Iron Man 3 Official rate & review IRON MAN 3 thread!

[cherokeesam]

Love the movie.

But my favourite part of this movie is seeing so many of the critical comments in this thread highlight EXACTLY what this film was trying to achieve.














The genre politics of this film are sensational. It's so much smarter than superhero movie fans want their movies to be. It dismantles the propaganda and artifice of that audience-product relationship, as much as it dismantles the various themes it tackles (particularly, villainy - media and the US paradigm - terrorism(s) - popular/marketed warfare).

It's enjoyable whilst punishing you for enjoying it.

I can't think of a more apt way to follow up the Avengers.

Absofrickinlutely right.

That's probably why there's a lot of ******** fans in here ---- they've just been targeted and insulted. IM3 is a deconstruction of the genre, and it skewers not only Nolan but Whedon as well, but more importantly, it skewers fandom. The point of the movie is that we create our own ideas of what a hero is and what a villain is, and when that conception fails to reflect reality, things fall apart.

This movie is way, way, *way* over a lot of CBM fans' heads. The ones who only wanted to see "Iron Man vs. Mandarin!!! zomg pew-pew socko-blammo" got a cold hard dose of reality poured over their heads. Even Tony Stark did. The difference is, Tony recognized it in the end, and became a more mature and better person because of it. The fanboys are still stuck seething in their impotent rage, blind as ever.

IM3 is the most realistic depiction of a superhero world yet.

 

[-JKR-]

Absofrickinlutely right.

That's probably why there's a lot of ******** fans in here ---- they've just been targeted and insulted. IM3 is a deconstruction of the genre, and it skewers not only Nolan but Whedon as well, but more importantly, it skewers fandom. The point of the movie is that we create our own ideas of what a hero is and what a villain is, and when that conception fails to reflect reality, things fall apart.

This movie is way, way, *way* over a lot of CBM fans' heads. The ones who only wanted to see "Iron Man vs. Mandarin!!! zomg pew-pew socko-blammo" got a cold hard dose of reality poured over their heads. Even Tony Stark did. The difference is, Tony recognized it in the end, and became a more mature and better person because of it. The fanboys are still stuck seething in their impotent rage, blind as ever.

IM3 is the most realistic depiction of a superhero world yet.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

Absofrickinlutely right.

That's probably why there's a lot of ******** fans in here ---- they've just been targeted and insulted. IM3 is a deconstruction of the genre, and it skewers not only Nolan but Whedon as well, but more importantly, it skewers fandom. The point of the movie is that we create our own ideas of what a hero is and what a villain is, and when that conception fails to reflect reality, things fall apart.

This movie is way, way, *way* over a lot of CBM fans' heads. The ones who only wanted to see "Iron Man vs. Mandarin!!! zomg pew-pew socko-blammo" got a cold hard dose of reality poured over their heads. Even Tony Stark did. The difference is, Tony recognized it in the end, and became a more mature and better person because of it. The fanboys are still stuck seething in their impotent rage, blind as ever.

IM3 is the most realistic depiction of a superhero world yet.

I know it kinda pisses me off that. Some fanboys in a blind rage over the mandarin that they let that one aspect make them say the entire movie sucks. Even when the core essenence of the Mandarin is very much intact.

 

[antonydelfini]

That's why I said in my initial review it wouldn't surprise me if people hated this. It's too odd and weird. It's ballsy. And it's my favorite superhero movie yet.

 

[ThePhantasm]

IM3 is the most realistic depiction of a superhero world yet.

 

[Tony Stark]

I very much appreciated that it wasn't the same old same old. Stylistically its a very different movie than the first two which throws people off.

There are a few minor technical things I didn't like, and I'd have liked seeing Tony in the suit more at the end, but those are Minor gripes.

While I think I still like the first movie slightly better, I have to say this was RDJ's best interpretation of Tony Stark in any of the films, including Avengers.

 

[-JKR-]

Thematically, man.

 

[ThePhantasm]

Thematically, man.

I know, and maintain my smiley.

 

[divan]

Love the movie.

But my favourite part of this movie is seeing so many of the critical comments in this thread highlight EXACTLY what this film was trying to achieve.














The genre politics of this film are sensational. It's so much smarter than superhero movie fans want their movies to be. It dismantles the propaganda and artifice of that audience-product relationship, as much as it dismantles the various themes it tackles (particularly, villainy - media and the US paradigm - terrorism(s) - popular/marketed warfare).

It's enjoyable whilst punishing you for enjoying it.

I can't think of a more apt way to follow up the Avengers.

I thought the same. Glad to know I'm not alone. t:

 

[divan]

I know, and maintain my smiley.

In my opinion The Dark Knight Saga is still untouchable in that regard (and Idon't think any CBM ever touches it), but I would say Iron Man 3 is thematically speaking the most well-done CBM if you don't count Nolan's Batman. It's smarter than even the smart CBMs.

 

[Mjölnir]

In my opinion The Dark Knight Saga is still untouchable in that regard (and Idon't think any CBM ever touches it), but I would say Iron Man 3 is thematically speaking the most well-done CBM if you don't count Nolan's Batman. It's smarter than even the smart CBMs.

The Dark Knight Saga is probably the most realistic depiction of a superhero (in the sense of making things as close to the real world as possible) but I think it also displays the problems of going very far in that direction since I think it's own feel make many of the comic elements seem implausible and out of place. It kind of trips on itself in that regard since if everything is more realistic I'm going to judge the comic elements on a more realistic grade.

Compare that with the first Iron Man, where I'm not at all encouraged to wonder if something works, or makes sense, in reality since Tony starts out making a huge leap in energy technology in a cave using parts from weaponry. Stories are just expected to make sense in their own built up context.

 

[spider-neil]

I cannot comprehend how anyone would call this movie 'smart'. It's dumb and has plot holes you can drive a helicarrier through. Go to the 'what you didn't like about the movie' to see the myriad of plot holes listed.

 

[ThePhantasm]

Compare that with the first Iron Man, where I'm not at all encouraged to wonder if something works, or makes sense, in reality since Tony starts out making a huge leap in energy technology in a cave using parts from weaponry. Stories are just expected to make sense in their own built up context.

That's suspension-of-disbelief due to in-universe logic, not "realism."

Not that I think "realism" should be held up so high on the pedestal of standards that some fans place it upon.

 

[Tony Stark]

In my opinion The Dark Knight Saga is still untouchable in that regard (and Idon't think any CBM ever touches it), but I would say Iron Man 3 is thematically speaking the most well-done CBM if you don't count Nolan's Batman. It's smarter than even the smart CBMs.

You mean as far as realism? For the first film I'd agree. For the latter two I find I have to turn off my brain to think that a guy going around blowing up public buildings, and another one who holds a major city under threat of an atomic bomb, and the only people who are prepared to help are the Police and a vigilante.

Don't get me wrong, I like the TDK movies but I find them to be post 9/11 ignorant.

This movie lives in the 9/11 mind set and is why the story works so well.

 

[ThePhantasm]

This movie lives in the 9/11 mind set and is why the story works so well.

In TDK they call in the national guard. Their presence is made well-known in the evacuation scenes. In TDKR the military is involved, the CIA, a special forces unit is sent into the compromised zone... its hardly just "the police and a vigilante."

I have numerous critiques of TDKR but that certainly isn't one of them.

 

[divan]

I cannot comprehend how anyone would call this movie 'smart'. It's dumb and has plot holes you can drive a helicarrier through. Go to the 'what you didn't like about the movie' to see the myriad of plot holes listed.

Most of those so-called Plot Holes were justified in the movie if you paid attention. Others weren't really Plot Holes (the S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff for example, as far as we are concerned, S.H.I.E.L.D. could in another diemnsion during the events of this movie). There are legitimate Plot Holes, yes, but there are very few compared to the amount of nitpicks people say are Plot Holes.

Besides, 'smart' depends on what you're watching. There are some logic holes in the movie, yes, but those are unimportant for me for example, just small quibbles that don't affect the overall experience. Story, script, theme and character wise it's a very smart and strong blockbuster.

 

[Tony Stark]

In TDK they call in the national guard. Their presence is made well-known in the evacuation scenes. In TDKR the military is involved, the CIA, a special forces unit is sent into the compromised zone... its hardly just "the police and a vigilante."

I have numerous critiques of TDKR but that certainly isn't one of them.

And in all those cases they are shown to be incompetent, but a bunch of police officers charging directly into the line of fire is shown to be effective.

 

[The Sage]

Also...

Spoiler

I know I found it pretty strange that SHIELD wasn't there. A threat against of their Avengers members, a threat against the President, and the organization is nowhere to be seen. I understand they wanted the movie to be solely focused on Tony Stark, and if this was standalone Iron Man universe, it would've worked. But from the view of it being part of the MCU, it didn't make sense. There wasn't even a brief mention. This is one of the Catch 22's of having a shared universe.

Though the Banner bit was good.

My cousin had me laughing bring up how the Iron Man armor can take hit from Thor's hammer yet falls to pieces when it hits a piece of construction equipment. But I chalked that up to the new armor having a different density than the previous ones. Nitpicky stuff of course.

 

[ThePhantasm]

And in all those cases they are shown to be incompetent, but a bunch of police officers charging directly into the line of fire is shown to be effective.

I agree the mob fight is a weak point in the film, but I disagree that governmental incompetence is in any way unrealistic.

 

[Immortalfire]

I liked it. A lot.

I give it a solid 8.

 

[Ultra Nolanite]

You mean as far as realism? For the first film I'd agree. For the latter two I find I have to turn off my brain to think that a guy going around blowing up public buildings, and another one who holds a major city under threat of an atomic bomb, and the only people who are prepared to help are the Police and a vigilante.

Don't get me wrong, I like the TDK movies but I find them to be post 9/11 ignorant.

This movie lives in the 9/11 mind set and is why the story works so well.

My head just exploded.

 

[thalidomide]

Also...

Spoiler

I know I found it pretty strange that SHIELD wasn't there. A threat against of their Avengers members, a threat against the President, and the organization is nowhere to be seen. I understand they wanted the movie to be solely focused on Tony Stark, and if this was standalone Iron Man universe, it would've worked. But from the view of it being part of the MCU, it didn't make sense. There wasn't even a brief mention. This is one of the Catch 22's of having a shared universe.

Though the Banner bit was good.

My cousin had me laughing bring up how the Iron Man armor can take hit from Thor's hammer yet falls to pieces when it hits a piece of construction equipment. But I chalked that up to the new armor having a different density than the previous ones. Nitpicky stuff of course.

I hope they explain that in the TV series.

 

[jacobed]

Absofrickinlutely right.

That's probably why there's a lot of ******** fans in here ---- they've just been targeted and insulted. IM3 is a deconstruction of the genre, and it skewers not only Nolan but Whedon as well, but more importantly, it skewers fandom. The point of the movie is that we create our own ideas of what a hero is and what a villain is, and when that conception fails to reflect reality, things fall apart.

This movie is way, way, *way* over a lot of CBM fans' heads. The ones who only wanted to see "Iron Man vs. Mandarin!!! zomg pew-pew socko-blammo" got a cold hard dose of reality poured over their heads. Even Tony Stark did. The difference is, Tony recognized it in the end, and became a more mature and better person because of it. The fanboys are still stuck seething in their impotent rage, blind as ever.

IM3 is the most realistic depiction of a superhero world yet.

Umm no. I'm in no way an Iron Man fan and I thought this movie was downright bad. The only redeeming factor that it had was finally finally Rdj gets to act in these movies. There was barely a story, the characters were all 1 dimensional, the villains were all completely laughable, and the twists haha its not about ******** fans its about how dumb they were.

I give this movie a 5/10 because its awful and it makes me angry considering how much I love Shane Black

 

[Marvin]

I liked the movie. The christmas vibe and Shane Blackisms really reminded me of watching action films in the 90's. I can see why the film is dividing though. So many bold decisions. I however respect bold decision making in adaptations.

I think it really comes down to weather you want to like or hate the movie. I've seen critics write stuff such as this

The plane rescue sequence, which Marvel has shown quite a bit of in trailers, is a breathtaking highlight. It’s an extraordinary example of character coming through in action and of the film’s general optimistic tone. In other hands that rescue might have been a desperate sequence, one where Tony has to make hard choices as to who survives. In Iron Man 3 Stark pushes himself to the edge, saves everybody and cracks wise all the while. Again, the danger is here, but it’s not an overwhelming bummer.

I believe that was Devin Faraci. An adamant Marvel Studios fan. On any other day on any other film this could have been an obvious criticism and if the film did the opposite(kinda like in TDK) it would have been praised.

This reminds me why it's important that people make up their minds on films. Critics are just people that want you to listen to their opinion.

The Villain twist reminded me of the last batman movie in a way, only this time is was much more focused and less of a throw away, albeit the film was very happy with itself for this. Meh. I hope I don't see this happen again down the road.

Lastly, I think people need to be careful when putting the "tonal" decisions of IM3 on a pedestal. In doing so, one is at the same time taking all previous marvel films they championed far below said stal. Which is fine, but what does that mean when the same people still think IM3 was flawless...It doesn't have to be one or the other but at the same time, it says something.

 

[Heretic]

I fail to see how this is truly some sort of genius deconstruction of the audience and superhero films. That sounds like the rantings of fans who want to attach genius where it doesn't belong just because they liked the movie.

Yes, the movie does make a point about corporations pulling the strings in world events...governments and terrorists being run by the same financiers. In fact, sometimes the troops on the ground (like Iron Patriot or our troops fighting overseas) are just chasing after ghosts, nowhere near the real threat and end up doing more harm than good because of the machinations of their superiors. I think that, politically speaking, it had a lot to say (and sacrificed the character of The Mandarin and didn't do any favors for War Machine to help make it).

However, this is a movie from a guy known for making fun buddy cop action films...and this played out like a fun buddy cop action film. He was doing what he felt comfortable doing, and nothing more. It wasn't addressing what the audience expects from an Iron Man film...because what we all expected was a bunch of funny one-liners and action. We got all of that...except that it didn't feel like Iron Man. I mean...if you're suggesting that the director's point was "ha ha, you expected Iron Man and I gave you Robert Downey Jr running around with a handgun" then that is far from genius, it's just him being a lazy jerk. It is not genius to have action scenes involving "deaths" of major characters that are brushed off with a few jokes in mere seconds, in contrast to how the character has reacted to other deaths and injuries in 3 previous movies (and even earlier in this same film). No, that is a result of a director not being invested in the characters himself, and not caring enough to make the moment have impact for the viewer. Shane Black didn't care about Iron Man as a character, and that does not make him a genius director, unless you're suggesting that Iron Man should not be cared about and it is better to make a movie that mocks the character.

In the end...I got exactly the movie I was expecting...except that the director seemed embarrassed to be making a movie about a guy who wears an armored suit. If he was trying to deconstruct what a hero is, then he failed. I've seen this type of hero many, many times. It's the type of hero I got bored with about 20 years ago.