Anthony’s Watch: Ironheart Part 2

While I typically don’t write two part reviews, Ironheart feels like it warrants a second look, especially considering how the back half was received by those who got an early screening. For those not too up to date on the discussions on social media, the final three episodes (specifically the final episode) are regarded as a turning point for the series. While this sounds a bit dramatic, there are several items of note that warrant additional discussion about these episodes.

For one item of note, the latter three episodes of this series are directed by Angela Barnes, and definitely feel different from the first three. The big tonal difference mainly comes from the sense of dread throughout. A lot of this is because of the music, but the direction for the camerawork plays a huge factor as well. A great example of this is a scene from “Bad Magic” where the crew learn that Ezekiel Stane has gone to prison for their heist. The camera work in this scene shows a slow pan up the stairs as the crew are talking, panning over to an ice bath where The Hood pops out to see the news for himself. This has shades of Dracula within, helping tie this series to the major motif of these last three episodes, magic.

This direction really drives home the horror and thriller vibes that have been tied to magic in other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects. Typically, the driving force behind all magic in the MCU has been tied to the Doctor Strange franchise, so borrowing those horror themes in a less comedic way makes the universe continue to feel cohesive without ever jumping the shark. The nice part is that the horror elements here are different, focusing on the slow build up and dread of the situation rather than solely entering the realm of science fiction. Yes, those elements are present, but they feel earned. This may sound odd, but a good tonal comparison is a film like Alien, where audiences know what lurks around the corner, but it’s the slow build and character work that really makes the horror present.

Magic is the major driving force behind these latter episodes, serving not only as a tonal marker, but also making a dramatic shift from the technology focus at the beginning. While the tonal shift from Magic is major and very impactful, it also brings in shades of other successful MCU properties like Agatha All Along. Thankfully, the show makes this universe feel lived in, allowing the characters to express less confusion and surprise, jumping right into the action instead. While many have touted this series as marrying magic and technology, it feels more like pitting them against one another. This makes this series feel like the logical next step in a universe where all of this should exist together but sometimes feels separate.

Another shift from the first three episodes is how the show discusses its central character, Riri Williams. These final episodes are very much a reflection of the consequences that Riri must face after her prior actions. The introduction of an unfamiliar threat poses a challenge that genuinely scares her and makes her act in unique ways that differentiate her character from other protagonists seen so far in the MCU. While the show goes great lengths to mirror a lot of her working process with characters that inspire her like Tony Stark, her differing perspectives and circumstances allow her to work through challenges in ways that make for exciting TV.

While not new to the franchise, the show also goes great lengths to discuss stress and anxiety, as well as PTSD. For a show about magic and technology, this is a welcome aspect of the series that grounds it in some sort of relatable reality. While not everyone is going to directly relate to the characters in this show, there is no doubt that people will relate to the stressors that can impact one another on a daily basis, leading us all to feel stressed out and helpless.

Without spoiling the show too much, one of the exciting things about these last three episodes is how the villains get developed. “The Past is the Past” is where things really get intense, but a lot of credit needs to go towards the development of The Hood and Ezekiel. While the show is centrally focused around Riri, the villains get a surprising amount of development that serve the plot very well. That has been one of the sore points of other MCU series, with the villains often being either one-note or a sidenote in the greater story. Here, they feel as part of the narrative as anything else, serving a very important function.

While these final three episodes are every bit as strong as the first, they are not without their issues. For example, Riri does feel like she gets paired with some uneven plot armor. In “Karma’s a Glitch”, Riri goes up against some members of The Hood’s crew, and while she is a very resourceful character, she ends up holding her own in ways that feel very unnatural, such as evading and fighting back two physical powerhouses long enough to allow her tech to work. This feels like it could have been done in a different way, but ultimately the protagonist has to be more able than anyone in these shows so it doesn’t feel too dissimilar from anything else in the greater MCU franchise.