IRONHEART(2025)

Ironheart is a flawed yet fascinating show. It's a character study wrapped in bloated legacy-quel fan service armor. However, Ironheart presents an interesting counterpoint to Sinners on the idea that creative compromise is a necessary aspect of art.

Ironheart works best when it focuses on Riri's personal life, drawing from her trauma, lived-in experiences, and her interactions with her family, guiding her motivations. It gives the series an emotional anchor and depth.

This anchors themes about grief, loss, classism, and the price of creative compromise. However, it's undercut by franchise obligations, fan service, and corporate synergy, resulting in a safe yet generic show unable to explore these compelling ideas.

Ironheart feels broadly drawn at times with its characterization and feels beholden to the first Iron Man film (i.e., Ezikel Stane). His whole arc comes through laborious exposition and fan service obligations.

Ironheart is an unconventional type of superhero operating at a disadvantage, forcing her way through creative compromise and literally dealing with the devil. This thematically parallels Ryan Coogler's "Sinners."

Sinners stresses the importance of the freedom of minority individuals and is wary of individuals who exploit them for their own gain. Ironheart flips this perspective and is clearly about paying the price for such a compromise.

With this context, Ironheart's surprise villain (Mephisto) works really well as it refocuses the show's central thesis in its home stretch and parallels Riri's arc. After all, Mephisto is a literal devil who preys on people's fears and insecurities for his own self-serving agenda.

This makes Ironheart a thematic parallel to Sinners with Coogler's fingerprints all over it. It's a flawed show that conveys intriguing elements, yet is undercut by the franchise obligations and conservative choices.

Technically, Ironheart is functional. Its basic direction maintains a grounded tone, maintaining spectacle with fantasy. Framing, movement, muted tones, and natural lighting define the grounded cinematography.

The muddled pacing hinders momentum and treads ground. The generic score feels minimal and lacks personality. The propulsive sound design conveys needle drops, Blues music, hums, distortions, muffles, and split cuts.

The tactile Chicago production design conveys industrialism and classicism, and grounds the narrative. The diverse casting provides adequate fit but lacks star power. Makeup, blood, and action set pieces define the glossy visual effects.

Writing: 5/10

Direction: 6/10

Cinematography: 7/10

Acting: 7/10

Editing: 5/10

Score: 4/10

Sound: 7/10

Prod Design: 8/10

Casting: 6/10

Effects: 7/10

Overall Score: 6.2/10