, Don never doing anything with it or given the chance to. But even without the suit, Don shows a talent for action even if it is wasted on him somewhat.

Then there is the addition of Guy Pearce’s Aldrich Killian whose so-called glorified cameo is nothing like his comic counterpart, whose version of the character is given more development and focus here, managing to transform himself from multiple personalities that his character offers, from a charming yet mysterious individual that by the end of the film turns into a very sinister man that harbors the characteristics and spiritual essence of a more modern take of a certain villain, showing the determination the cast and crew have gone to mask the true revelations that the film hasn’t even hinted at making it a movie that holds many surprises in store and a experience that will leave some happy or angry. 

Ty Simpkins joins the growing cast as child genius Harley who befriends Tony in the middle of the film and aids him in his mission to find the Mandarin. While usually child actors in such films tempt to downgrade them, Ty Simpkins performance seeks to levitate it, managing to have great comedic chemistry with Robert that serves to develop his own character as they both see aspects of themselves in each other that helps grow both story and character with their short yet entertaining time together.

Jon Favreau, director of the first two Iron Man films returns once more as Happy Hogan, this time acting as Security Head of Stark Industries, giving Favreau plenty of the early laughs at the start and a emotional moment that is sadly lacked in the rest of the film’s duration.

Finally there is James Badge Dale and Stephanie Szostak who complete the cast serving as the Mandarin’s main Extremis Super Soldiers with Dale serving as the primary muscle. Szostak on the other hand isn’t given much to do besides her one sequence that offers a deadly game of cat and mouse that showcases her as a sexy and demonic figure that makes her performance stand out among the other cast of villains but also lacking because of her very quick and short screen time.

But the performances that get the biggest short stick are Rebecca Hall and Sir Kingsley unfortunately with Rebecca’s Scientist Maya Hansen not given much to do and thus having a very underdeveloped role that never reaches the emotional context the film aims for.

Sir Kingsley on one hand while providing a darkened presence over the first half of the film is never given the chance to truly shine as the formidable and cunning villain and when the second half comes around that reduces the character and actor himself into a laughing stock whose performance would benefit more in a Pirates of the Caribbean movie, it begs the question of whether or not Extremis or The Mandarin were a plot device too much because both these elements from popular source materials are pretty much wasted and a slap to the face of hardcore fans.

However, in terms of how they are combined together to represent the Themes of the story then to a certain extend there is depth to it with Extremis and The Mandarin very much being physical manifestations of Tony’s own created Demons that come back to hunt him. But any connection to the previous instalments are never mentioned or brought to light in order to create what could’ve been an emotional moment and thus such context is gone to waste begging the question once again whether this film should’ve opted for less instead of trying to go all big.

The biggest problems that really lie with the film are the manners in which it strives to tell its narrative with many things that are positive also proving to be a negative such as twists for the sake of twists, humour for the sake of humour and so on and so forth. And it is because of such methods that result in Iron Man 3 not being able to set itself as high as the Avengers.  But it is still overall a entertaining experience that manages to kick start Phase Two even if it does feel like a conclusion to Tony Stark’s adventure making one wonder where the character can go from here.

From a slow but character heavy first act that ends unexpectedly with Tony’s entire world crashing down around him to a journey of revenge and justice that sees him acting upon his intelligence and creativity to discover the mystery behind Extremis while escaping the danger that follows him to a very unexpected twist that results in a humorous confrontation with Tony’s long awaited arch-nemesis that will leave casual movie goners laughing but the comic Fanboys raging to a action-pumped, fast-paced, explosive final that ends with a surprising conclusion, Iron Man 3 is as every bit a Shane Black film as it is a spiritual successor to its predecessors making it a worthwhile watch if not one of the better number threes of the Comic Book Movie Superhero Genre.

I give Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 an overall score of…7/10

Likes:

·      Action Sequences. All of them including the Final make this a very creative action adventure movie.

·      Tony kicking ass without the suit. Tony kicking ass using his mind goes to show how creative and dangerous he can still be even without the suit.

·      Gwyneth Paltrow in just a bra with muscles showing equals super badass and super hot.

·      Stephanie Szostak is both sexy and freaky making it disappointing she isn’t in the film more.

·      Paul Bettany as JARVIS is given more presence to be both funny and a hero.

·      Suit, Suit, Suit, pick your favourite.

·      The End-Credit Scene might not set up any of the next films but it does continue the relationship between two friends whose chemistry will hopefully be just as good in Avengers 2.

Dislikes:

·      The film tries to hard to be funny and the Humour thus comes off as too much and too forced.

·      Sir Ben Kingsley doesn’t get much screen time as the Mandarin and while he offers a funny performance the change of transition from serious to comedy doesn’t work.

·      If you’re going to use the Extremis Storyline to adapt from at least use the Villain from that story in your film instead of wasting away potential future villains like Eric Savin, Jack Taggart and Ellen Brandt who are nothing like their comic book counterparts.

·      Wang Xueqi as Dr. Wu has two scenes that don’t even make it past one minute so why bother casting such an actor if you’re not going to use his full potential?

·      Adding a kid to the plot that adds to Tony’s development and making it work is acceptable. Adding a scene where Tony wastes time talking his number one fan for the sake of comedy is not when it could be used on other character’s development.

·      Rhodey and Iron Patriot in general just felt pointless in the greater scheme of things.

·      The Avengers ends with Aliens and Magic revealed to the world but a guy with Ten Alien Powered Magic Super Rings is far-fetched?