Iron Man 3 is Deeper than the First Two, the Action Sores, but the Comic Book fan in me Feels Partially Betrayed

Iron Man 3 (3 out 5 Stars)

Directed by: Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)

Written by: Drew Pierce, and Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheedle, Guy Pierce, and Ben Kingsley

I always walk into comic book films attempting never to be a fan boy.  I even walked out of X-Men: The Last Stand with mild optimism.  I have read X-Men comics since I was five years old (23 years), and was excited to see the Phoenix on screen.  Of course looking back this is one of the worst comic book films, of course nothing is worse than Wolverine: Origins.  The character of Iron Man never crossed my path until later, but Tony Stark soon became one of my favorite Marvel characters, and I devoured almost all of his stories from alcoholism to the Civil War.

Iron Man 3 is set in post Avengers world, the battle in New York City is over, and Tony (Downey Jr.) is having a bit of PTSD with regard to all of the events from that day.  The film opens on Tony back in 1999 where he was a playboy bedding Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall), and meeting an admire Aldrich Killian (Pierce) who runs AIM and wants Tony of board to help advance his plans.  Tony flashes to the present insomnia filled and thinking about the way the past and mistakes define his future.  There is a new villain out to get Tony, named the Mandarin who is this dangerous terrorist plotting to blow up places and people on American soil.

Enter Shane Black the new director, and screenwriter for the film series.  The original Iron Man was directed by the film's star Jon Favreau who plays Stark/Potts bodyguard Happy.  The original film had four different writers namely because the the film had numerous re-writes one script, which actually included the Mandarin, but his character was axed.  The sequel was also directed by Favreau, and written surprisingly by Justin Theroux (the future hubby for Jennifer Aniston).  Black obviously had his work cut out for him after the Avengers film, and a quality first film in the series (2 was not good).

Black has only directed one other feature film, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, a pretty good film, but different from the Marvel popcorn fair.  Yet the direction is one his greater strengths; he knows the characters well, and sets up some great action sequences which succeed.  Black's direction is more emotional than the first two films, namely because his screenplay, which he wrote with first time screenwriter Drew Pierce explores this character on a much deeper level.

When I was watching Tony Stark grapple with his anxiety it was as though they were tackling a version of his alcoholism story within the comic books.  The concept of Stark as an alcoholic will never be a part of the film series (that I can see).  Downey Jr. excels in this role as a narcissist, but there is also something more humbling within the character he has grown, and matured something which this script gets spot on!  I think the deeper, and more emotional level helps make a comic book film feel real, and allows you to become attached to the characters on different levels.

Now changing an entire character around and playing with a villains history, that's where script takes a turn and shows weakness.  I tried not be a fan boy (sorry Shane and Drew) but your big twist almost ruined the entire film.  Spoilers after this part so stop reading if you do not want to know anything.  While it was clear from the beginning that Aldrich Killian was working with the Mandarin (Kingsley) making Killian the big bad, and Mandarin laughable actor who was playing a part is a slap in the face to Marvel history.

For a brief history on the actual representation of both Aldrich Killian and the Mandarin here you go.  Mandarin is character created long ago by Stan Lee way back in 1964.  Mandarin is a pathological egotist who is a genius in science, and marital arts.  Mandarin wields 10 rings which he adapted from alien technology.  These rings could have been tied to the incident in New York City and the future story which centers around Thanos who also wields rings.  Yet you did not go there?  Instead Black and pierce along with producer Favreau took a little known character who was scientist and created a disease, Aldrich Killian, and made him into something he was not, all for the sake of realism.  Fan boy rant over.

Even outside of being a fan, this plot twist felt forced and proved that the battle with the big bad showed that there was little at stake with the actual villain.  Sure Killian took things away from Tony, but the action sequences which were out of this world almost seem pointless because of the way the villain within this film.  A hero is only as interesting as the villain he or she battles.  In this film I think the greatest battle was Stark's inner demons, which was fascinating, and well done.  The actual villain, and the way it was constructed was a total misfire, and lowered the bar for this film.

Iron Man 3 was better than 2 (not hard to be(, had more emotional depth than the first but is still quite flawed.  I can see why some people hate this film, and can understand why other praise the film.  This doesn't even seem like a build up to the Avengers 2, which is good that this is more than that but they could have made it fit into place naturally rather jam the pieces into the puzzle.  Even the closing scene while funny just fell flat.

On a film level Iron Man  explores a much deeper subject matter, but as a fan of the characters and for the sake of the journey this is middle of the road.  

Evolution of the Super Hero Films (Golden Age-Copper Age)

Back in 1966 the television series Batman starring Adam West and Burt Ward got the big screen treatment, in a film known as Batman: The Movie.  In the film the caped crusader along with his trusty sidekick battled four major super villains, Joker, Catwoman, The Riddler, and Penguin. In the television world Batman was seen as a comedy, it was even nominated for Best Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards during it's first year 1966.  This film was in fact the first feature film to be made based on a comic book. So Pow, Twap, and Kaboom, super heroes burst onto the film screen in a very interesting way, more with a laugh.

Before we asses the beginning of the comic book movie era, I must explain the breakdown I have created within the world of comic book movies.  For those who do not read comics, or are familiar comic book history is broken down by eras or ages.  The first is the Golden Age 1933-1954, The Silver Age 1954-1971, The Bronze Age 1971-1989, and The Copper Age 1989-Present. What are the differences?  The style of writing and how they represent the generation.

This website (http://www.bipcomics.com/showcase/docs/ages.cfm) is a great breakdown of what happened during this time period to reflect each age.

It was interesting growing up collecting in the current Age, the Copper Age (I started collecting in 1990), and  I have loved the various story lines and the darker evolution of things. I remember talking to a comic book shop owner back home in Albany who was a bit older, and loved hearing him reminisce about both the Silver and Bronze Age and the simpler nature of comics.  This brings me to the evolution of comic movies today.  I would like to think you could break films down into ages as well.  These are of course my own breakdowns, and do not correspond with the ages within the comic book world.  Yet for the sake of simplicity I have used the same names.

The Golden Age (1941-1966)

The first comic book movies were shown in the theatres as serials before feature length films.  One of the first The Adventures of Captain Marvel was shown in 12 parts in 1941.  I think that this is interesting because obviously the technology was not available to create a true super hero like we know today, but this was the beginning.

In 1951 Superman was the first person (with whom we follow today)  to get his own serial Superman and the Mole Men.

As stated above the next and first feature length film Batman: The Movie would be the last film released within this age.  Batman's comedic timing and simplistic construction provides the initial vantage point for comic book films and television shows, action packed but funny.  Batman was clearly meant for children, and  the other films were serialized to entertain small children in anti caption for the feature film.

What categorizes this as the the Golden Age?  To me these films are the birth of it all, they set things going, and helped to establish a base knowledge of the super hero.  Being that many of these films were actually serials set them a part in a different pantheon.

The Silver Age (1978-1988)

Thanks in large part to the Star Wars franchise super hero films came back in a big way, but not for another 12 years in 1978.  Superman flew onto the screen, and the film became a massive hit.  This was the first major hit hit at the box office making 134 million domestic in 1978, pretty impressive.

Superman dominated this age of film, which makes sense.  During this time he was the most accessible comic book character to the larger audiences out there.  Director Richard Donner made the first two, but left after these films.  There was of course, and unfortunately a Superman III (1983) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).

Along with the four films in the Superman franchise there was also Swamp Thing (1982) and Sequels, Supergirl (1984), The Toxic Avenger (1984) and sequels.

What categorizes the Silver Age of the comic book films? Not surprisingly  the answer is Superman.  While the Richard Donner films were the best, the whole series represents the emblematic nature of this age.  We often regard Superman as the first super hero, and he is the symbol of the strong.  One of my favorite things about Americans paint him as all-American, but often forget he is an alien.  With that said Clark Kent is the Midwest boy next store, who is smart, and strong.  These films are the the true origin of the next step in super hero films.

The Bronze Age (1989-1999)

While first trying to breakdown the ages for myself I was about to end the Silver Age with the first Batman film, from Tim Burton, but I think think Burton's Batman walks away from Donner's Superman, and starts this age with a different, and interesting transitional tone.

Batman released in 1989 starred two major movie stars of the time, Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton.  Like with the Superman model Keaton was a bit of a smaller star the way Reeves was.  Yet the tone of Burton's Batman, was this dark and ominous Gothic style, which was both unique yet fit the Batman model.

Batman dominated this age, and Tim Burton came back in 1992 with his sequel Batman Returns.  While still dark there was this tinge of comedic elements that hearkened back to the original television series.  Burton has always blended the light and the dark with a hint of dark comedy.

Burton stepped away from Batman, and then Joel Schumacher entered for Batman Forever (1995) and Batman and Robin (1997).  I watched both films about a week, and found them both painfully over the top, I used to enjoy Batman Forever mildly, but it lost something..

What these Batman films (all four) represented within this era was a darker transition with this sometimes comedic element.  The films felt like a comic book as well never leaping into the realism elements.

Other films which capture this element from this era are all of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies, The Rocketeer (1991), The Crow (1994), The Mask (1994), Judge Dredd (1995), The Phantom (1996), Spawn (1997), and Blade (1998).

All of these films had dark elements, better visual effects, but yet still felt as though you were in a two dimensional comic book.  Save for the the original Batman which ironically was the oldest.

The Copper Age (2000-Present)

Where did the change begin? What change?  The change to comic book films which realized the true real life nature of their super heroes.  This is hard, and could be highly debated.  I have 2000 down because I am going to cite a film with which M. Night Shyamalan does not get enough credit for, Unbreakable.  Unbreakable follows not real comic book character, but rather a man (Willis) who soon starts to think he may be a real life super hero.  The film explores the concept of the super hero in everyday terms, and from a realistic point of view, while maintaining classic comic book structure of the good versus evil trope.

Yet within this year you X-Men (2000), and in 2002 the original Spider-Man film.  Both of these films were born with the mindset of the Silver Age comic book movie in mind yet their sequels stepped out on a limb and pushed the boundaries of the comic book film even further.  X-2: X:Men United (2003) and Spider-Man 2 (2004) were the first two comic book films about super heroes which explored the psyche of the everyday life better than anything I have ever seen as a comic book fan.  There have of course been back slides, especially with the third film in each of their franchises, as though they got sloppy.

2008 was the year it all changed, with the release of Iron Man and The Dark Knight.  While Batman Begins started the shake up for the new Batman franchise, these three films changed the landscape for comic book films forever.

In an age where people started just peddling garbage like The Fantastic Four (both 1 and 2), Daredevil, Elektra, Wolverine: Origins, Hancock, and many more.  People like Christopher Nolan stepped up and said I am going to make good movies about comic book characters, which happen to be some of the most realistic films at the same time.  Both Nolan and John Favreau (Iron Man) used the concept of the crumbling economy, terrorism, global structures, and so much more to frame their films.

As films go forward they have to compete with the benchmark set, that you can't just slap things together, but that you have to know your audience, and make a film that will cater to the fans, and speak to the greater issues of it all.

As we are still in this age, Marvel pushes forward (way ahead of DC now) with the Avengers I can't help but think how far these films have come, and where they may go next.  There is so much to explore, but will we look back on these films, and think I can't believe I though this was good?  Or will this just continue to push comic book films to be that much better? I think the latter.

The Avengers Assemble to Create One of the Most Entertaining Comic Book Films

The Avengers (4 out of 5 Stars)

Directed and Written by Joss Whedon (Serenity, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Starring: Robert Downey Jr.,  Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johannson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Colbie Smulders and Samuel L. Jackson

At the end of every Marvel film seeing Samuel L. Jackson show up as Nick Fury to recruit for "Avengers Initiative" made me an incredibly giddy fanboy.  I have read comic  books since as long I can remember.  I primarily used to read the X-Men titles, but ever since Avengers Disassembled  (2004), I have been hooked on this super team.   As a little kid I used to play with the action figures, and played the video games, so for me there was a lot of pressure for this film to live up to my childhood hopes.  It did.

Without giving too much of the film away, the film starts with the evacuation of a SHIELD base.  Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is racing to the base with his second in command Agent Maria Hill (Colbie Smulders) tells him the Tesseract, an energy source of unknown potential, has activated and opened a portal through space.  Loki steps out of the portal takes the Tesseract and escapes.  Fury has a bunch of hologram screens with government officials telling him he should not go forward with the Avengers Initiative it was disbanded, but of course they need "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" to save the planet, and the story takes off.

Director/Writer Joss Whedon who is best known for his TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel was the perfect choice to direct this film.  Whedon is the eternal fanboy in the director's chair, and perfect person to pen this screenplay.  Whedon knows the comic book world well; he has continued to write the Buff, and Angel comics, he has also created a series entitled "Fray"which takes place in the future of the Buffy world.  Whedon has done writing for Marvel comics as well.  In 2006 Whedon helped relaunch the title series "The Astonishing X-Men" and under his writing it received numerous honors and was one of the best written 24 issue arc of the decade.  I had walked away from comics for a few years, but I credit Whedon's writing on this X-Men series to be the reason I returned to comic books.

Fans have been clamoring for Whedon to step behind the camera for years, with a variety of different comic book films, but he waited for the perfect moment.  Whedon's only other film credit is Serenity, but boy does he know what he is doing.  Whedon makes you feel as though he is one of the fans; he knows the comic book crowd and how to make them happy with both his direction and writing.  As a comic book fan he made the film speak to me, and put into full realization everything I had always imagined this experience to be, and he is especially good at bringing the different cast members together.

From Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr's) one-liners, to the Hulk smash the cast meshed well together.  The core four Avengers (Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, and Hulk) were the best part.  I read Whedon wants to shrink his cast down in the next film and I have a feeling it will involve these four and maybe one more new cast member.  I enjoyed Hawkeye; he was cool, but without his own film you lose the characterization.  The Black Widow kicks ass and Johansson was better in this than in Iron Man 2, but I still  did not care about her character's development because of the lack of depth behind her.  Other than that I may have given a few fan boy shrieks, but this movie was just great.

Avengers Assemble: Iron Man aka Tony Stark

Unlike Captain America Iron Man was one of the original Avengers.  Iron Man was around much earlier than the formation of the Avengers.  Iron Man was created by the master Stan Lee along with Larry Lieber, Don Heck and Jack Kirby Tales of Suspense #39 back in March 1963.

Iron Man/Tony Stark's story is similar to the one in the 2008 film except for the time period.  Tony Stark was a billionaire playboy/genius who suffered a chest industry during which the people who captured him tried to force him to build a "weapon of mass destruction" for them.  Iron Man instead created a suit made of iron nonetheless that fought helped him to fight off his captors.  The suit was later modified using the technology from his own company Stark Industries in order to help fight crime.  The central source of his power and the device within his chest also keeps him alive.  Iron Man's super powers include his genius intellection, a cyberpathic link with his armored suit, superhuman strength, energy repulsors, missiles, and durability.

Stan Lee created Iron Man as a commentary on the Cold War.  Iron Man represented the advancing technology in fighting.  Lee used Iron Man to represent the advancing technology in the arms race with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.  As time passed and the Cold War evolved Iron Man, Stark, and everything associated it used the changing times to help create an evolutionary path with the character.  Like within the film some of the trends associated with the character were corporate crime and terrorism.

Throughout the years Iron Man has represented one of the most interesting comic book characters because of the symbolic nature of his character.  Iron Man has also had a wide variety of allies/villains grace the pages of his comics.  Iron Man's long standing allies are his assistant/sometimes love interest Pepper Potts.  Tony also has his friend James Rhodes also known as Rhodey who became War Machine.  Rhodes relationship started way back when the two met in Vietnam, and although they have had their ups and downs their friendship remains strong.

In 2008 comic book films took a different path.  2008 marked the release of two landmark films in the genre, The Dark Knight, and Iron Man.  Iron Man took a turn towards the realistic, and used the concepts of corporate crime, and terrorism to help launch Tony Stark to the path as Iron Man.  Tony Stark was played by the amazing Robert Downey Jr.  Downey Jr. is the perfect embodiment of everything Tony Stark.  While the first film is excellent the second film proved to show the quality dipped a little.  I am excited to watch him grace the screen again in The Avengers this week, and I am hoping the third installment proves to turn things around.