Finally, A Brilliant Number Three Film!

Rating: Null/10 (4 May 2013)

I had high expectations going in to this film and it managed to hit or exceed almost all of them. I simply loved that nothing held to any type of cliché. Nearly every interaction delivered something unexpected and fresh. Stark was shaken to his very core by the events of Avengers and further more by the events early in this film. Make no mistake, this movie is all about Tony Stark's struggles both external and especially internal. Choosing to focus on Tony out of the armor is a wonderful decision. RDJ is as brilliant as he's ever been as Stark. Fans of the books (of which I'm one) may complain about certain character translations but I really have no complaints. Flexibility has always been a Marvel strength over the years and I liked how they flexed and twisted certain ideas here. The thing they get so right from the books is the ingenuity of Tony Stark. He's so much more than a man in a metal suit. It's his brain and his wit that are the true weapons. This movie goes out of its way to illustrate that brilliantly.
The armored adventure scenes do thrill but are spaced by gritty old fashion action and a movie filled with a lot of heart and humor. Again, it was well played and I found it to be genuinely refreshing while bold all at the same time. No one can accuse them of playing it safe.
As for the supporting cast, the results were spotty. Pepper is given her due and Killian is an amazing villain. The rest of the supporting cast is barely seen and underutilized. Despite one very cool hero moment, Rhodey isn't fleshed out at all. I can't say much about The Mandarin. Overall, it's a well crafted, funny and refreshing number three film that wraps up the trilogy beautifully.