Iron Man 3: The man behind the suit

Action, adventure, thriller, sci-fi, explosions, visual effects, soundtracks, sound effects, cool dialogues and overall badass-ness is what has come to be expected of anything that has to do with the Iron Man franchise. This includes the Iron Man trilogies and other like projects which the superhero has been associated with over the last few years. The good news is that the third film in the Iron Man trilogy has kept up to the standards which it was expected to uphold.

Post his collaboration with The Avengers initiative and their final showdown in New York City, where Tony Stark almost lost his life in a battle with aliens, the man behind the suit is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder as a new villain arises to destroy the American dream and all that it is associated with. Mandarin has claimed responsibility for several bombings on American soil as he declares war on the United States and issues public threats to the President that his time and his country’s reign is coming to an end. Tony becomes increasingly aware that he may not always be around to protect the one he loves most, Pepper Potts, and so prepares himself through nights of insomnia for a war that may eventually be his last in some way or the other. As the number of incidents increase and Tony’s own friends are dragged into the battle, he makes his own public announcement vowing to put an end to Mandarin and all that he stands for.

While the previous films were directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man has Shane Black credited 

for the role of director. Overall, the style of the film is maintained from the previous two films in the trilogy with similar visual and sound effects being employed as well as a similar tone of the film which banks between action and mild character humour. Robert Downey Jr. once again plays the role of Tony Stark/ Iron Man to his personal strengths as he portrays the badass, rebellious nature of the character with a playful sense of humour that it is known for. Gwyneth Paltrow deserves a special mention for her performance in this film as she plays Pepper Potts and holds her own as the female lead in a sultry avatar which is much sexier than was ever witnessed before.

Overall, this film shows Tony Stark in a more human light than the previous films. As he grapples with his previous near death experience, his dependence on his machinery and technology is evident as he begins to have panic attacks with every mention of his previous battles and how the presence of his Iron Man suit is essential to help him calm down. The character of Tony Stark, which is always portrayed as a confident and cocky playboy billionaire, is torn apart to show his natural instinct as he deals with his issues as any other person would and comes to terms with his fears to accept his own ingenuity and intelligence along with his instincts and desires.

The use of 3D doesn’t really do much for the film; and neither is it required for most other films honestly. But Iron Man 3 is a real treat to watch for a full blown Hollywood production that has managed to live up to its own standards as a top film in the genre of action.

Dorian Gray: Morality takes a back seat

There is no pleasure to be found in everything that is moral and good, or at least that seems to be the message that screams out the most from Dorian Gray, the 2009 movie which is based on the Oscar Wilde classic novel titled The Picture of Dorian Gray. However, it is debatable whether the key message is to live life in the moment and not worry about its consequences, or in fact, the message could be that every action we take is a seed sown towards our final outcome. But the message to take away from the story is entirely relevant to the perception from which it is watched.

Dorian Gray is a young man who is blessed with good looks and has recently come into a large fortune owing to the death of his grandfather. He moves to London to live in the house he has inherited where he is surprised and impressed by the fast paced and modern lifestyle. At one of the social gatherings he is invited to, he meets Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton who become his companions in this new life. Basil, an artist by profession, offers to paint a portrait of Dorian in the likeness of one owned by his grandfather, while Henry begins to influence Dorian’s perceptions about morality and pleasure. In this mix, Dorian vehemently states that he would be willing to sell his soul to forever keep the beauty that he perceives in his finished portrait. Henry continues to influence Dorian’s ideas of morality and leads him into a path of decadence and debauchery. As Dorian’s sins and age start to catch up, he realises that he no longer ages but his portrait bears the marks of his life, leading him to spiral further into his hedonic lifestyle.

While the plot stays afloat with decent performances by the cast, the movie lacks any conviction or flair. With multiple instances of terribly shoddy editing, abrupt transitions and a finale which is a huge letdown from the build up of the plot, Dorian Gray isn’t really one for the keeping.

Whether to be taken as an adaptation of a famous piece of work which managed to refocus society’s take on morality, or just another Hollywood drama-fantasy, is entirely up to the audience watching it. The experience of watching this 2009 adaptation can be worth the watch or a complete waste of time; it all depends on the perception.