On May 3rd, Iron Man 3 will come to theaters following the 2012 megahit, The Avengers. The recent success of Superhero movies has been fueled in part by Christian viewers, including Adam Graham, the author of the Fly Another Day, which was released by Laser & Sword Books in March.
"The most successful superhero films have evoked Christian themes," said Graham. "They've focused on the battle between good and evil without many shades of gray. Themes such as self-sacrifice, redemption, and responsibility really explain the appeal of these films. It makes them stand out from other films with less noble heroes. While some films have focused on comic book anti-heroes, such as Watchmen and The Punisher, these films have not had nearly the wide-spread commercial appeal."
"The most successful superhero films have evoked Christian themes," said Graham. "They've focused on the battle between good and evil without many shades of gray. Themes such as self-sacrifice, redemption, and responsibility really explain the appeal of these films. It makes them stand out from other films with less noble heroes. While some films have focused on comic book anti-heroes, such as Watchmen and The Punisher, these films have not had nearly the wide-spread commercial appeal."
Third movies in superhero franchises have been widely panned, but Graham is cautiously optimistic about Iron Man 3 from a quality standpoint. "Downey really came on strong in The Avengers after a mediocre sequel. The new film will feature Iron Man's greatest foe, The Mandarin, who has been fighting Iron Man for nearly half a century. Plus, the great Iron Man stories comics have always featured Stark stripped of everything, but still fighting. The new film appears to have taken that tact."
In terms of the film's moral and spiritual value, Graham remains cautious. "Iron Man 3 will be darker. What that means, we don't know. Tony Stark's dark side has been explored in the films, but to a lesser extent than in the comics. Stark's struggles with alcoholism have been well-known. In addition, the comic book version of Stark has been willing to lie, manipulate, and cross ethical lines in pursuit of what he wants. How Stark is portrayed will definitely be key to the film's success."
In terms of the film's moral and spiritual value, Graham remains cautious. "Iron Man 3 will be darker. What that means, we don't know. Tony Stark's dark side has been explored in the films, but to a lesser extent than in the comics. Stark's struggles with alcoholism have been well-known. In addition, the comic book version of Stark has been willing to lie, manipulate, and cross ethical lines in pursuit of what he wants. How Stark is portrayed will definitely be key to the film's success."
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