IRON MAN 3: A REVIEW.

“All beings so far have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood and even go back to the beasts than overcome man?” [Nietzsche on the “Ubermensch”]

The past comes back to haunt Tony Stark in the third installment of the MARVEL franchise,  with the film being one of most bolt-busting and action-packed in the trilogy.

Image Rights Owned by ©Marvel Studios 2013.

Touching on the aftermath of superhero blockbuster “Avengers Assemble”, Stark comes to suffer from an undeniable anxiety problem following the day’s events in New York (I reckon that’s standard considering one had suffered a near-death experience), giving the film immediate leverage, as Stark reveals himself to be at his physically weakest; the man inside the suit becoming a broken man on the verge of a breakdown. Granted, he has always been a relatively self-destructive character, what with the laddish aura, the below the belt sense of humour and the inherent materialism, but c'mon, that's all part of his appeal.

Guy Pearce plays a brilliant Aldrich Killian; the villain with a bitter vendetta to take down Stark after an encounter 13 years prior. A cluster of ex-army veterans turned hot-headed superhumans (with a tendency to blow) walk the streets as a reminder of his failed experiment that had been sparked all those years ago; an experiment solely named “Extremis”. Somewhat based on the original 2005 graphic novel “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1-6), test subjects are injected with a kind of bionic super-serum, which the body either chooses to accept or to reject. Of course, you’d have to be pretty hardcore fan of MARVEL to even get this reference (guilty), but even so, I admired the film for sticking to its original roots; bringing the comic back to life in the most exhilarating of ways.

Though I’d say the most redeeming feature of the film, for me, was the emphasis on Tony and Pepper, as though her character evoked a more humane and softer side to Tony. Unlike the previous films, their relationship appears to be at the forefront of the agenda, with Pepper being made to prove her worth. I can’t say I've ever found their relationship particularly compelling, but she inevitably becomes the hot heroine through a somewhat natural end (step aside Black Widow). 

I’m sure you should know the drill by now. Sticking around for the end scene was a tad anticlimactic. More so than waiting in anticipation for Stan Lee’s cameo appearance (bless). It’s the norm for any Marvel movie nowadays to feature a cross-over of some sort, but this one just seemed utterly benign and pointless. If you were expecting a teaser into “Avengers Assemble 2”, you’ll be solely disappointed.

7/10.