Iron Man 3 - reaction post
Right, so, SPOILERS. SPOILERS EVERYWHERE. Slightly random.
Two things out of the way first:
I could really leave it at that, but, there's a lot in here.
I enjoyed it. More for the themes that they played on overall - although the acting and special effects were excellent - as you'd expect. The plot was what you'd expect of a Marvel superhero movie.
The Extremis project and AIM: interesting to see a super-soldier project that's starting from a human base, semi-technological (at least, I assume that's the case; they never actually explained how it worked). Given Pepper's sudden combat capabilities as she dispatches Killian, one does wonder if there's a touch of, I don't know, inbuilt soldier training in that serum.
Or possibly someone's been teaching her to defend herself.
Tony's PTSD - nice call. I liked that it elaborated on the idea of how the suits - and his constant development of more of them - were part of the PTSD and his destruction of them at the end of the action sequence was as symbolic as the removal of the ARC reactor. (Which, uh, what? That will make subsequent movies interesting. Esp. since you really can't have the Avengers without Iron Man. It's just...not right.)
I was surprised that the "I need to protect the one thing I can't live without" line was so early on in the story. Also, the scene where Pepper uses the Iron Man suit? AWESOME. Plus, that ending sequence? GO, PEPPER! SAVE TONY'S ASS!
Kingsley's role is small and rather insignificant in the end, but the difference between Trevor and "The Mandarin"? Amazing. Wonderful. Delightfully comedic. Although somewhat of a waste of a great actor.
(Incidentally, LOL at Aldrich Killian's line "His Lear was said to be to die for in Croydon, wherever that is." Nice little hit at US insularity.)
Less comedic: the blending of the Asia/Middle East into the Mandarin's origins. Although if one considers that Aldrich Killian is using the Mandarin as a propaganda point against the US, then the generic blending makes more sense.
Also: was Guy Pearce kidding when he 'ranted' about his role being a cameo? Or was he switching brains with Ben Kingsley that day? Red herring, I suspect.
It's kind of a relief to watch Tony being a dick all the way through the movie. Even to small children.
There was definitely a missed opportunity to have the helpful kid be a little girl - there was nothing particularly genderised in the stuff the kid did, and it would have been a nice little acknowledgement of young female fans getting help Iron Man out. Then they wouldn't have needed to handwave the sister and the Dora watch. It could have been her watch that Tony was wearing. Changing the gender would have lost nothing of what the kid did and added a whole new level to it.
But, hey. Marvel. :/
Rhodey was great. It was kind of a relief to see him being combat-level awesome without the suit - actually, the main theme of the movie was about being without the suit and all it brings - Tony, Rhodey, and even Pepper to some degree (although since she's usually sans suit, it's more about her having the suit and how she uses it - or the pieces of it) all have to cope with situations where they may or may not have the suit's capabilities and have to cope with/without it.
Incidentally, was that "the Ex-Wife" that Pepper tossed at Killian in the final sequence before she blasted it (and Killian) to kingdome come? (Or whatever Tony did to upgrade the Ex-Wife - Mark II so it might actually work?)
I believe the movie may actually feature a scene with Pepper and a female scientist discussing things that aren't Tony or another man (I believe it's on the rosy, save-the-world view of scientists when they start out, and how they get corrupted along the way, so ideology?)...right before things go bad.
*sigh* Oh, and gratuitous death of said female scientist after she wavers in her core focus. Well, not exactly gratuitous; it has a reason. It's just...frustrating.
Overall, pretty good. They used Pepper and Rhodey well, the female scientist (whose name I didn't catch either, Tony) and the Mandarin badly, and Aldrich Killian made a reasonably effective villain. Tony's journey from the start of the movie to the end of it brings the trilogy full circle, and leaves the question open ended - although the last line of the film certainly suggests we haven't seen the last of Iron Man.
Plus, the ending tag was a good laugh. (Surprisingly most of the cinema had exited by the time it played out. Don't they know that there's always a tag?) The instant Tony's voice started talking at the end of the credits, I KNEW how it was going to work out.
"I don't have the..."
"Time?"
"Temperament."
The "science bros" will love it, anyway. Although Ruffalo looks like he's put on a bit of weight. Living the good life at the Tower, eh, Bruce?
Short version: I enjoyed it. Certain parts more than others. Don't think I'll go back and watch it in the cinema, though. Maybe when it comes out on video.
There may be plotbunny thinky thoughts about some of the concepts the movie presented when I've had a chance to consider things a bit longer.
Two things out of the way first:
- Pepper survives.
- Pepper and Rhodey are awesome.
I could really leave it at that, but, there's a lot in here.
I enjoyed it. More for the themes that they played on overall - although the acting and special effects were excellent - as you'd expect. The plot was what you'd expect of a Marvel superhero movie.
The Extremis project and AIM: interesting to see a super-soldier project that's starting from a human base, semi-technological (at least, I assume that's the case; they never actually explained how it worked). Given Pepper's sudden combat capabilities as she dispatches Killian, one does wonder if there's a touch of, I don't know, inbuilt soldier training in that serum.
Or possibly someone's been teaching her to defend herself.
Tony's PTSD - nice call. I liked that it elaborated on the idea of how the suits - and his constant development of more of them - were part of the PTSD and his destruction of them at the end of the action sequence was as symbolic as the removal of the ARC reactor. (Which, uh, what? That will make subsequent movies interesting. Esp. since you really can't have the Avengers without Iron Man. It's just...not right.)
I was surprised that the "I need to protect the one thing I can't live without" line was so early on in the story. Also, the scene where Pepper uses the Iron Man suit? AWESOME. Plus, that ending sequence? GO, PEPPER! SAVE TONY'S ASS!
Kingsley's role is small and rather insignificant in the end, but the difference between Trevor and "The Mandarin"? Amazing. Wonderful. Delightfully comedic. Although somewhat of a waste of a great actor.
(Incidentally, LOL at Aldrich Killian's line "His Lear was said to be to die for in Croydon, wherever that is." Nice little hit at US insularity.)
Less comedic: the blending of the Asia/Middle East into the Mandarin's origins. Although if one considers that Aldrich Killian is using the Mandarin as a propaganda point against the US, then the generic blending makes more sense.
Also: was Guy Pearce kidding when he 'ranted' about his role being a cameo? Or was he switching brains with Ben Kingsley that day? Red herring, I suspect.
It's kind of a relief to watch Tony being a dick all the way through the movie. Even to small children.
There was definitely a missed opportunity to have the helpful kid be a little girl - there was nothing particularly genderised in the stuff the kid did, and it would have been a nice little acknowledgement of young female fans getting help Iron Man out. Then they wouldn't have needed to handwave the sister and the Dora watch. It could have been her watch that Tony was wearing. Changing the gender would have lost nothing of what the kid did and added a whole new level to it.
But, hey. Marvel. :/
Rhodey was great. It was kind of a relief to see him being combat-level awesome without the suit - actually, the main theme of the movie was about being without the suit and all it brings - Tony, Rhodey, and even Pepper to some degree (although since she's usually sans suit, it's more about her having the suit and how she uses it - or the pieces of it) all have to cope with situations where they may or may not have the suit's capabilities and have to cope with/without it.
Incidentally, was that "the Ex-Wife" that Pepper tossed at Killian in the final sequence before she blasted it (and Killian) to kingdome come? (Or whatever Tony did to upgrade the Ex-Wife - Mark II so it might actually work?)
I believe the movie may actually feature a scene with Pepper and a female scientist discussing things that aren't Tony or another man (I believe it's on the rosy, save-the-world view of scientists when they start out, and how they get corrupted along the way, so ideology?)...right before things go bad.
*sigh* Oh, and gratuitous death of said female scientist after she wavers in her core focus. Well, not exactly gratuitous; it has a reason. It's just...frustrating.
Overall, pretty good. They used Pepper and Rhodey well, the female scientist (whose name I didn't catch either, Tony) and the Mandarin badly, and Aldrich Killian made a reasonably effective villain. Tony's journey from the start of the movie to the end of it brings the trilogy full circle, and leaves the question open ended - although the last line of the film certainly suggests we haven't seen the last of Iron Man.
Plus, the ending tag was a good laugh. (Surprisingly most of the cinema had exited by the time it played out. Don't they know that there's always a tag?) The instant Tony's voice started talking at the end of the credits, I KNEW how it was going to work out.
"I don't have the..."
"Time?"
"Temperament."
The "science bros" will love it, anyway. Although Ruffalo looks like he's put on a bit of weight. Living the good life at the Tower, eh, Bruce?
Short version: I enjoyed it. Certain parts more than others. Don't think I'll go back and watch it in the cinema, though. Maybe when it comes out on video.
There may be plotbunny thinky thoughts about some of the concepts the movie presented when I've had a chance to consider things a bit longer.