Iron Man 3 Review

Rating: 8/10 (10 May 2013)

To start things off, let me say this, "Iron Man 3" is not only the best Iron Man movie to date, but also the best Avengers build up movie. This film has it all from its great sense of humor to the amazing action set pieces. The story here is more personal than any of the other film in the series as it focuses more on Tony Stark than his suit of armor. We get a sense of depth to the character and the psychological problems he has since putting on the suit. Iron Man becomes more like a cocoon rather than something that actually enhances the man. Throughout the movie we see his over dependency on the suit and how much weight it puts on is shoulder, which is well elucidated by Tony pulling the suit through the snow.
The pacing of the film in certain areas felt off mainly do to how fast they were jumping from topic to topic. However, the action sequences are always spot on and really gets the audience involved. Tony's house exploding is a great highlight of the film and my personal favorite set piece as it tell a lot of story of the relationship of Tony and Pepper through stuff blowing up. Another thing to note in the film is its humor. It is funny and timed well. Some of it can be off putting in certain scenes or moments, but for the most part these particular segments are few and between.
The characters are great and the actors do a fine job. Robert Downey Jr. has finally found the perfect balance of arrogance and likability in Tony Stark. He's great as the character and we finally get to see other side of him that we've never seen before. Pepper Potts, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, is finally a useful character. She holds her own and it's great seeing this character grow and given attention to. Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin is great. I particularly like how they introduce him with some great edited shots that highlight the amount of power and terror he poses. Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce are great in their roles as well, but the standouts are easily Downey, Paltrow, and Kingsley.
Overall, "Iron Man 3" is a really good popcorn flick that is not only entertaining, but engaging. It's great seeing these characters develop and also seeing these actors hone on their personalities. The action and humor, for the most part, are spot on and give the movie the right amount of energy. There is a twist towards the last third of the film that can be jarring, but if you go with it, you'll enjoy the film a lot more. I give it 4/5, incredibly entertaining and the best Iron Man movie yet.