Uneven entry, but more good then bad

Rating: 7/10 (11 May 2013)

I should start this review by saying I continue to be surprised by just how positively the IRON MAN series has been received. I guess it's a tribute to the charisma of Robert Downey Jr. I felt the first film was GOOD, but not spectacular, yet Downey's performance seemed to be the key to making the movie accessible to the masses. I'm cool with that, as he's an incredible talent.
The 2nd film in the series was pretty darned forgettable. I still have only watched it once and doubt i will ever watch it again. All i recall about it was the climactic fight was really a letdown.
A lot of the stuff in 3 seemed pretty ham-fisted and unnecessary (squeezing a cutesy kid in for no real good reason, the Tony Stark anxiety attacks), and i'm not sure what to make of the end where they leave Stark's character. And all the Pepper stuff....
However the action sequences are top-notch, especially the Air Force One sequence and the finale. And the buddy-cop style scenes between Downey and Cheadle are ridiculously entertaining. It's a shame Cheadle is featured so little in the film until the final quarter. He was really strong. And finally Guy Pearce as the villain. I must say, it's a pretty poorly written character, but Pearce plays it with gusto. This guy should be bigger then he is. He's a wonderful actor who isn't afraid to take a chance.
I've never been a huge reader of the IRON MAN comics, so i must say i can't get upset about the Mandarin stuff. Ben Kingsley has always been among my favourite actors, so it's always a plus when he shows up. I felt he did well with what he had.
Overall I think it's a better entry then #2, but not quite up to the standard set by #1. It is a solid popcorn flick with some great action and a few decent one-liners.