Iron Man 3 (2013)

I thought it was an odd idea to follow up a team epic like The Avengers with a solo star film. There was fresh ground they could have plowed and it was an even odder decision to make that solo film the 3^rd one focussing on the same character; Iron Man, especially when both Thor and Captain America had only done the one film each and we were still waiting (and still are) for something to star Black Widow. As a result, to be totally honest Iron Man 3 is a bit of a mess.

Casting was again a fairly simple exercise: all the usual stars returned to the roles that they had become known for A notable absence was Samuel Jackson, so that meant the film would not feature Nick Fury. Jon Favreau did not direct (he did produce), but he appeared for the 3^rd time as Happy Hogan, and he got to do a scene set in the 90’s where he has the most ridiculous hair. I was a bit surprised and to be honest disappointed that Stan Lee’s cameo featured him as a pageant judge, rather than another mistaken celebrity he bore a passing resemblance to. Mark Ruffalo played Bruce in the post credit joke.

William Sadler was cast as President Ellis. He did an okay job of pretending to the POTUS, but it’s a pet peeve of mine when they make up a known figure like the President.

Child actor Ty Simpkins played Iron Man’s sidekick when Tony was off the grid (he’d later find greater fame as one of Jurassic World’s juvenile leads). I always think a franchise is in trouble when they have to start casting obnoxious kids (his character was, the actor isn’t) for the cute factor and the occasional laugh.

We had not one villain, but a few of them. Guy Pearce continued the Australian tradition for the MCU by playing Aldrich Killian, founder of AIM (they didn’t make a big thing of it in the film, but I do vaguely remember AIM as being a big deal in the comics). Pearce almost phoned the role in. I doubt when his career is at an end he’ll look back on this one fondly. He even villain monologued.

They cast Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin. From my early morning cartoon watching, I remember the Mandarin as being one of Iron Man’s major opponents. Such a disappointment to find out that this incarnation is a down on his luck British actor. Kingsley seemed to enjoy chewing on the scenery and his turn as Trevor Slattery did get a laugh.

Rebecca Hall played Maya Hansen, the scientist, whose work made Killian’s weapon possible, only to be betrayed and killed by him.

Shane Black’s a good writer, but as his last directorial job was with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in 2005 I’m not sure why he directed this. Surely it would have made more sense to give that work to Favreau, his role as Happy isn’t that much bigger than it was in Iron Man 2. It’s another mystery of the film.

There’s so much wrong with Iron Man 3 that it’s hard to know where to start. It makes sense after what he went through in The Avengers that Tony has PTSD, but he’s bad enough when he doesn’t have it, seeing him with it makes it worse. There’s so little explanation for so many of his actions.

I still don’t understand why Pepper stays with him, even being aware of and at times making light of his many failings. I also hated what they did to her and then just kind of hand waved it off.

If 3 terrorists in helicopters can take Iron Man out, as they did in this film, then why hasn’t it been done before?

Why on Earth do they keep suiting Rhodey up as War Machine or Iron Patriot as he’s known in this one when he continues to prove that he sucks at it? Even Pepper did a better job when she found herself in control of one of Tony’s suits. Jarvis handles them better. With one boot and one glove Tony was a better and more effective Iron Man than Rhodey is with the entire suit and its armaments.

The problem long running franchises have is that while the characters don’t age, the actors do and they also get bored. The way they wrap things up in this one, and the very fact that it was made at all, prior to giving Thor and Captain America a second film, indicates that RDJ may have flagged an intention to walk away from the role. He’s clearly stayed on, but this is something they’ll have to deal with sooner rather than later, hopefully they handle it better.