Uneven, Surprising, sometimes disappointing, but ultimately quite intriguing

Rating: 8/10 (4 May 2013)

For 3 films now, Marvel has taken a character which most people were not privy to and turned him into an A-list action vehicle. And they've done this with Iron Man by incorporating the best of the Classic IM comics (Gold/Silver age) and the modern 2000's IM comics. And in so doing, they've been challenging and surprising us consistently along the way. What Iron Man fan would've ever expected the speech that Tony Stark gives at the end of Iron Man 1 to go the way it did...in the FIRST film? Who would've thought that they'd actually find a way to realistically depict the 'suitcase suit' as they did in IM2? Or incorporate SHIELD so seamlessly (including its otherwise preposterous carrier, as in Avengers)? So, you have to really go into these Iron Man movies with an open mind, because you never know what to expect...and maybe never more so than Iron Man 3. Make no mistake: there is at least 1 character that is so drastically changed from its comic origins that it will likely upset a lot of fans. And it took me out of the movie for a few minutes while I tried to reconcile it with my own preconceived expectations. Ultimately, I'm OK with it, for the reason that I hope people think of the real world for a moment, and the parallel veiled political statement it makes.
And this movie is filled with a lot of wry statements like that. It is even more of a 'thinking man's Iron Man' than the first movie. If you're a Golden Age IM comic reader, you really need to challenge yourself about what Iron Man always was: one of the deepest, 'thinking man's' comic books. Fantastic Four was crazy fun, Spider-Man was wisecracking action, Avengers all-out battle. So, on this note, I think Iron Man 3, for all it's ups and downs, actually delivers brilliantly.
This is not a wall-to-wall action fest, but rather a character-driven dramatic ride that gives Downey, Paltrow, & Cheadle plenty of screen time to explore their characters. It's nice to see Rhodey get some real heroic moments this time, and Cheadle has now clearly taken ownership of the role, making us completely forget that 'other actor' who played the part the first time.
There are laughs, there is suspense, drama, and yes some slow parts. But, Iron Man 3 certainly bakes its cake and knows how to pull it out of the oven at the right time for a rousing finale spectacle. And, this time, the inventive villains (which 2000's-era comic fans will know & enjoy) are a refreshing change-of-pace from the "metal vs metal" of the previous two films.