The moment Shane Black was announced as the director and co-writer, I knew IRON MAN 3 would be a far cry better than “Iron Man 2.”
Black made his bones writing such testosterone-fueled actioners as “Lethal Weapon,” “The Last Boy Scout” and “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” and he singlehandedly resuscitated Robert Downey, Jr.’s flagging career when he cast him as the lead in the nimble comedy-noir/Hollywood satire “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.” Even if “Iron Man 3” turned out to be a carbon-copy of the first two movies, Black’s involvement was sure to lend the proceedings an air of snappy sarcasm and self-referential humor.
What a refreshing joy, then, to discover in “Iron Man 3” a superhero-sized dose of what typically lacks in a giant threequel: surprise.
Read more »