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“As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to
the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does
the suit make the man?” – Movie solicitation, Walt Disney Pictures
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Let's get one thing out of the way. This movie was better than Iron Man 2. It is on par with Iron Man. It is really something that you can't miss. Alright, here we go.
After the events of The Avengers, Tony Stark
(Robert Downey Jr.) is left suffering from feelings of insecurity and anxiety
as a result of the startling events that he has witnessed. He has therefore amassed a huge number of armors during the period between the events of the two movies (he's on Mark 42 now) and repeatedly emphasizes the importance of Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) in his life.
Unlike the previous disaster that was Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3 doesn't attempt to up the stakes with shoddy attempts at alcoholism. Instead, Director Shane Black decides to focus on the ramifications of Captain America's question to Tony Stark in The Avengers; "Take that (the suit) away, what are you?" Thus, in case the trailers and TV spots did not make it clear enough for you, there is a lot of focus on Stark starting with practically nothing and having to use his genius to spend limited resources well, which makes for an extremely interesting plot. The director wisely keeps Stark out of the suit for just enough time to
make those moments when he actually IS Iron Man more worthy of the buzz. Going any further would encroach on the forbidden spoiler territory, so let's move on. Just know that the script for this movie deviates significantly from your typical run-of-the-mill superhero flick.
The acting for this movie for the most part, is top notch. I get the feeling that Downey Jr. is somewhat more relaxed and is having more fun than usual in his role as Stark. He quips and quivers in equal measure and successfully displays a wide range of emotions. Ben Kingsley's performance as The Mandarin is also commendable, although die-hard Marvel fans may disagree. The rest of the cast pulled off their roles as well, so no qualms in the fields of casting.
The action in this movie is great. I think everyone will have this image in their heads upon hearing "action".
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| That sound you just heard was your inner child screaming in ecstasy |
Yes, this scene was as good as I had expected it to be given the budget restraints, but it was still really entertaining. The times when Stark is out of his armor and given his own fighting scenes and has to solely rely on his wits are also surprisingly engaging.
There are just a few nitpicks that I have with the movie. Firstly, there are definitely some pacing problems with some scenes given too much time and the ending being way too neat and convenient which made it feel rushed. Also, I'm not a fan with this over comical presentation of the Iron Patriot and the Mandarin. The question of where are the rest of the Avengers and SHIELD during Tony's crisis is also never answered. Even the after credits scene felt a little underwhelming given the after credits scenes of The Avengers and Captain America.
At the end of the day though, Iron Man 3 is a slightly rushed but still wholly entertaining action flick that raises the bar for future Marvel projects.
8/10
