Iron Man 3 Review
We at The Crispy Noodle are proud to present our early review of the first summer action blockbuster: Iron Man 3! We were lucky to attend an advanced screening of Iron Man in 3D and IMAX and we’re giving you the full scoop right here.
Going into the theater, I was all excited. From the security check to the thrill of seeing an unreleased movie in 3D IMAX, anticipation and expectations were sky-high…and Iron Man 3 still impressed. The word that comes to mind: spectacle. The movie is a fireworks shows on steroids. There is rarely a dull moment between the high-intensity action sequences, the small scale fight scenes, the humor sprinkled through the entire movie and an epic finale. Grab a ridiculously overpriced bag of popcorn, a stupid huge soda and something sweet, then hunker down for 2 1/4 hours of action, humor and sensory overload.
Speaking of sensory overload, let’s talk visuals and sound: amazing, ok done. But seriously, something that isn’t fully appreciated in IMAX theaters is the sound quality. Iron Man 3 on IMAX really lets you feel the explosions. The sound thunders through the theater and shakes your insides. The visuals, coupled with the 3D, also stands out as a phenomenal aspect of the film. When I left the theater, all I could think about was how movies like Iron Man 3 make you believe in 3D again. This movie deserves and warrants the 3D treatment. Explosive debris hits you in the face, water crashes around, rocket trails whizz by, environmental details pop, and the suits are stunningly rendered…please, please, see this movie in 3D IMAX. Seriously, I can’t imagine it in 2D and on a regular screen. It’ll probably be just fine, but the 3D IMAX experience is THE BEST way to truly experience this movie.
However, the plot of the movie is unfortunately lacking in several aspects. The major knock against the narrative is the glossed over portrayal of the villains. Don’t get me wrong, the villains are fun to watch and appropriately sinister, but I didn’t have any idea of why they mattered. Before recording the latest podcast featuring our discussion of the movie, I asked Rich, “What were the bad guys trying to do anyway?” He responded with a shrug and replied, “Terrorism.” This, for me, is a huge problem with the movie. I still have no clear idea of what the bad guys wanted, or why they wanted it, or even why they mattered. At the end of the day, I just didn’t care about them that much, which is a big problem. Another aspect I couldn’t care less about are the “sad” moments. The problem is that they’re not sad, or shocking, or even depressing. My reaction to the big “sad” moment at the climax was, “Gee, that really sucks.” And it’s not because I’m some tough ass, I’m generally very responsive to the emotions a film tries to evoke; I’ll cheer when they want me to, I’ll choke up when they want me to, and I’ll laugh when they want me to. Iron Man 3 succeeds very well in 2 of those areas and fails spectacularly in the other. Finally, a small beef, Verizon Fios and Audi are Tony Starks favorite brands in the whole universe. I know this because I was blasted with so much product placement I’d have to be blind to miss it. Overall, a lot of the plot left me feeling “meh.” I didn’t feel involved or engaged, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fun movie.
— Very Minor Spoilers Ahead —
(I marked where they start in the text)
All that being said, Iron Man 3 did have some redeeming qualities in its story. The is a great deal of humor in the film. Robert Downey impressed, once again, as Tony Stark. His delivery of comedic lines and mannerisms are spot on. There are also some very funny parts involving him and other characters, specifically the main villain twist, which is handled in a funny and surprising way. I found myself laughing as much as I was staring at explosions. But, the biggest thing I was impressed with was the influence of The Avengers. I was not expecting to see the type of overarching narrative continuity that was present in Iron Man 3, and the idea to include heavy references to The Avengers was a bold, welcome and successful move. (Minor Spoilers start here) The aftermath of the events from The Avengers weighs heavily on Tony Stark and it’s a recurring theme and inner conflict for him. This creates a compelling character-focused plot thread. In fact, this movie has a good deal of character development that I think is quite interesting and worked well. The movie also spends a large portion following Tony Stark outside of his Iron Man suit. That doesn’t mean there is a lull in action, however, as Tony Stark has to prove his ability without his suit in several tough situations. This, again, worked as another decent element in his character development. And be sure to stick around for the funny post-credits scene. That’s right, you heard it here; there is a scene at the end of the credits.
— Minor Spoilers are Over —
Overall, Iron Man 3 is a very fun movie that is definitely worth seeing in 3D IMAX (if you can tolerate it). The action, humor and references to the wider Marvel universe are very good. Some narrative elements are lacking, such as the “sad” moments and the impact of the villains. These negatives definitely hurt the movie in terms of narrative and the overall experience, but they don’t detract from the amazing thrill ride feel of the movie. Let’s face it, you’re not really seeing Iron Man 3 for a tense, intricately woven dramatic plot…you’re there to eat a metric ton of popcorn, laugh a lot and see a fun and exciting spectacle of a movie. Iron Man 3 is a fun movie and a very good conclusion to the series. In my opinion, this summer action blockbuster is a must-see.
[easyreview title=”Iron Man 3 Review Ratings” cat1title=”Experience” cat1detail=”A true spectacle! Incredible, adrenaline-fueled action and lots of comedy make this the first must-see summer action blockbuster. However, some parts of the movie felt strangely ’meh’ in terms of the audience’s investment.” cat1rating=”4″ cat2title=”Story” cat2detail=”Influence of The Avengers is a smart and welcome plot point. It has a lot of funny moments and an interesting focus on character development. However, the story was seriously lacking in its portrayal of the villains’ motivations and the sad parts didn’t hit the mark.” cat2rating=”2.5″ cat3title=”Visuals” cat3detail=”Explosions. 3D. IMAX. Lots of Iron Man suits. Do I need to say more?” cat3rating=”5″ cat4title=”Sound” cat4detail=”Explosions thundered, voices were clear, suits sounded…suit-y(?), the music was standard action movie fare, but didn’t have the song Iron Man in it.” cat4rating=”4″ Summary=”Just go see it. Seriously, you won’t regret it. Even if you only have a passing interest in the Marvel superhero universe, you can still enjoy the amazing ride.”]
