Even before I watched it, Disney+ went and cancelled Ironheart (a MCU offshoot based on Mike Deodato and Brian Michael Bendis' noted comic-book series). Ironheart, in case one's unaware, is an Iron Man variant, where a young, savvy, electronics technician, Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams, of Wakanda Forever, escapes her restrictive, university studies to join a crackerjack, heist team that takes pride in its questionable and righteous crusades.
The six-part saga was overseen by Ryan Coogler, who gave Black Panther its identifiable, Rocky/Creed quality, though in this instance, the plot never hits a heartbreaking low to later rise high, keeping a slow-burn pace throughout.
As mentioned, Thorne resumes her Riri role, even carrying over her Wakanda moniker, Ironheart. With or without her specialized armor, she's quite likeable (a plus for this sequel). She also reminds me of a dental assistant I know, so yeah, I'm biased when it comes to accepting the character. With that said, even a likeable character can only take things so far, and to solidify Riri's journey, Ironheart surrounds her with comparable prodigies, as well as a few folks who aren't so comparable, or for that matter likeable, which is fine. This is, after all, a good-vs-evil fable.
Comprising the industrious ensemble is Anji White's Ronnie Williams (Riri's concerned mom); Aiden (Solo/Twixt) Ehrenreich's Joe McGillicuddy (a friendly, black-market dealer who's true identity is later revealed); Anthony Ramos' Parker Robbins, aka the Hood (the smooth-talking team leader, who Riri distrusts); Lyric Ross' Natalie Washington (a deceased friend resurrected by A.I.); Shea Coulee's Slug (a former-drag-queen hacker); Shakira Barrera's Roz Blood (an intimidating street fighter); Zoe Terakes' Jeri Blood (another intimidating street fighter); Manny Montana's Cugino John King (Parker's cousin and Hood general); Sonia Denis' Clown (an explosives expert); and Eric Andre's Stuart Clarke, aka Rampage (a contentious, tech specialist). To add a little, Stephen Strange spice to their adventure, Cree Summer and Regan Ailyah play the mystics Madeline and Zelma Stanton, and Sasha Baron Cohen manifests as the demonic Mephisto.
Along with the obvious Iron Man/Wakanda connections, Ironheart lifts its team dynamics from Ant-Man, Knight Rider and Automan (remember that one?), the latter in regard to Ross' simulated persona. Things do get rough along the way, quelling the Rey Skywalker syndrome well enough to make the saga interesting, but all the same, its youthful enthusiasm (charged by Dara Taylor's pulsating score and padded by intermittent, snappy tunes) was sometimes hard to buy for an old guy like me.
Hey, it's cool. Ironheart was made for a specific demographic, and that doesn't mean others (again, old guys like me) can't enjoy it, but it doesn't have that broader, Doctor Who-ish appeal of Loki or The Twilight Zone-ish WandaVision to ensure universal allegiance. (At certain moments, Ironheart exudes a New Mutants feel, but that X-Men spinoff slipped into dark, psychological annals, whereas Ironheart only insinuates them.)
On the whole, Ironheart isn't a MCU milestone, which will lead many to dismiss it as a mere, misguided fad. (In this sad respect, it's fallen into the doomed trap of DC/WB's Swamp Thing revival.) Nevertheless, if one has a penchant for an open-ended, adolescent, Tony Stark/T'Challa-themed crossover, Ironheart should fill the bill.
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