Ironheart Series Review

Announced back in 2020, Ironheart was set to be the next Marvel Television series made for Disney+. Centered around titular character Riri Williams, to be played by Dominique Thorne, she is a self-made genius inventor along the lines of a Tony Stark but with nowhere near the money or resources. Each possessing their own iron suits, the comparisons to Stark’s Iron Man are inevitable. That being said, the two are much different characters and those believing her inclusion into the MCU is to somehow fill a void created by his absence, are discounting what she brings to the table. Viewers got a glimpse of this as Thorne and Williams made their first appearance in the MCU in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, delivering a scene-stealing turn that only fueled the anticipation for her upcoming solo series. Wrapping production at the end of 2022, the series has since sat on the shelf, leaving viewers wondering when they will ever get to see it. While fans have speculated on why this has been the case, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a fair share of upheavals as far as studio slates are concerned, putting Marvel Studios’ film and television productions in flux. Nevertheless, the series is now upon us. However, the lack of promotion leading up to the release could possibly be a cause for concern.

Meant to be a sequel to Wakanda Forever, Ironheart follows Riri Williams (Throne) as she found herself back in her hometown of Chicago. Despite facing plenty of setbacks and skirmishes along the way, she remained fueled by her limitless ambition and her dream to make a real impact on the world. The genius inventor, unlike Tony Stark, had that ambition consistently tempered by her perpetual lack of money and resources. Thanks to her uncanny skill at making the most out of her circumstances, she continues to build impressive inventions, leading up to her own iron suit. A work in progress, furthering its development required that money and resources, something that was hard to come by for people like her. Trying so desperately to find funding for her projects while fighting a system that kept holding her back, she became recruited by a crew of thieves run by the charming yet mysterious Parker Robbins aka “The Hood” (Anthony Ramos). Believing her and her suit to be the missing piece they needed to similarly make their own mark, the money was a help but little did she know, it would come at a cost as it was clear that there was something more at play.

Still grieving the loss of her stepfather Gary (LaRoyce Hawkins) and her best friend Natalie (Lyric Ross), Riri saw her iron suit as not only a means to save the world, but also to protect those closest to her. Unfortunately for her, she would be confronted by that loss head on as a glitch made the AI for her suit take the form of Natalie, possessing her look, voice, and mannerisms. Making for a complicated dynamic to navigate, she and Riri were an absolute blast to watch together as Natalie didn’t quite fit the mould of a standard AI and Riri slowly worked on moving on from her grief thanks to Natalie who helped remind her of who she was. A grounding presence and a conscience of sorts, the two complimented each other as their many exchanges over the course of the series were among its highlights. Meanwhile, the loss of Gary and Natalie had a ripple effect on the rest of Riri’s community. Though hiding Natalie from the others was a challenge, it was one that would be for naught. Above all else, Tony Stark may have had money and resources, but Riri had her people. That aspect of the story proved to be a compelling one despite not being utilized nearly enough.

On the other hand, where Ironheart falters is its development of its presumed antagonist, Robbins. Armed with a hood that appeared to be magical in nature, as with any magic, it would come at a cost and he showed signs of that cost. However, it seemed to be a cost that he was willing to pay to get what he wanted. All things considered, would it ever be enough? That desperation went on to fuel his descent into madness as that quest took priority over the family dynamic he fostered among his crew who, over time, started to see the writing on the wall themselves just as Riri did. Needing someone to hold responsible for preventing him from achieving his supposed goals, she became the target of his rage, thus triggering the inevitable showdown. Following an anticlimactic showdown, one question remained which revolved around whatever figure operated above Robbins. While that question will not be answered here, the six episode length of the series could be most felt within how it wraps up its story approaching the final stretch. Hitting the usual beats, as a MCU film third act climax would normally go, inflating stakes and offering little resolution, the series misses the landing narratively. Trying to conflate technology and magic, the combination just doesn’t work.

Serving as the final entry of Phase Five of the MCU, the only word to describe it is weird, trying to place it in the grand scheme. With so many plot threads left to settle, it arguably doesn’t do its characters any favors moving forward. While the season, for the most part, is decently paced, the final few episodes are forced to play catchup. Had it reconsidered some plotting choices, the series would have been better served as a whole by not taking as long to get going. Of course, if it had more episodes to work with, the series wouldn’t need to be as calculated. Speaking of questions that arise when watching any MCU property, yes, there is a mid-credits scene for viewers to contend with but it will be difficult to make sense of, even more so should the fate of the series lead to some restructuring moving forward. Offering up a mixed bag of hits and misses, that fate is simply hard to tell at this point.

Perhaps not as action-centric as past MCU television works, the action here is fine, however, its main focus was on characters which is funny to say when some do not fare as well as others. Be it miscasting, or terrible material, but Ramos just doesn’t work here as Robbins a.k.a. ‘The Hood.’ His performance brings down every scene he is in, as if he is trying too hard to fit a role that he is not fit to play. Rather than leaning on him so heavily to be the antagonist of the story as a greater evil lurked in the shadows, Robbins should have been a means to an end in setting up that greater evil as he wasn’t a strong enough written character to stand on his own, making for the only weak spot in terms of characters. On the good side was everyone else for that matter. Thorne and Ross as Riri and Natalie, as mentioned, were two of the highlights for their chemistry, but they were not alone. Alden Ehrenreich is another highlight as Joe McGillicuddy, a neurotic engineer and tech ethicist with a troubled past who would become a companion to Riri. He and Thorne had great chemistry as well. The same could be said for Thorne and Anji White, as Riri’s mother Ronnie. Ultimately, Ironheart is at its best when it centers its focus on Riri and those close to her.

In the end, Ironheart is a mixed bag that does not quite hit the mark narratively. Above all else, Dominque Thorne shines in a series that fails to come together.

still courtesy of Marvel

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.