As Hollywood has continued to move up the all-important summer movie season, it’s pretty well stuck with the first weekend in May as the traditional kick-off date…
Topping last year’s summer launch though isn’t going to be easy.
Disney sprung into the summer with a little ditty called MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS. It produced not only a $200.3 million domestic opening weekend at the box office but topped out with a whopping North American take of $623,358 million!
Can The Mouse House repeat itself this year?
Probably not, but it should come comfortably close with this weekend’s super wide North American release of the third IRON MAN outing. I’m pegging the haul to be between $145 and $155 million.
And guess what, it’s a really good “living comic book” up on the big screen!
IRON MAN THREE pits brash-but-brilliant scientist Tony Stark—a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.)—up against a take-over-the-world villain whose reach knows no bounds.
An early flashback takes us to an encounter with Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), a pushed aside research scientist with a plan to be recognized one day.
His time is now.
And so is that of The Mandarian whose acts of terror come one country at a time. Hats off to deliciously bad guy Ben Kingsley who is now putting extreme pressures on “Ironed Stark.”
What we’ve got here is Tony Stark’s ultimate challenge as he again dons a newly souped up iron suit to protect America—and for that matter, mankind.
Not an easy task though in this chapter of the franchise as we witness Stark not only left to survive by his own devices but forced to rely on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those close to him.
That includes Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) who may be getting fed up with his obsession with those suits but has moved in with Tony and oversees his Stark Industries.
Most impressive scene?
For me it’s when Iron Man rescues a number of passengers from the doomed Air Force One. The sequence had our screening audience breaking into applause. All I can tell you is that the scene is the wow factor in the picture.
Also on board for this third outing is Don Cheadle returning as iron patriot Col. ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes. And Jon Favreau as bodyguard Happy Hogan who’s now charged with protecting Pepper Potts.
Note that Favreau, who also directed the past two films, here handed those duties to Shane Black who gave us KISS KISS BANG BANG. Favreau though is also an executive producer of this picture.
So is anything new being brought to the table here?
Not really. No need for it.
This third chapter will thoroughly satisfy the fanboys—and for that matter the movie going public in general.
Robert Downey, Jr. is having a ball with the script. His slightly cocky approach to things—especially the dialogue—makes for a fun day at the movies. Even though the film’s running time could’ve easily been tightened from its current 130 minutes to say 115 minutes.
That said, I’m sure that my 12 year old grandson Gage Poessiger would strongly disagree with me.
And by the way sitting through one of the longest roll outs of end credits ever WILL reward you with one final scene involving Tony Stark and, and…….
Well, you’ll just have to find out.
Only one caution to parents!
IRON MAN THREE sure seemed quite violent for its PG-13 rating. To put it in the M.P.A.A.’s own words, the movie contains “sequences of intense sci-fiction and violence throughout and brief suggestive content.”
Bottom line, Robert Downey, Jr. and company deliver on all counts. It’s still a fresh, fun and exciting ride. The 3D isn’t shabby either. But the adventure can certainly be enjoyed without forking out the 3D up charge
AS Tony Stark wisely observes in the film, “We create our own demons.”
So deal with them and gorge yourself on a big bag of popcorn.
IRON MAN THREE posing the question: Does the man make the suit…or does the suit make the man?
Too damn heavy for me.
I’m dispensing 3-1/2 out of 5 peace-keeping fingers.
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings at 6:40 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. on KMBZ Fm & Am / Also anytime on Time-Warner Cable’s K.C. ON DEMAND, Channel 411 / And throughout Nebraska on NEBRASKA ON DEMAND.
What’s the fascination with these stooges? Why are people going nuts over this character? Give me “Argo 2” and I’m a happy camper.
Iron Man 2 was the worst thing I’ve seen in the theater since “Bebe’s Kids”. So I’m wary of this one.
No need to worry ese, this one is better than 2.
Good popcorn munching fare.