Is it an Action, a Drama, a Comedy? They don't know either.

Rating: 6/10 (4 May 2013)

I would like to make this review short and brief without giving too much away. This movie is not amazing, but it is also not bad. It is above average. If you go in like I did, expecting a good movie with a darker tone and a great villain, you will leave disappointed.
The most damning part of the movie for me was the tone the director tried to establish. Were it a little grittier and not a superhero movie, Iron Man 3 could pass for a dark comedy. The movie attempts to be both comedic and serious but fails at both. Bad jokes come at bad times, totally ruining the suspense and emotion of the scene. A little humor is not a bad thing per say, but Iron Man 3 is neither funny nor as well timed as the original, and it is damaging to the movie.
My second gripe is the plot twist halfway through the movie. Up until the plot twist, I was really enjoying the movie. The plot twist pulled the movie from serious to ridiculous in one single scene, in the process effectively rendering Ben Kingsley (who happens to be the best and most exciting actor in the movie) moot. I cannot stress this enough, even as someone who before this movie had no prior connection to the "Mandirin" character, the plot twist simply destroys the tone and seriousness of the film.
That's not to say the movie didn't do some things right. I quite enjoyed the first half of the movie, and began liking it again towards the end. Two thirds of the movie are great, but the parts in between simply destroyed it for me.
So, in short, this is a fun movie, with great action and sfx, and even a decent storyline. Just don't go expecting anything comparable to the Dark Knight Trilogy or the original Iron Man or even the Avengers. You will leave disappointed if you do.