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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Tony Stark returns; Iron Man 3 brings the heat

Warning: Spoilers below

"Iron Man 3," which was released on May 3 in the United States, is a direct sequel to 2010 film, "Iron Man 2," and a follow-up to last summer’s The Avengers. The story picks up shortly after the events of "The Avengers," and Tony Stark tries to live a world that has been altered by the events that transpired in New York City in "The Avengers."

Tony is struggling with new challenges he has yet to experience. Maya Hansen and Aldrich Killian, whom he hasn’t seen since a fateful New Years Eve party in 1999, haunt his past. Tony suffers from an unnamed anxiety disorder and is subject to many panic attacks throughout the film as well as insomnia that he faces by obsessively building new, and flawed, Iron Man suits. On top of this Tony is faced with strains in his relationship with Pepper Potts, who is now running Stark Industries, as well as threats from a new villain: a terrorist known as the Mandarin.

"Iron Man 3" is substantially better than its preceding sequel as it addresses a more human side of its main character. In "Iron Man 2" Tony is faced with the problems of being a publicly known superhero. He struggles with the new responsibility to keep world peace while the government’s threatens to take away his Iron Man suits, and the more personal fight with palladium poisoning from his chest arc reactor.

Tony’s problems are much more human in "Iron Man 3." He verges on appearing weak in his panic attacks, and hope seems lost when even his Iron Man suits are not a match for this new, very dangerous, terrorist sect led by the Mandarin. Tony has to return to being a man rather than being a hero, relying on his intellect rather than a suit.            

Tony grows from the billionaire playboy who faces his problems by getting drunk at lavish parties, to a man with the burden of keeping world peace sitting on his shoulders.

Aside from the astounding character growth seen for Tony Stark in Iron Man 3, there are other new elements to the film. Pepper Potts, and her responsibilities as Tony’s partner and support system, as well as CEO of Stark Industries, are explored. Pepper is expanded as a character, at one point even donning the Iron Man suit, but her involvement was not as intense as it could have been.

While the terrorist organization in the film serves as a newly frightening villain, it’s still lacks the humanity of the first film’s Obadiah Stane who was relatable due to his being driven by greed. The film still includes wonderful humor, similar to that of "The Avengers" and outstanding special effects.

The final verdict? Go see it. 

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