Iron Man 3 Directed by: Shane Black Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley, Gwyneth Paltrow Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: May 3, 2013
TRAILER SCORE: 8/10
Thoughts by TSR: I rewatched Iron Man 2 recently, and though I liked it more than I did initially, I still find it the weakest of the Marvel Universe films. Shane Black’s hiring made me optimistic for Iron Man 3 – Kiss Kiss Bang Bang reunion! – and this trailer helps boost that a little more. It isn’t the film I’m most excited about in Marvel Phase Two (Guardians of the Galaxy will be written/directed by James Gunn and features Rocket Raccoon, so obviously), but it looks like they are off to a good start.
The Tony Stark/Pepper Potts relationship is one I’ve never been especially invested in. That said, when Stark says “I hope I can protect the one thing I can’t live without,” I actually feel something. During the lengthy look at the fantastic assault on his cliff-side mansion, I cared about their safety. If that is sustained over the course of the full film, it will go a long way towards its success. In addition to that, this is heavier than I was expecting (though with Black and Downey Jr. I trust there will be plenty of crackling dialogue to keep things fun). It pleases me to no end to see the events of The Avengers are weighing heavily on Tony Stark. It’s not all eating shawarma with his pals; he’s going through a real struggle. Then there’s the Mandarin to worry about. We don’t see much of Ben Kingsley (whose vocal choice is weird and interesting), but I’m really looking forward to learning more about him and his master plan.
While I’m keeping my expectations in check, this first trailer for Iron Man 3 holds a ton of promise. Hopefully it will kick off the next phase of Marvel’s stunning cinematic universe in style.