"Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang 2," I Mean, "Iron Man 3" Is Pretty Awesome

Directed by Shane Black, written by Drew Pearce & Shane Black, starring Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Rebecca Hall, Guy Pearce, and Ben Kingsley - Rated PG-13

The humor of this film puts it at the top of the trilogy for me.

The Marvel comic book movies truly began with Iron Man back in 2008.  That film not only introduced us to billionaire playboy turned hero Tony Stark, but also kicked off a series of films that would culminate with The Avengers, last year’s hugely successful superhero team-up movie.  Iron Man 3 is a rebirth in that this is the first Marvel film since The Avengers.  The question is where does Marvel go from here?  How does a standalone film address the events of The Avengers?  Apparently, it has a panic attack.

That is not a put down of Iron Man 3.  Tony Stark literally has panic attacks in the film when the events that took place in The Avengers are mentioned.  It’s almost as if the writers of the film wanted to tell the audience through Stark that this is a movie of its own.  This is not The Avengers 2.  This is Iron Man.  And that’s a good thing. 

I’m not all that into ranking films in a series, but if I had to, I would say Iron Man 3 is the best of the series.  This is, of course, only one man’s opinion.  Many have taken issue with the film (just check the miserable cesspool that is the IMDb message boards for examples), and I actually slightly agree with their critiques.  There are complaints (nitpicks) about the villain, the logic, and the lack of, well, Iron Man.  I understand these complaints, but none of it bothered me that much because I was thoroughly entertained. 
 

Iron Man 3 worked for me more than the first two films for one simple reason: Shane Black.  Marvel has made some interesting, and great, choices when it comes to directors.  Giving Jon Favreau the job on the first two Iron Man movies, hiring Kenneth Branaugh for Thor, and allowing geek-god Joss Whedon to write and direct The Avengers have all been masterstrokes.  Bringing in Shane Black, best known for writing Lethal Weapon and writing/directing Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, might be their best decision yet.  Black may not be known for big budget action, but he has proven himself many times over that he can write witty dialogue.  Team him up with renowned improviser Robert Downey, Jr. and you end up with a very funny, entertaining film. 

In many ways, Iron Man 3 is similar to the earlier Black/Downey team-up in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.  Both films take place at Christmas, feature a witty voiceover from Downey, Jr., and involve the main character solving a mystery.  That is what I liked the most about this third installment; Tony Stark basically becomes a detective for the bulk of the film.  Normally, a sequel to a comic book movie is simply more action as loud as possible.  In this film, Tony Stark is in the Iron Man suit shockingly few times.  As stated earlier, this might bother some people, but I liked it. 

The mystery Tony has to solve involves massive domestic explosions that a terrorist called The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is taking credit for.  The Mandarin is a mysterious figure that no one can seem to track down, which is why Tony must play detective for the most part.  It’s interesting because The Mandarin is such a combination of cultures you really want to know what his story is.  He has a bin Laden beard, Chinese robes, and a southern accent.  He’s brutal and strange.  Thankfully, the promotions for the film have kept him mysterious, and his origin story is quite effective (though comic book fans are up in arms about it). 





These guys?  Don't worry about these guys...

The mystery element of the film does not mean there is no action.  Shane Black proves he has an eye for large-scale action with Iron Man 3.  The big events are spaced out quite a bit, but when the suit comes on, you know something awesome is about to happen.  There are some truly exhilarating moments in the film, most notably a complicated air rescue, and it’s surprising that there is still a fresh way to show the action in the series after so much screen time with the character. 

Of course, the Iron Man series has always been more about the character than the action, and this incarnation embraces that.  With the suit off, Downey, Jr. gets to have a lot of fun.  His interactions with a kid in the middle of the film could have easily ended up being clichéd, but his sarcasm and wit liven the scenes up. 

Robert Downey, Jr. simply makes these films work, but he’s not alone.  Ben Kingsley definitely adds some allure to The Mandarin.  Gwyneth Paltrow continues to make Pepper Potts more than just a damsel in distress.  James Badge Dale is perfectly cast as a villain you would like to punch in the face.  Don Cheadle works well with Downey in their few buddy cop scenes.  And Paul Bettany’s voice work makes the A.I. computer program Jarvis feel like a real character. 

Iron Man 3 is vastly different than what I expected it to be.  Perhaps that why I liked it so much, while others will hate it.  It is the funniest of the three films, features some of the most memorable action sequences of the trilogy, and, more importantly, it surprised me.  And in the land of sequels and big summer blockbusters, it’s rare, and good, to be surprised. 

Random Thoughts (SPOILERS)

Okay, so the Mandarin ended up being literally a joke.  This has the comic fans very angry.  I can't really comment on that since I've never read an Iron Man comic book.  The Mandarin of the film is my first impression of the character, so I can't speak to any outrage.

I did love how The Mandarin said "Amurica." 

 

I honestly felt sad when I saw Dum-E fall into the ocean.  I knew Stark would eventually salvage him, but it was still a surprisingly emotional scene.  Same goes for when Jarvis's voice started to die out. 
 

I loved how the Shamwow guy is a part of the distortion before one of the Mandarin videos.

The after credits scene didn't give any connection to future projects, but I really dug how it explained why Tony was narrating the story in the first place.  I've always been a stickler about first person narration and how it should be explained rather than simply included, so that was nice.

 

Top Ten (and then some) of 2012

I am going to give the same warning for this top ten list that I did last year: these are my top ten (and then some) “favorite” films of the year.  I am in position to claim one film is technically “better” than any other film.  Sure, I might be more likely than most to comment on filming techniques, score, acting, etc., but at the end of the day, or year, I still simply pick which movies I enjoyed the most.  Was Anna Karenina more impressive from a filmmaking standpoint than Lincoln?  Yes, absolutely.  But while I enjoyed Anna Karenina, it didn’t contain subject matter that I found particularly interesting nor did it have any performances that match up with Lincoln.  The point is that these top ten lists that flood the internet and magazines around this time of the year are all subjective.  It’s all personal taste.  That said, I have kind of a boring list, as my top three films are on nearly all of the top ten lists.  I’m not one to lie just to be different, though, so I stuck with the ten films I enjoyed the most this year.  I found 2012 to be a great year for movies, which is why I also added a few comments for five more films, and have a lengthy honorable mention list.  So here it is.  Feel free to completely disagree with me.  All I ask is that you keep an open mind, especially about the movies on the list that you haven’t seen.  It’s always okay to hate a movie, but only if you’ve seen it.

Also, I did miss out on a handful of films that some people have been praising, such as Holy Motors, End of Watch, Rust and Bone, Alps, and Compliance.  

1. Lincoln
 


I honestly did not expect this to end up as my number one film of the year.  I knew Day-Lewis would give a great performance, but I was skeptical of Spielberg.  I was afraid this was going to be a safe, plain patriotic film.  I wasn’t entirely wrong, but I was floored by how effective, and entertaining, the film was.  Many have complained of the film being boring, and I understand that, with all of the politics and long conversations, but I love that stuff.  While some were falling asleep, I was paying close attention.  The entire film works for me.  But it was Daniel Day-Lewis’s performance that sealed the deal for me. 

 

2. Django Unchained



An extremely close second because of the entertainment value in Quentin Tarantino’s edgy film.  Some are offended by the very premise of the film, but what can I say?  It’s kind of hard to offend me.  I enjoy movies and that is what this is: a very enjoyable movie.

 

3. Zero Dark Thirty



An important but riveting film.  It’s catching a lot of flak concerning torture and all that, but if you can get past that, this lengthy film expertly recreates the nuts and bolts of the manhunt that brought Osama bin Laden to justice.  More importantly, though, the film leaves the viewer with some questions about the war on terror and how it’s being waged.

 

4. The Master

 

Paul Thomas Anderson is a filmmaker I will always find interesting, and that is the basis for this pick.  Some will watch this and absolutely hate it, and I understand that.  It’s a strange film.  I started to doubt my enjoyment of the film weeks after my initial viewing, but watching it again recently, I realized once again that I love this movie.  It’s endlessly fascinating to me.

 

5. Prometheus

 

This is one of my controversial picks and the one that will have some people completely dismiss me.  I don’t know why everyone on the internet chose this film to nitpick incessantly.  I suppose it didn’t live up to their expectations, whatever those were.  I enjoyed the film very much, though.  It’s a science-fiction film with a brain.  Yes, with a brain.  Most people criticize the film because of the “stupid” things the characters do, but that says nothing about the themes of the film.  I don’t know, maybe I’m just easily pleased, but I thought director Ridley Scott’s return to sci-fi was entertaining and thought-provoking.  Also, this is a sci-fi film that relied surprisingly heavily on practical effects.  In today’s movie world, that is something that should be appreciated.

 

6. The Dark Knight Rises

 

Another film people are now ripping to shreds because of plot holes online.  (Because the first two films of the trilogy were documentaries, right?)  I thought this was a pleasing and fitting conclusion to my favorite superhero series of all time.  I know the battle was between this and The Avengers, but I liked both.  I just enjoyed this one more.  And as with Prometheus, the amount of practical stunt work and visual effects deserves much more credit than it has received thus far.

 

7. Cloud Atlas

 

This film could have easily been a complete mess (and some would argue that it is), but somehow the filmmakers took a complex book and compiled an amazing film experience out of it.  It gets bonus points from for the sheer ambition of it, but more than that, the film grabbed me and made me care about what was happening. 

 

8. Wanderlust

 

This pick might leave people simply asking, “What is Wanderlust?”  Unfortunately, this hilarious comedy failed to find much success at the box office or on home video.  I think this movie is worthy of cult status and hopefully time will rectify that.  Maybe not, though.  It is a truly absurd film, and is certainly not for everyone.  But in a year filled with great comedies, I found this one to rise above the rest.  It features that rare self-aware comedy that never has to sink to the level of actors winking at the camera.  If you like comedies off the beaten path, check this out.

 

9. Looper

 

I’m a sucker for sci-fi and even though the paradoxes of time travel films tend to bother me, this film does it right.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is terrific and his Bruce Willis impression is worth watching alone.  Thankfully, writer-director Rian Johnson makes this stylish, interesting film much more than a lengthy Willis impression.

 

10. Lawless

 

This is a film that I feel has been unfairly forgotten by year-end lists and awards.  This story of bootlegging in Virginia is an interesting period piece that features a great cast.  Definitely one of the most crowd-pleasing films on my list (I have yet to talk to someone who did not like it).  I really just think this film needs to find a larger audience because it is a very fun film.

 

Five close picks

 

The Cabin in the Woods – Any horror movie fan should check this horror-comedy out.  Don’t expect an actual horror movie, though.

 

Moonrise Kingdom – Wes Anderson being Wes Anderson.  At this point you either like it or you don’t.

 

The Avengers – A truly entertaining, fun time.  I just like Batman more.

 

Argo – Terrifically tense film that is getting plenty of love for Affleck’s directing and rightfully so.

 

Skyfall – An extremely satisfying Bond film that might even please old-school fans…might.

 

Honorable Mention

Flight, The Grey, 21 Jump Street, Ted, Anna Karenina, Room 237, and Silver Linings Playbook

"The Avengers"

Directed Joss Whedon, written by Whedon and Zak Penn, starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Samuel L. Jackson - Rated PG-13

Captain America: And Hulk...Smash!

This is the comic book movie people have been waiting for.  Anticipation is high for any big name comic book property adaptation (for instance, we still have The Dark Knight Rises on the way), but The Avengers is unique because it is so unlikely.  Take some of the heaviest hitters from the Marvel universe (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk, etc.) and combine them in one huge movie.  The fact that a studio was able to plan this out after each character had his own film produced is impressive.  But The Avengers doesn’t skate by on the simple existence of itself; instead it soars up there in the higher echelons because it is one of the most enjoyable action films in years.

The Avengers was always a project I was on the fence about.  I’ve always been more of an X-Men and Batman fan, so the crew of this film didn’t excite me all that much.  On top of that, I had doubts that a big studio could come up with a storyline that managed to balance all of the personalities of the film, both in character and out.  How do you justify a scene between relatively unknown characters like Loki and Black Widow when you could just have The Hulk and Thor duke it out for a half an hour?  Why have a scene with Clark Gregg and Jeremy Renner when you can have Robert Downey, Jr. talk smack to Samuel L. Jackson? 

Surprisingly, the filmmakers (writer/director/geek god Joss Whedon and writer Zak Penn) found the perfect balance of star power and character moments.  I cannot come up with a gripe along those lines.  I felt that each actor and character was given just the right amount of screen time.  This is most likely because of Whedon’s involvement (not to take away anything from Penn), but it is certainly because there are only two screenwriters on this film rather than half a dozen.  (I’m sure more than two writers took a crack at the script, but still, only having two credited writers is a good thing.)  Hollywood should take note: you don’t need a dozen writers to hash out a script.  Less can be more, especially when you’re dealing with so much. 

Speaking of balance, The Avengers also finds a great balance between action and comedy.  I cannot remember the last film I watched that had me glued to the action one moment and laughing aloud the next.  I don’t want to ruin any gags; I just want to point out that any joke situation I could think of among these vastly different characters was addressed and it was addressed well.  Thankfully, the film never delves into deadly serious territory (that’s what Batman is for), but instead keeps things light and entertaining. 

This is not simply a comedic action film, though.  The Avengers features some very exciting action sequences, whether it’s a fight amongst the team or a full-on intergalactic war.  The characters complement each other perfectly in battle.  As if it wasn’t already awesome to see Thor and The Hulk fight (both one-on-one and as teammates), the filmmakers managed to hit on every possible fanboy desire while also making the action compelling and easy to follow.  This applies to the entire film as characters have to work together and use their specific skill sets to help each other. 

It’s easy to forget that there are actors inhabiting these characters when you’re dealing with such an action-heavy, funny film; but if you stop and consider it, every actor does a fine job.  I don’t want to waste space and write an individual comment for every performance, especially since almost all involved have played these characters before.  Downey, Evans, and Hemsworth have their respective characters down and it’s a lot of fun to simply watch them talk to each other.  Lone newcomer Mark Ruffalo has some amusing moments as well as Bruce Banner, but it is the CG-enhanced Hulk version that is the real force behind the film. 

It’s not just that the CG Hulk actually looks like the actor portraying him (previous incarnations involving Eric Bana and Edward Norton tried to personalize the face, but failed); it’s that The Hulk has finally found a film formula that works.  First, he’s not just trying to free himself of his power this time around.  Second, The Hulk is so much more fun to watch when he’s only part of the crew.  As ironic as it is, The Hulk is just not capable of carrying his own film.  Throw him in with some other superheroes, though, and you wonder why his character isn’t as popular as the rest.  Just to be clear, though, I still think The Hulk is not right for a full feature film.  Perhaps they can work him into some of the other individual films to keep the audience sated until the next true Avengers film. 

If The Hulk is the bright spot in the line up of The Avengers, then baddie Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is the weak point.  Nothing against Hiddleston, he does a fine job and is obviously having fun as the bad guy of the film, but the character of Loki pales in comparison to the iconic villains of other franchises.  This is hardly a major problem, though, especially when you’d rather spend all of your time with the heroes, anyway. 

The Avengers is nearly perfect in accomplishing what it sets out to do.  It’s a big budget movie that looks expensive.  It’s an action-comedy that provides thrilling set pieces and hilarious gags.  It’s a movie about a team that also seamlessly caters to each individual.  It might just be the best comic book movie ever made, if you’re judging it based on the sheer level of enjoyment it provides.  As of this writing, The Avengers has already broken box office records.  Part of that might be hype.  But a larger part is because The Avengers is simply a good movie.

Random Thoughts (SPOILERS)

Everything with Thor and The Hulk was simply awesome.  The Hulk unable to lift Mjolnir, Hulk punching Thor out of nowhere, etc.

I loved how the film acknowledged that some characters don't understand modern references.  My favorite moment was when Captain America spoke up after hearing "flying monkeys."  "I get it! I understood that reference..."