Movie Review: Ironman 3..the thrusters work well, but run out of steam

The highly anticipated blockbuster of the summer, Ironman 3 starts off exactly as you want it to. The machinery seems perfectly in order, the script seems to have been given due thought, the pacing is just right. At a perfect, unexpected moment the thrusters kick in and the bird is in motion with some jaw dropping action. Brilliant, this is exactly what you came to see – you settle in deeper in your chair for more of the same and a thrilling Avengers-esque experience yet again. Only..that doesn’t happen (and hence the title – the thrusters run out)

Ironman 3 has a lot to offer. Excellent visuals, typical Tony Stark humor an over-abundance of action, very good special effects and cinematography. The performances are also pretty good with Robert Downey Jr. donning the Ironman suit with consummate ease and Gwyneth Paltrow doing a good job with Pepper Potts, who has a meatier role this time round.

However, it pains me to say this but what could have been an explosive and emotionally packed superhero movie or just good old plain action masterfully presented..ends up being neither of the two resulting in almost average fare as the credits roll in. Its not a bad watch per se, don’t get me wrong, but by the end of it all it comes closer to becoming Ironman 2 rather than the origin movie, which I would still rate as the best movie of the franchise yet

What’s worse is that this didn’t necessarily need to be the case especially since the first half of Ironman 3 is wonderfully done. Picking up after the events of Avengers rather than the Ironman movies was a smart move and there is an instant connect. The build up is near perfect and the glimpses of the nemesis are exactly how they ought to be. In fact, Ironman 3 almost offers one of most menacing villains in recent times (and I don’t consider the Joker recent any more so don’t start comparing) . I say almost for a reason; it was a smart ploy but it kinda fell flat for reasons I can’t explain just yet, you’ll figure out when you watch it. As for the 3D of the movie – well, its strictly okay. Ironman 3 could comfortably be seen in 2D though some of wide angle sequences could be considered worthy of the IMAX experience

In a nutshell, this installment of Ironman had the potential to be the best. But by going the tried and tested action explosion route in the second half, it ends up being just another Ironman movie. Whether that does enough for you is your call