Review: 'Iron Man 3' starring Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow

With the exception of last year's bombastic, $1B-grossing The Avengers, it's safe to say that Marvel's slate of superhero films have been pretty interchangeable up to this point. That's not to say they're bad, but if you swapped Jon Favreau's direction for Joe Johnston's, nobody's going to bat an eye. It's a formula that's worked, obviously, but it also comes with the risk of the films having the same texture, especially as Marvel pumps out more each year. Iron Man 3, however, boasts the authoritative voice and direction of Shane Black, known for chatty action-buddy films like Lethal Weaponand Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the latter having gone a long way in applying jumper cables to Robert Downey Jr.'s flagging career.

Black's presence is felt almost immediately, as Tony Stark rattles off expeditious quips like Mel Gibson used to with Danny Glover. He's even given his own little array of silly sidekicks to exchange bits of dark humor with. Sometimes it's Don Cheadle as James "Iron Patriot" Rhodes; for a while it's a precocious 8-year old boy genius; and other times it's just the armor itself. Even the action feels a little retro, like we've been transported back to 1989. You half expect the 1980s stereotype villain of curious ethnic origin to turn up so Stark can smack him down verbally while smacking him down physically. Oh wait, that's here too.  It works to make Iron Man 3 the most distinctive film in Marvel's cinematic canon yet, and even if it's not a total winner, it's still an enjoyable beginning to Marvel's next phase.

One of the many things Marvel has done completely right is making sure the events of their films don't happen in a vacuum, and this has been especially true for Iron Man. In the wake of New York's destruction, Stark is a changed man, afflicted with panic attacks and racked with concern for the people he loves. He's seen far more than any man should ever see, and for someone of his intellect it's impossible to brush aside the presence of invading aliens and Norse thunder gods. His obsession has begun to affect his relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), as he spends nearly every waking moment locked in his lab.

A humorous flashback to 1999 Sweden puts all of the chess pieces in play. A younger, pre-Iron Man Tony Stark has a one-night stand with brilliant scientist Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall), while his bodyguard Happy Hogan (former Iron Man director Jon Favreau) accidentally blows up one of her experiments. An encounter with the nerdy Aldritch Killian (Guy Pearce) leads to Stark giving him the cold shoulder, a dismissive act that will come to have repercussions in the present. Killian returns, looking...well, like a suave Guy Pearce, and attempts to sell Pepper on his latest technology, something called Extremis. Meanwhile, a Bin Laden-esque terrorist known as the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is dominating the airwaves with threats against the United States, even going so far as to threaten the life of the sitting President. When he begins actually blowing places up, like Hollywood's famous Grauman's Theater, Stark springs into action and gets a lot more than he could have ever bargained for. We're talking fire-breathing nuclear soldiers here.

We've been led to believe up to this point that the film will be the bleakest yet, and while Stark suffers more than his share of personal tragedies along the way, the mood never gets too dour. That's a product of the snappy script by Black and Drew Pearce, which always finds a way to lighten the mood even at the darkest moments. That doesn't mean the film is shallow by any means, as there are some solid character beats here. The question that has been at the center of the franchise up to this point has been "What makes Iron Man a hero?" Is it the suit of armor? Or is it the man inside the armor? Black and Pearce really dig into what makes Stark tick, and this film marks the completion of his evolution from egotistical billionaire to bona fide superhero. There's less of Stark in the suit blasting repulsor rays and firing smart bombs at his foes, instead focusing on the brilliance of the man. Investigator, secret agent, inventor...all of those aspects of his personality takes center stage.
At the same time, some may find themselves wishing he'd just whip up an all-powerful armor and blow down the Mandarin's doors with a well-placed rocket. When the action does happen, it happens in spectacular fashion. In particular a scene in which the Mandarin attacks Stark's mountainside home is breathtaking in its wanton destruction. Black's inexperience with action on this scale does occasionally come through. The final fight is a mess that is only saved by the clever tag-teaming of Stark and Rhodes, and a mid-air rescue of falling Air Force One passengers never packs the expected pizazz. It's fine, but nothing more than that.

Downey is terrific, of course, and the life of this superhero party. He's become so familiar with the character that it's practically impossible to distinguish where he ends and Stark begins. His ability to humanize Stark is blunted a little bit by the script, which includes all of Black's usual quirks. He's more concerned with making sure Stark is well-equipped with an arsenal of self-referential jokes and non-sequitors than digging too deep into his internal turmoil. There are a couple of surprising twists, one of which is a laugh riot those familiar with Black's sense of humor will appreciate.  Not all of the many many jokes land, but this is far and away the funniest Iron Man movie yet.

As great as Downey is, the secret weapon has always been the supporting cast. Cheadle has a lot more to do this time as the newly-minted Iron Patriot, and is game for whatever the situation calls for, whether it's playing the tough military man or as Stark's running-buddy. Kingsley's always been a chameleon, an attribute that serves him well as Mandarin. It's an interesting take on the character, vastly different the insulting Chinese caricature from the comics. Rebecca Hall shows a great deal of nuance to a role she probably could have slept through. Pearce is largely upstaged by the threatening presence of James Badge Dale as Mandarin's hired muscle. Gwyneth Paltrow has always been the franchise's emotional core, and we see that put on display in some really inventive ways.

There's a sense of finality that creeps in during the explosive coup de grace, and it's hard not to wonder what the future holds for Tony Stark. What Shane Black has proven is that Marvel can take more risks by hiring filmmakers who specialize in specific genres that many wouldn't normally associate with blockbuster comic book adaptations. Iron Man 3 has its share of problems, and will certainly face some competition from Man of Steel, but it's an exciting summer blast that will have you anxious to see what else Marvel has up its sleeve.