This critical analysis delves into the intricate layers of the film, particularly its portrayal of the Middle East, unearthing a tangled web of orientalist ideologies that shape its depiction. While Marvel movies have often been celebrated for their ability to blend entertainment with broad appeal, "Iron Man 3" takes a divergent path, eliciting audience scrutiny for its perpetuation of stereotypes and misrepresentation of the region. At the heart of this misrepresentation lies the film's narrative choices, intricately weaving the Middle East into themes of terrorism and chaos. By examining the film through a critical lens, we uncover a portrayal marred by clichés, cultural appropriation, and a Western gaze that reinforces power dynamics.
The storyline unfolds after the events of "The Avengers" (2013), where Tony Stark grapples with the aftermath of an alien invasion in New York City. Haunted by the experience, Stark becomes obsessed with improving his mechanical suits and addressing potential threats. Enter the Mandarin, a mysterious terrorist figure orchestrating bombings and attacks. As the Mandarin's actions escalate, Stark's world is shattered when his home is destroyed, prompting him to embark on a journey of survival. The Middle East becomes a pivotal backdrop in the film when Stark investigates the origins of the Mandarin's attacks. He then discovers that the Mandarin's organization, A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics), is engaging in illegal experiments for his research in the Middle East and funding terrorist activities. This leads to Stark stepping in and saving the world.
This notion begins the misrepresentation of the Middle East through the Western gaze employed in its storytelling. The film adopts a perspective that positions Western characters, primarily Tony Stark, as the protagonists who navigate and confront the region's dangers. This narrative choice perpetuates a power dynamic where the West is portrayed as the savior or protector, thereby reinforcing colonial undertones (Abu-Lughod 46) . Furthermore, the film's focus on Western characters as heroic explorers takes on a distinct colonial narrative, particularly evident in the narrative structure of uncovering hidden treasures and dealing with ancient artifacts. This echoes historical colonial narratives of exploration and exploitation where the East was often viewed as a space ripe for discovery and Western intervention. In "Iron Man 3," this theme contributes to the misrepresentation of the Middle East, framing the region as a passive and dangerous backdrop to Western heroism.
Moreover, the film's appropriation of Middle Eastern symbols and aesthetics without a deep understanding or respect for their significance adds another layer to its orientalist portrayal. This cultural appropriation contributes to the exoticization of the region, presenting a distorted image that caters to Western expectations rather than authentically representing Middle Eastern cultures (Said 26). The film's shallow engagement with Middle Eastern culture reinforces its status as a product of Western imagination, creating a disconnect between on-screen representations and the lived realities of the region.
The power dynamic between West and East also manifests in the marginalization of local characters within the narrative. While Western protagonists take center stage, local characters from the Middle East are often relegated to supporting or antagonistic roles, especially women. This reinforces a sense of cultural superiority, suggesting that the agency and importance lie primarily with the Western characters. Such a portrayal contributes to the misrepresentation of the Middle East as a region dependent on external intervention rather than possessing its own agency and complexities.
All of these points further contribute to another problematic notion, which is the difference between the attitude towards Pepper Potts (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) and the Muslim woman portrayed in the film. Muslim women are only granted the agency to play terrorists or victims of Islam and Muslim men, even when those roles are recognized as crucial to the storyline. They are rarely presented in a positive light as powerful, wise, remarkable women. And they are eliminated when they are. In Iron Man 3, Muslim women receive only around 20 seconds of screen time, during which they serve only as a plot device.
The most blatant instance of this occurs when the U.S. military sends an Iron Patriot to Pakistan to investigate a potential Mandarin broadcast source. Upon breaking into a sweatshop, Iron Patriot encounters numerous Muslim women wearing black niqabs while operating sewing machines. After he scans the room for weapons, Iron Patriot jokingly remarks to his superiors in his report, "Unless the Mandarin plans to attack the U.S. with poorly made sportswear, I believe we've made an error again." Addressing the women as they flee, he adds, "Yes, you're now free, thanks to Iron Patriot. No need for gratitude" (Iron Man 3 1:09:56). However, unbeknownst to Iron Patriot, one of the veiled women is an actual female terrorist who exploits the veil's anonymity to evade detection. Consequently, Iron Patriot faces a severe beating and is captured.
In just twenty seconds, this scene perpetuates numerous stereotypes and fears about Muslim women: the notion that they require rescue, the homogenization of Muslim and Pakistani women, the portrayal of Muslim women as oppressed and terrorists, the reduction of Muslim women to anonymous objects, the denial of their voices, and the suggestion that the niqab poses a security threat, echoing sentiments of anti-niqab advocates (Abu-Lughod 33) . This is mirrored by Abu Lughod, who discusses Laura Bush's speech where she states that the "'civilized people throughout the world' hearts break for the women and children of Afghanistan and the Taliban-and-the-terrorists, the cultural monsters who want to, as she put it, 'impose their world on the rest of us.' The speech enlisted women to justify American military intervention in Afghanistan and to make a case for the War on Terror of which it was a part." (Abu-Lughod 32) This scene not only perpetuates the harmful stereotype that Muslim women need saving but also, just as Laura Bush's speech seeks to justify American military intervention in Afghanistan by framing it as a fight for women's rights, the film employs a similar narrative tactic.
In conclusion, Iron Man 3's misrepresentation of the Middle East is rooted in the perpetuation of stereotypes, clichéd imagery, cultural appropriation, and a Western gaze that reinforces power dynamics. The film's portrayal of orientalist tropes in visual representation and the lack of authenticity in incorporating cultural elements contribute to a distorted and simplistic view of the region. By critically analyzing Iron Man 3, we gain insights into how Western narratives can shape perceptions of the Middle East. The film's disparities between representations and actualities underscore the importance of challenging orientalist views in media and advocating for more nuanced, authentic portrayals that contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding the region. As viewers, we must remain vigilant in questioning and critiquing media representations to foster a more inclusive and accurate discourse on the Middle East.
Works Cited
Iron Man 3. Directed by Shane Black, Marvel Studios, 2013.
Lughod, L. A. (2002). Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others. American Anthropologist, 104(3), 28-53. https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.2002.104.3.783
Said, E. W. (2003). Said-introduction and Chapter 1 of Orientalism - Evergreen State College. file:///Users/devinmackenziecottrell/Downloads/Edward%20W.%20Said%20-%20Introdcution%20in%20Orientalism_%20Western%20Conceptions%20of%20the%20Orient%20(Penguin%20Modern%20Classics)-Penguin%20Classics%20(2003).pdf. https://sites.evergreen.edu/politicalshakespeares/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2014/12/Said_full.pdf
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