The "Iron Man" franchise is again in the spotlight as "Iron Man 3" debuts in theatres everywhere May 3, another Marvel comic book-turned-movie that is sure to be a summer box office hit.
Despite being the 3rd of the series, "Iron Man 3" comes off having a much darker air than the previous films. This time Tony Stark is not just concerned with saving the world from a super villain - he is serious about getting revenge against the Mandarin for personal attacks against those Stark cares most about.
Robert Downey Jr. is back as Iron Man (alter ego of Stark Industries' CEO and philanthropist, Tony Stark) and is sure to bring his usual charisma, dry humor and flare for the dramatic to the screen. Gwyneth Paltrow is also reprising her role as Pepper Potts, the love interest of the superhero protagonist. Don Cheadle also has a more pivotal role than he did in "Iron Man 2" as Lt. Colonel James Rhodes because this time around Rhodes is upgraded to Iron Man's sidekick, Iron Patriot, another robot-suited superhero flying the skies in the name of justice. The superstar cast is rounded out by Oscar winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley, who takes on the role of the Mandarin, a monstrous villain and mad genius in possession of superhuman martial arts skills. The Mandarin is a prototypical antagonist: head of a terror organization called The Ten Rings, and full of mystery. His clash with Iron Man is the classic good vs. evil storyline that audiences expect from Marvel comic films but never seem to get bored of.
"Iron Man 3" will without a doubt please audiences as it couples a newer, more emotionally unstable Tony Stark with the same penchant for flashy, witty humor that has come to define the franchise. Everything to love about Iron Man is still there, with a bit more edge to get used to.
Brett Montana can be reached at brett.montana@student.shu.edu.
