Perhaps the most under-appreciated film in the entire MCU

Rating: 9/10 (17 April 2017)

Well, we all know the big deal behind 'Iron Man 3'. Fresh off 'The Avengers', the third installment of the 'Iron Man' trilogy helped kick off Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a big way, becoming the second MCU film to gross over one billion.
However, it ended up attracting some major controversy due to its big bait-and-switch. Originally, we were led to believe that Ben Kingsley's character was the infamous terrorist 'The Mandarin'. However, as it turns out, he's nothing more than just a drunken British actor named Trevor Slattery while his employer, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), serves as the true villain of the film.
This reveal attracted some major flak from comic fans for being a major deviation from the comics. And yet, I'd argue it actually worked from a story perspective. First of all, it's probably for the best that they didn't go the route of the comics and just have 'The Mandarin' because of the character's racist portrayal in the comics. Plus, Killian's villainous plot is steeped in modern day sensibilities regarding terrorism, making him one of the most layered villains in the MCU's library of generally maligned villains... and therefore, one of the franchise's best.
The rest of the film is another enjoyable outing in the MCU with great action sequences and hilarious dialogue courtesy of director Shane Black. In a time when many argued the MCU limited the creative control of their directors, 'Iron Man 3' is one of the most unique entries in the genre (e.g. set at Christmas, a Shane Black trademark). It doesn't have much of the main hero in his suit but it allows for Tony Stark to utilize his other talents, proving that the suit does not make the man. Plus, Robert Downey Jr. gives one of the best performances he's ever done in the role of Tony Stark.
In short, 'Iron Man 3' is definitely an underrated entry in the MCU. Simply put, the twist worked, people.