Review: Marvel's "Ironheart" Packs Plenty of Surprises and Only Gets Stronger as It Goes
Fresh off of her “internship" in Wakanda, Riri Williams has returned to the MCU in her very own series on Disney+. Marvel’s Ironheart brings Riri back home to Chicago (it’s too bad the Homecoming title was already taken), where she faces a very different kind of threat as she continues to follow her dream of building something iconic. But as she continues to push into her future, she finds she has to deal more and more with her past.
While Marvel’s Ironheart as a whole is very enjoyable, it does get off to a bit of a rough start. The pacing is certainly a bit off in the series’ debut episode as we are introduced to a long of characters and even more exposition very quickly. In a series where we are really learning the main character’s backstory for the first time, perhaps the first episode could have kept the focus on her instead of also introducing an upstart crime lord with a demonic cloak that grants him magical abilities. It’s a lot to squeeze into a roughly 40-minute runtime.
With that being said, the show definitely finds its groove by episode two. There is a stark difference (pun intended) from the first installment to the second, with the pace settling down and characters getting a chance to breathe. And thankfully, that holds up through the rest of the series and it only continues to get better as it goes on. In fact, this series gives us the strongest finish of any Marvel series to date.
This is certainly not the strongest cast Marvel has put together over the years. It’s a young group of actors stepping into unique roles so a lot is being asked of them. However, unsurprisingly, Dominique Thorne is a clear standout, with her performance truly shining at several moments throughout the six episodes. Matthew Elam (Xavier) and Alden Ehrenreich (Joe) also deliver very strong performances in limited roles.
The real star of the series though is the story. On the surface, this is just another superhero story about someone in a suit of armor stopping criminals. However, the heart of this story is really a young woman having to confront her own grief and learning not to push away everyone who cares for her. It’s a fine line to walk when trying to provide both of those types of stories and this series executes that very well.
Another thing this new show does well is provide plenty of surprises. Marvel fans will be very happy with some of the unexpected elements featured in this series. And that goes for both fans of just the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as fans of Marvel Comics. There are plenty of easter eggs and other exciting developments for everyone to enjoy.
Overall, Marvel’s Ironheart is probably about on par with what most fans expected. It’s certainly not the strongest addition to the MCU in recent memory, but it’s also not the weakest. And while the first episode may lower expectations a bit, the show only gets better as it goes on. Dominique Thorne does a great job bringing Riri Williams to life once again and it’s exciting that fans get to see her character fleshed out more, as opposed to the comic relief of someone else’s film. Viewers will enjoy a grounded, heartfelt story while big Marvel fans also get to enjoy some exciting surprises. Ironheart is a win for everyone.
The first three episodes of Marvel’s Ironheart are now streaming on Disney+.