Marvel and MadHouse team together to offer fans of Iron Man a really fun and unique animated adventure with Tony Stark and Iron Man. And while it’s short on plot, it more than compensates for that short coming with some dazzling animation, and an excellent sense of pacing that keeps “Rise of Technovore” absolutely engrossing. Though most of the anime efforts from Marvel with Madhouse have the capability of slowing down, “Rise of Technovore” is always moving and always fun.
Director Hiroshi Hamazaki creates an Iron Man animated movie that combines many elements from both companies, with a glimpse of Tony and Iron Man from the comic books, as well as some back story from the first Iron Man film. Meanwhile, much of the characters are Madhouse’s versions of Iconic Marvel characters, giving way to a fun cat and mouse action movie. For once Tony is on the run from SHIELD, after he’s nearly killed by a genetically altered robotic terrorist named the Technovore. Tony plans to issue the world a new Satellite called Howard (after his father) that will help keep civilization monitored by SHIELD a la Big Brother. When Stark’s base and his technology is destroyed by the robotic being, Rhodey is caught in the explosion leaving Tony to pick up the pieces and make sense of this attack.
Tony is now out for revenge, desperate to find the Technovore, but SHIELD is anxious to bring him in to learn about the robotic terrorist. Now Tony has to evade all of SHIELD’s forces. And that’s going to be tough, considering Black Widow has been assigned to capture Iron Man. To make things even worse, Hawkeye has joined the pursuit, and Tony has to find a way around the world’s best marksman. Much of “Rise of Technovore” is one giant chase scene, as Tony dashes from country to country to find information on Technovore, while SHIELD follows very closely behind, willing to bring him down at all costs.
Along for the fun is Norman Reedus who takes on the role of The Punisher who holds information Tony needs, accidentally entangling himself in Tony’s mission for vengeance. Reedus has only a short time in the film as the Punisher but really gives a strong performance as Frank Castle, who hates the theatrics of Iron Man, but relates to his mission of vengeance. “Iron Man: Rise of Technovore” is a real treat for science fiction buffs, as Marvel and Madhouse embrace the more surreal technological aspects of Iron Man, delivering an entertaining and action packed peek in to Iron Man’s world.
