Cinemablography@gmail.com
Cinemablography
  • Home
  • About
  • Journal
    • Existentialism in Film >
      • The Existential Philosophy of Melancholia
      • The Philosophy of Camus in The Dead Don't Die
      • The Existentialist Subtext of Dear Evan Hansen
      • An Existentialist Reading of "The Turin Horse"
    • A Woman's Perspective: Gender, and Identity in the Romanian New Wave
    • Film Theory Issue 1
    • Film Theory Issue 2
    • Science Fiction
    • Science Fiction Issue 2
    • Pan's Labyrinth
    • Kathryn Bigelow >
      • Opening Scene
      • Supermarket Scene
      • Round Table Discussion
  • Blog
  • Articles by Category
  • Contributors
  • Videographic Essays
  • Our Work
    • Links

Coming Attractions: IRON MAN 3

10/29/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Drawing stylistic comparisons to Christopher Nolan's Batman films, you can't really blame the editors of the first Iron Man 3 trailer for going with what works. A tortured hero stricken with doubt and guilt, alluding to death, epic (slightly dub-steppy) music, and a voice-over by an intimidating villain. And effective it is:  the trailer is just 1 million views behind The Avengers' 37 million at the time of this writing.

Shane Black replaces Jon Favreau as director, a transition that may breathe new life and vision into the series. Robert Downey, Jr. wanted to "radically challenge Stark’s identity, rather than just have him battle another bad guy." Black, too, felt that the story needed to develop organically from the deeply personal place hinted at in The Avengers. You may remember Stark and Cap's argument, something involving "everything special about you came out of a bottle." This comment alone showed us how deep is Stark's need for validation and his emotional progression demands an answer to the question, "Does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?"

The trailer confirms some of the speculated plot details about which Marvel and Disney have been fairly tight-lipped. We  pick up just after Stark returns to his Malibu home following the events in New York City. The story was primarily inspired by the Extremis story arc wherein nanotech scientists Aldrich Killian (Guy Pierce) and Dr. Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall) develop technology that allows man and metal to become symbiotic machines (via a virus), inspiring Stark's next suit.  Ben Kingsley plays Mandarin, the aforementioned intimidating villain and terrorist, who acts as the primary opposing force to Stark. 

It is refreshing to see Stark concerned about losing the things that mean the most to him (a.k.a. Pepper Potts) now that he has opened up his heart to the world around him. Based on the trailer, it looks like Gwyneth Paltrow will get significantly more screen time and a substantial arc of her own. The brief glimpse of the suit confronting Pepper in bed is potentially a misdirect, though most likely explained by one of the nightmares Stark mentions and/or the fact that he is now psychically connected to the suit (as evidenced at 0:21 when he calls the glove to his hand). Screen caps reveal a memorial of some kind (0:29), the suit pinning Stark to the ground (1:00), and a massive, curious, stuffed bunny (1:13). It looks as though the suit will represent Stark's inner turmoil, becoming less predictable as he loses emotional control. Whatever the explanations, this trailer raises questions I'm excited to see the answers to. 

Given that all of Iron Man's adventures so far have revolved around fighting external foes, I am glad of the chance to see Robert Downey, Jr. sink his teeth into something other than the usual sexy-sarcastic-swagger routine we've come to know and love so well. It is a fine foundation but by no means interesting if that is all he is. The real stakes for Stark are within. 

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    February 2023
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.