Iron Man 3

After being totally thrilled by The Avengers, I didn't expect exactly the same amount of greatness in "Iron Man 3", yet I still needed a solid story to keep me interested. There were two things that I was certain were going to satisfy me: Robert Downey Jr. 's performance and the special effects. Granted they did not disappoint, however aside from that, I either accepted all other aspects or felt they were done in a messy fashion.

The plot consists of a terrorist called the Mandarin threatening America's safety and teaching its president and people a lesson. After his friend Happy Hogan is put into a coma thanks to one of the Mandarin's attacks, Tony vows to strike back. But after an attack from his enemy leaves him homeless and weaponless, Tony must find a way to stop his foe's plans while reevaluating his troubled existence. Downey Jr. hits the ball park once again with his Stark character showing his usual playful charm, but also his vulnerability at times. The events that took place in The Avengers take a heavy toll on the character and RDJ plays it quite professionally. Other characters were sort of a bore to me with Pearce's Killian as an exception. The plot once again fails to make sense, making it more comparable with the second rather than the first. Overall the film entertains and the visuals combined with the leading man's appeal make for an enjoyable time, however when it comes to the story it doesn't come close to Marvel movies like the first Iron Man and The Avengers.

Rating 8/10

Not in the case of Iron man III in the Iron man trilogy.

Warning: spoiler alerts:

It was have been few months after The Avengers. New York City is once again saved. The hero himself has experience a lot hard times in his mind. He can't just quit and suddenly there is new terror. The mysteries leader named the Mandarin came to the town with his terrorist. The city needs once again Iron Man. But this even him can't to do nothing and he have to leave New York to create the plan to stop the Mandarin

Robert Downey Jr is always fantastic and Iron Man 3 offered more than action scenes. The script is not just full of the effects and the fighting. Like the first film, the hero is vulnerable and that is good thing.

"Some call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher. America. Ready for another lesson?" – the Mandarin

Ben Kingsley is bullseye for the movie. His performance was good and memorable. His voice created "Darth Vader vibes". Ben's performance radiate such a power that hopefully the audience remember his role. Even that the twist got "huh?" feelings but it definitely not made the role worse. Its just tell how smart the story is. I like that the villains are not one-dimensional the characters.

Overall the cast is perfect as usually in Iron Man movies. Gwyneth Paltrow showed more than the skin. She did good job and the script offered more than scream and the hero saves in every scenes. She actually acted and was equal with Downey Jr and others. Example The Amazing Spider-Man crew should take advice that how can write good role for female. Don Cheadle's performance was smooth and perfect partner to Tony Stark. I would see him War Machine solo film.

The special effects looked cool, realistic and the crew doesn't went to over-the-top. Only the final battle needed more imagination. But still the movie is smart and effects are better than in Man of Steel movie. Marvel Studio films are like one big movie. That' why we have to look these movies with a bigger scales. The first Iron Man saved Downey Jr career and he has taken recently many different roles. I think that this was his final Iron Man solo movie to him.

Iron Man 3 is the perfect ending to the Iron Man trilogy. One of the best Marvel movies so far. Hollywood bosses should think more than twice that do they want continue with the character or bring new the characters to the big screens. I feel that Downey Jr will look another projects after The Avenger 3. His performance as Tony Stark/Iron Man Is so memorable that it will hard to any actor replace the role.

How will Marvel's universe ever be the same after "The Avengers"? There's bound to be a vocal percentage of viewers who walk out of "Iron Man 3" thinking, "why didn't he just call his superfriends in the end?" It's a good question, one that Drew Pearce and Shane Black's script doesn't ignore, but never satisfyingly answers. Yet that doesn't seem to matter. The bigger question that Marvel has addressed is whether it could effectively narrow the scope of its universe again after "The Avengers" blew it open—and the answer is yes.

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) hasn't been the same since his near-death experience in a intergalactic wormhole at the end of "The Avengers." In fact, the words "New York" have become a trigger for his newly discovered anxiety attacks. He has spent his funk by building an inordinate amount of Iron Man suits, and specifically a remotely operated suit that he can summon through a biological tracking system. When a terrorist named the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) emerges, hacking U.S. airwaves to spread fear and causing thermal explosions, Tony calls him out on his cowardice, a move he immediately regrets.

As the script continues to introduce all the players in this third iron-clad outing, from Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian—a think tank manager Tony spurned 13 years ago—to Don Cheadle's Col. Rhodes who has a new gig as the stars-and-stripes-studded presidential bodyguard Iron Patriot, the film appears as a sloppy mess likely to meet the same fate as "Iron Man 2." Only when Tony begins to pursue the mystery of the terrorist bombings do all these seemingly disparate pieces begin to come together into what's actually a rather clever story.

Story structure aside, the script does boast plenty of Stark quips in case you worried the directorial turnover from Jon Favreau to Shane Black would alter the tone of the franchise. Not even close. If anything, the "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" director pushes the boundaries of political correctness with some of the dialogue, especially in the scenes in which Tony finds himself teamed up with a 12-year-old boy.

"Iron Man 3" digs deeper into the psychology of Tony Stark, at least more than you'd expect from a blockbuster. Rather than open with an action sequence to get the ball rolling, we get a flashback to when Stark met Pearce's Killian as well as a genetic engineer named Maya played by Rebecca Hall. Things don't really begin to pick up until Tony has his mansion blown into the ocean.

Not unlike "Iron Man 2," the film's action is largely reserved for the grand finale. Still, the amount of special effects shots is probably tripled, and the action sequences when they do come were written to be as unique and memorable as possible, with a skydiving sequence taking the cake. "Iron Man 3" hits big whenever it makes the effort to do so, proving again how Marvel Studios holds a quality entertainment standard rivaled by few.

The "Iron Man" films (and this is partly fault of the comic) lack truly excellent villains. This film sets up Tony Stark's greatest nemesis in the Mandarin, but complicates it in a way you'll never see coming considering how studios and writers have flocked toward villains in the mold of Heath Ledger's Joker from "The Dark Knight."

The movie gambles in that way and in other ways not all audiences will recognize. Take the boy for example. If the film failed on the whole, it would forever be remembered as "the 'Iron Man' movie with Tony Stark and that kid." That's dangerous territory. If "Spider-Man 3" had worked, everyone wouldn't refer to it as "the one with emo Peter Parker."

Nothing gambles more than the script, which spends a lot of time setting up the premise for what it hopes will be an effective payoff. So much of the film seems anecdotal until you see how the pieces fit. Even then, there's no guarantee the audiences will be compelled by the completed puzzle, but "Iron Man 3" goes bold enough to surprise in a good way.

The humor definitely misfires at times and the sense of danger doesn't pervade the film from start to finish, but considering how must third installments have sputtered ("Spider-Man 3," "X-Men: The Last Stand"), it's testament to a number of quality components at work behind the scenes, not excluding "The Avengers," which clearly reenergized Iron Man as a solo character. Without it, no way "Iron Man 3" opens with nearly $175 million after the critical disappointment toward the second.

Few actors have truly created and owned a character like Downey Jr. and Tony Stark. Without him, Iron Man is just a second-class superhero in Marvel's canon. He single-handedly launched Phase One of Marvel Studios' plan and gave audiences a multi-dimensional hero with both despicable and lovable qualities. If he powers down the suit after "The Avengers 2," it'll be the end of an era.

~Steven C

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The first time I saw this movie I really didn't like it, I had just come off the high of "The Avengers" and let me make it clear, this one isn't as good. That said it is significantly better than Iron Man 2 and that's because the story is deeper and direct. There's a lot less focus on explosions and fancy effects (although there is plenty of that) and more on dialogue and character development.

One thing I like about this movie is that you get to learn more about Tony Stark, as much as I loved his arrogance in IM1, 2 at the end of Avengers he was humbled and that continues in this one. On the one hand I love the suits and the fancy technology but it's Robert Downey's sarcasm and wit that make him so great for this franchise.

Yes there is a big plot twist but it by no means ruins the movie and while I was not a fan of the ending, you can see where things are going towards Avengers 2.

It may not be for you, my only advice is to make sure you watch it again. I was angry the first time I did and thought the movie was a joke, each additional time I've watched it I take something more from it and enjoy it a little more.