The Invincible Iron Man
Encyclopedia
The Invincible Iron Man is a direct-to-DVD
animated movie based on the Marvel Comics
character Iron Man
. The film was officially released on January 23, 2007. Marc Worden
reprises his role as Iron Man whom he voiced in the two Ultimate Avengers
animated movies. The term "Iron Man" is never used to refer to Tony's alter ego; in the movie though, the term "Iron Knight" is used by certain characters. The film premiered on Cartoon Network
's Toonami
block on March 3, 2007.
The movie has been released in a box set called Marvel Animated Features Collector's Gift Set which also includes a copy of the Ultimate Avengers
and Ultimate Avengers 2
films along with a collector's Iron Man
bust.
's ambitions go up in smoke when the Jade Dragons attack the excavation site, killing most of the men there and kidnapping his friend James "Rhodey" Rhodes
. Traveling to China to investigate, he is captured and badly injured by the Jade Dragons, his life only saved thanks to a Chinese shaman and Rhodes' skills as an army medic after a piece of shrapnel damages his heart.
Tony talks to the Shaman, who reveals that the Dragons seek to prevent the return of the Mandarin
, an evil ruler of great power who ruled China three thousand years ago, and who the city commemorates. Should four rings created by the Mandarin - their purpose being to grant him power over death - be brought together after the city rises, the Mandarin will awaken and the world will be in great peril. The Dragons force Tony to construct a weapon to sink the city within a week or face execution and to show they are serious they kill the shaman. Befriending Li Mei, a member of the group, Tony learns that she has a great duty that has been passed down her family from father to son - she had no brothers - but she will not reveal what it is. Meanwhile, four elemental spirits are released by the raising of the city, the spirits subsequently acquiring two of the Mandarin's four rings.
When the weapon that Stark and Rhodes have been developing is revealed to be a fake, the Jade Dragons leader is about to shoot Rhodes, but Li Mei shoots the leader from behind. Tony subsequently emerges in their true project; a vast suit of armor. Rescuing Rhodes, Tony flees the temple and return home, but Li Mei refuses his offer to take her with him. Studying a painting of the prophecy, Li Mei realizes that Tony is the 'Iron Knight' who it was foretold would battle the Mandarin, but this brings her no comfort, as the prophecy only states that one of the two shall die without specifying who. To spare Tony this fate, she leads the Jade Dragons in attempting to destroy the city, but the rest of the Dragons are killed and she is confronted by a shadowy dragon-like creature
.
After returning to America, Tony and Rhodes are shocked to discover that they are wanted by S.H.I.E.L.D.
for selling weapons to the Jade Dragons; Howard Stark, Tony's father, sent Rhodes weapons to provide enhanced security for the site against Tony's wishes, and, with the Dragons having stolen the shipment, he has apparently used Tony as a scapegoat to maintain his position.
Having escaped the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and sneaked into his office with the aid of his secretary Virginia "Pepper" Potts
, Tony reveals his secret project to Rhodes; multiple suits of armor, each one designed for tasks that human beings could not possibly accomplish alone. Taking an underwater suit of armor to the third temple - located at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean
, their locations determined thanks to a map provided to him by the shaman - Tony manages to defeat the Fire Elemental by throwing it into the water, but the other three escape with the ring.
Following a brief confrontation with his father over Howard framing Tony for arms dealing (during which it is revealed that the two men have long been at odds over their opinion regarding weapons, a division that has only worsened since the death of Tony's mother), Tony dons another armor and flies to recover the last ring, located in an active volcano, Pepper and Rhodes allowing themselves to be arrested to buy Tony time. Although he defeats the Air and Water Elementals - he tricks the Water Elemental into freezing the Air Elemental before throwing the Water Elemental into the molten lava - and escapes with the ring, Tony's armor is badly damaged by the Earth Elemental's assault, forcing him to abandon the armor and make his own way home.
Having returned to New York, Tony is confronted by Li Mei, who begs him to give her the ring to prevent the Earth Elemental from attacking Tony. Deciding to try and destroy the temple, but unable to reach his more advanced armors due to the S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel in the building, Tony and Li Mei return to China using the armor Tony developed while being held prisoner, which remains on the plane he and Rhodes used to return home.
Arriving at the city just as the Earth Elemental raises an army from the ground, Tony clashes with the Elemental, destroying his adversary with a final desperate mid-air collision. However, as he prepares to search for the last Ring, Li Mei reveals that her bracelet is the final ring; her family seeks to ensure the resurrection of the Mandarin rather than his defeat, and, as the last descendant of the Mandarin, only Li Mei can hold the Mandarin's spirit, and only she can become the vessel he will need to walk the Earth again. Admitting that she was the one who gave S.H.I.E.L.D. the documents incriminating Tony for arms dealing in an attempt to protect him, Li Mei begs Tony to leave while he still can, but when he refuses, the army activates, forcing Tony to fight the soldiers as Li Mei advances towards the Mandarin's tomb.
Although Tony vanquishes the soldiers, he is subsequently forced to fight a vast dragon as Li Mei makes contact with the Mandarin's spirit. Despite his damaged armour, Tony manages to defeat the dragon by forcing a vat of liquid metal to expand and solidify inside it, but when he enters the temple, he finds Li Mei under the control of the Mandarin. As his armor is torn even further apart by the assault, Tony begs Li Mei to remember who she is, managing to convince Li Mei to turn against the Mandarin. As she removes the rings from her hand, the Mandarin's connection to the real world is broken, triggering a brief explosion before his spirit vanishes,but with his last breath, he unleashes an energy which blasts Li Mei. After thanking Tony for saving her with a kiss, Li Mei dies in his arms, leaving Tony alone in the temple to mourn her death.
Returning to the U.S, Tony is cleared of all charges by the Chinese government and S.H.I.E.L.D., subsequently buying up all available shares in Stark Enterprises, bringing the company under his complete control. However, he has only two actions to take: promoting Rhodes to the position of Chief Engineer for Advanced Technologies, and handing control of the company over to his father. Saying that he's always regarded the company as a father/son enterprise, Howard and Tony shake hands, Howard subsequently firing the board of directors to free him and Tony from the bureaucracy that nearly tore them apart.
Additional Voices by George Cheung
, John DeMita
, Paul Nakauchi
, James Sie, Michael Yama
said that "there are some great details that really bring this story to life," concluding that the film is "not quite invincible, but for a film about a guy made out of iron, it's pretty tough." Mel Odom of Blog Critics said that "the Mandarin was off-screen far too much to make it as a powerful villain in the movie," the action "didn’t significantly start up until the middle of the movie, which is a tad bit too long," and "there’s little emotional involvement required," but concluded that "overall, The Invincible Iron Man is [a] fine production [that's] a definite buy for the comics geeks out there."
Mike Pinsky of DVD Verdict said "the first act takes a very long time to get going," "the villains have no personality whatsoever," and "the art design and animation frame rate
are really no better than the average television cartoon." Pinsky added that "there are some nice touches" and "the third act does generate some suspense," but concluded that "given all these obstacles, I don't know if even Iron Man could win this battle." Clark Douglas of the same website felt similarly, calling the film's villains "remarkably boring," saying that it "doesn't really do a good job of explaining who [they] are or why we should care about them." Douglas felt that "there's not really a lot to praise here," concluding that "this one is for die-hard Iron Man fans only."
Todd Douglass Jr. of DVD Talk said, "I enjoyed watching The Invincible Iron Man, but it didn't open any new doors for me as an Iron Man fan. From the start the story was pretty straight-forward and predictable, though a few twists kept the adventure exciting along the way. Some of the character development also felt kind of forced to me with things simply happening for no reason other than to further the plot." Douglass concluded, "In the end, The Invincible Iron Man should be considered an achievement by comic book fans. The solid adventure features a lot of action and a rich comic book atmosphere that will leave you wanting more DVDs just like it." Adam Tyner of the same website said, "Jon Favreau's take on Iron Man
gets the nod as my favorite superhero flick, but this animated version isn't even close to being in that same league. The Invincible Iron Man is anchored around a bland, two-dimensional Tony Stark, barely bothers with the Iron Man armor, crams in a bunch of uninteresting badniks, struggles with a stale, muddled modern-versus-magic theme, and limps to a lifeless conclusion that at the end of the day has nothing to do with Tony or his bleeding-edge tech anyway."
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
animated movie based on the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
. The film was officially released on January 23, 2007. Marc Worden
Marc Worden
Marc Worden is a Canadian actor. His first film appearance was on two episodes of the television series Katts and Dog and his most recent appearances include a voice role in the films Planet Hulk and 10 Years Later. He was a cast member for 5 seasons on the Disney Channel's All New Mickey Mouse...
reprises his role as Iron Man whom he voiced in the two Ultimate Avengers
Ultimate Avengers
Ultimate Avengers is a direct-to-DVD animated film based on the Marvel comic book The Ultimates, and released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The DVD was released on February 21, 2006 in America, and in Europe on October 2, 2006...
animated movies. The term "Iron Man" is never used to refer to Tony's alter ego; in the movie though, the term "Iron Knight" is used by certain characters. The film premiered on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's Toonami
Toonami
Toonami was a registered trademark of Cartoon Network, used initially for action-oriented programming blocks on Cartoon Network television channels worldwide, mostly showing American cartoons and Japanese anime, originating in the United States on March 17, 1997 and ended on September 20, 2008.The...
block on March 3, 2007.
The movie has been released in a box set called Marvel Animated Features Collector's Gift Set which also includes a copy of the Ultimate Avengers
Ultimate Avengers
Ultimate Avengers is a direct-to-DVD animated film based on the Marvel comic book The Ultimates, and released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The DVD was released on February 21, 2006 in America, and in Europe on October 2, 2006...
and Ultimate Avengers 2
Ultimate Avengers 2
Ultimate Avengers 2 is the sequel to Ultimate Avengers. The film was released on August 8, 2006...
films along with a collector's Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
bust.
Plot
Attempting to raise an ancient Chinese city using his company's resources - while also diverting money into a project that he swears will bring Stark Enterprises big money without revealing the nature of the research - Tony StarkIron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
's ambitions go up in smoke when the Jade Dragons attack the excavation site, killing most of the men there and kidnapping his friend James "Rhodey" Rhodes
War Machine
War Machine is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics universe. The character of James Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 by David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton...
. Traveling to China to investigate, he is captured and badly injured by the Jade Dragons, his life only saved thanks to a Chinese shaman and Rhodes' skills as an army medic after a piece of shrapnel damages his heart.
Tony talks to the Shaman, who reveals that the Dragons seek to prevent the return of the Mandarin
Mandarin (comics)
The Mandarin is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain and the archenemy of Iron Man.In 2009, Mandarin was ranked as IGN's 81st Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.-Publication history:...
, an evil ruler of great power who ruled China three thousand years ago, and who the city commemorates. Should four rings created by the Mandarin - their purpose being to grant him power over death - be brought together after the city rises, the Mandarin will awaken and the world will be in great peril. The Dragons force Tony to construct a weapon to sink the city within a week or face execution and to show they are serious they kill the shaman. Befriending Li Mei, a member of the group, Tony learns that she has a great duty that has been passed down her family from father to son - she had no brothers - but she will not reveal what it is. Meanwhile, four elemental spirits are released by the raising of the city, the spirits subsequently acquiring two of the Mandarin's four rings.
When the weapon that Stark and Rhodes have been developing is revealed to be a fake, the Jade Dragons leader is about to shoot Rhodes, but Li Mei shoots the leader from behind. Tony subsequently emerges in their true project; a vast suit of armor. Rescuing Rhodes, Tony flees the temple and return home, but Li Mei refuses his offer to take her with him. Studying a painting of the prophecy, Li Mei realizes that Tony is the 'Iron Knight' who it was foretold would battle the Mandarin, but this brings her no comfort, as the prophecy only states that one of the two shall die without specifying who. To spare Tony this fate, she leads the Jade Dragons in attempting to destroy the city, but the rest of the Dragons are killed and she is confronted by a shadowy dragon-like creature
Fin Fang Foom
Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #89 Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #89 Fin Fang...
.
After returning to America, Tony and Rhodes are shocked to discover that they are wanted by S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
for selling weapons to the Jade Dragons; Howard Stark, Tony's father, sent Rhodes weapons to provide enhanced security for the site against Tony's wishes, and, with the Dragons having stolen the shipment, he has apparently used Tony as a scapegoat to maintain his position.
Having escaped the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and sneaked into his office with the aid of his secretary Virginia "Pepper" Potts
Pepper Potts
Virginia "Pepper" Potts is a fictional character, a supporting character and a love interest of Iron Man in the Marvel Comics Universe...
, Tony reveals his secret project to Rhodes; multiple suits of armor, each one designed for tasks that human beings could not possibly accomplish alone. Taking an underwater suit of armor to the third temple - located at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, their locations determined thanks to a map provided to him by the shaman - Tony manages to defeat the Fire Elemental by throwing it into the water, but the other three escape with the ring.
Following a brief confrontation with his father over Howard framing Tony for arms dealing (during which it is revealed that the two men have long been at odds over their opinion regarding weapons, a division that has only worsened since the death of Tony's mother), Tony dons another armor and flies to recover the last ring, located in an active volcano, Pepper and Rhodes allowing themselves to be arrested to buy Tony time. Although he defeats the Air and Water Elementals - he tricks the Water Elemental into freezing the Air Elemental before throwing the Water Elemental into the molten lava - and escapes with the ring, Tony's armor is badly damaged by the Earth Elemental's assault, forcing him to abandon the armor and make his own way home.
Having returned to New York, Tony is confronted by Li Mei, who begs him to give her the ring to prevent the Earth Elemental from attacking Tony. Deciding to try and destroy the temple, but unable to reach his more advanced armors due to the S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel in the building, Tony and Li Mei return to China using the armor Tony developed while being held prisoner, which remains on the plane he and Rhodes used to return home.
Arriving at the city just as the Earth Elemental raises an army from the ground, Tony clashes with the Elemental, destroying his adversary with a final desperate mid-air collision. However, as he prepares to search for the last Ring, Li Mei reveals that her bracelet is the final ring; her family seeks to ensure the resurrection of the Mandarin rather than his defeat, and, as the last descendant of the Mandarin, only Li Mei can hold the Mandarin's spirit, and only she can become the vessel he will need to walk the Earth again. Admitting that she was the one who gave S.H.I.E.L.D. the documents incriminating Tony for arms dealing in an attempt to protect him, Li Mei begs Tony to leave while he still can, but when he refuses, the army activates, forcing Tony to fight the soldiers as Li Mei advances towards the Mandarin's tomb.
Although Tony vanquishes the soldiers, he is subsequently forced to fight a vast dragon as Li Mei makes contact with the Mandarin's spirit. Despite his damaged armour, Tony manages to defeat the dragon by forcing a vat of liquid metal to expand and solidify inside it, but when he enters the temple, he finds Li Mei under the control of the Mandarin. As his armor is torn even further apart by the assault, Tony begs Li Mei to remember who she is, managing to convince Li Mei to turn against the Mandarin. As she removes the rings from her hand, the Mandarin's connection to the real world is broken, triggering a brief explosion before his spirit vanishes,but with his last breath, he unleashes an energy which blasts Li Mei. After thanking Tony for saving her with a kiss, Li Mei dies in his arms, leaving Tony alone in the temple to mourn her death.
Returning to the U.S, Tony is cleared of all charges by the Chinese government and S.H.I.E.L.D., subsequently buying up all available shares in Stark Enterprises, bringing the company under his complete control. However, he has only two actions to take: promoting Rhodes to the position of Chief Engineer for Advanced Technologies, and handing control of the company over to his father. Saying that he's always regarded the company as a father/son enterprise, Howard and Tony shake hands, Howard subsequently firing the board of directors to free him and Tony from the bureaucracy that nearly tore them apart.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Marc Worden Marc Worden Marc Worden is a Canadian actor. His first film appearance was on two episodes of the television series Katts and Dog and his most recent appearances include a voice role in the films Planet Hulk and 10 Years Later. He was a cast member for 5 seasons on the Disney Channel's All New Mickey Mouse... |
Tony Stark / Iron Man Iron Man Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,... |
| Rodney Saulsberry Rodney Saulsberry Rodney Jerome Saulsberry is an American voice-over performer, actor, vocalist, announcer and author, known for his voice work on commercials , his two books and the voice of Joe Robbie Robertson on the animated TV series Spider-Man.Born in Detroit, Michigan, Saulsberry is a University of... |
Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes War Machine War Machine is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics universe. The character of James Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 by David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton... |
| Fred Tatasciore Fred Tatasciore Frederick "Fred" Tatasciore is an American voice actor who portrays secondary characters as well as monstrous-looking types... |
Mandarin Mandarin (comics) The Mandarin is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain and the archenemy of Iron Man.In 2009, Mandarin was ranked as IGN's 81st Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.-Publication history:... |
| Gwendoline Yeo Gwendoline Yeo -Early life:Born in Singapore, Yeo is the niece of George Yeo, Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs. She moved to California as a teenager, graduating from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 1994... |
Li Mei |
| Elisa Gabrielli Elisa Gabrielli Elisa Gabrielli is an American actress, voice artist, and comedienne, who voiced the character of Sarena Sanchez in W.I.T.C.H., as well as "Pepper" Potts in the animated movie The Invincible Iron Man, among other roles. Gabrielli also played the part of Miss Linley in The Brady Bunch Movie... |
Virginia "Pepper" Potts Pepper Potts Virginia "Pepper" Potts is a fictional character, a supporting character and a love interest of Iron Man in the Marvel Comics Universe... |
| John McCook John McCook John McCook is an American actor best known for his roles on daytime soap operas.-Career:Since 1987, he has played the role of Eric Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful. From 1976 to February 1980, he portrayed the character of Lance Prentiss on The Young and the Restless. In addition, he has... |
Howard Stark Howard Stark Howard Stark is a fictional person in the . He is the father of Tony Stark and the founder of Stark Industries. His name came from Howard Hughes, whom he was named after. -Biography:... |
| James Sie | Wong-Chu Wong-Chu Wong-Chu is a Marvel Comics supervillain. He was the first villain that Iron Man faced.-Fictional character biography:Wong-Chu once served as a commander for the Vietnamese congress during the Vietnam War... |
| Stephen Mendillo | Boyer |
| John DeMita John DeMita John DeMita is a California based Voice, Television and Film Actor. He is married to Julia Fletcher. He is most recognized as the voice of Dosu Kinuta on the hit anime series Naruto. He can also be recognized in the many films he has done... |
Agent Drake |
Additional Voices by George Cheung
George Cheung
George Kee Cheung is a Chinese actor, stunt man, and singer with an extensive career in American television and film dating back to the mid-1970s, often playing Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Mongolian parts...
, John DeMita
John DeMita
John DeMita is a California based Voice, Television and Film Actor. He is married to Julia Fletcher. He is most recognized as the voice of Dosu Kinuta on the hit anime series Naruto. He can also be recognized in the many films he has done...
, Paul Nakauchi
Paul Nakauchi
Paul Nakauchi is an American actor. In the 1990s he guest starred in Knots Landing, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Batman: The Animated Series and ER....
, James Sie, Michael Yama
Reception
Critical reaction to The Invincible Iron Man has been mixed. Todd Gilchrist of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
said that "there are some great details that really bring this story to life," concluding that the film is "not quite invincible, but for a film about a guy made out of iron, it's pretty tough." Mel Odom of Blog Critics said that "the Mandarin was off-screen far too much to make it as a powerful villain in the movie," the action "didn’t significantly start up until the middle of the movie, which is a tad bit too long," and "there’s little emotional involvement required," but concluded that "overall, The Invincible Iron Man is [a] fine production [that's] a definite buy for the comics geeks out there."
Mike Pinsky of DVD Verdict said "the first act takes a very long time to get going," "the villains have no personality whatsoever," and "the art design and animation frame rate
Frame rate
Frame rate is the frequency at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to computer graphics, video cameras, film cameras, and motion capture systems...
are really no better than the average television cartoon." Pinsky added that "there are some nice touches" and "the third act does generate some suspense," but concluded that "given all these obstacles, I don't know if even Iron Man could win this battle." Clark Douglas of the same website felt similarly, calling the film's villains "remarkably boring," saying that it "doesn't really do a good job of explaining who [they] are or why we should care about them." Douglas felt that "there's not really a lot to praise here," concluding that "this one is for die-hard Iron Man fans only."
Todd Douglass Jr. of DVD Talk said, "I enjoyed watching The Invincible Iron Man, but it didn't open any new doors for me as an Iron Man fan. From the start the story was pretty straight-forward and predictable, though a few twists kept the adventure exciting along the way. Some of the character development also felt kind of forced to me with things simply happening for no reason other than to further the plot." Douglass concluded, "In the end, The Invincible Iron Man should be considered an achievement by comic book fans. The solid adventure features a lot of action and a rich comic book atmosphere that will leave you wanting more DVDs just like it." Adam Tyner of the same website said, "Jon Favreau's take on Iron Man
Iron Man (film)
Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero, Iron...
gets the nod as my favorite superhero flick, but this animated version isn't even close to being in that same league. The Invincible Iron Man is anchored around a bland, two-dimensional Tony Stark, barely bothers with the Iron Man armor, crams in a bunch of uninteresting badniks, struggles with a stale, muddled modern-versus-magic theme, and limps to a lifeless conclusion that at the end of the day has nothing to do with Tony or his bleeding-edge tech anyway."