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More than anything else, “Iron Man 3” succeeds in proving the skeptic wrong. In our superhero-saturated cine-universe, it’s only natural for one to question why on earth we need another Iron Man film, beyond the obvious reason of it being a mega cash cow for Marvel Studios.
With so many comic-book legends packing our movie screens lately (Superman, Wolverine, and Thor also will be back soon), it’s hard to think of their ongoing tales as anything but flashy extensions of bankable brands. But the third outing of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) does a killer job of suggesting otherwise, standing far outside the generic crowd of cape-wearers and weapon-wielders.
Directed and co-written by Shane Black, whose directorial debut, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” also starred Downey Jr., “Iron Man 3” is as much a comedy as it is an actioner, and it’s a riotous comedy at that. Stark’s playboy snark worked to establish his persona in “Iron Man,” grew gratingly tiresome in “Iron Man 2,” and now does nimble double duty, emerging as a vital levity tool and Stark’s lifelong shield against insecurity, for beneath all that metal, he’s still a breakable geek, prone to human plights like panic attacks.
The film’s combo of self-aware zingers and unpretentious humanization is, very graciously, Black’s first priority, trumping CG set pieces and briskly edited combat sequences (which, make no mistake, are still very present — the destruction of Stark’s home and a complex, free-fall rescue are both virtuoso action sequences). With the help of tough squeeze Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Stark takes on the terroristic Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and an army of biochemically modified ex-soldiers. The best bit though? Stark’s banter-y bonding with Harley (Ty Simpkins), a preteen kindred spirit primed to inherit Stark’s knowledge and sharp tongue.
A major flaw of “The Dark Knight Rises” was its demand that the viewer take it as both gritty reality and fanciful comic book fare. Without sacrificing depth, “Iron Man 3” proudly owns its identity as a stylized comic-fantasy, ultimately presenting the notion that — gasp! — this trilogy may best Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga.
Iron Man 3
PG-13
Three reels out of four
Now playing at area theaters
Recommended Rental
Cloud Atlas
R
Available Tuesday
With misguided casting (Tom Hanks?) and a glut of ideas it can’t quite realize, “Cloud Atlas” is surely no masterpiece. But it’s nevertheless a sweeping braid of engaging plot threads, whose overall interweaving is a consistent joy to watch. With fine supporting turns from Ben Whishaw and Jim Broadbent, and segments directed by Tom Tykwer and Andy and Lana Wachowski, the century-spanning epic of supposed reincarnation is so dazzling and dense, even its failures are worth exploring.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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