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

[Destructus86]

Well to ME, unless the Mandarin Twist IS just another Twist, the Whinning Killian

Spoiler

being Mandrin is LAME.

That's my biggest gripe. Just like Hammer, I just wanted to kick Killian in the nads....oh wait....that's right he has none.
I can deal with Mandarin actually being like we were led to believe he really was like...

Spoiler

..and the Mandarin we saw was just a look-a-like, but Killian being the Actual Mandarin is as lame as Whiplash and Dynamo being combined to other fans.

Spoiler

Killian was far more threatening as Mandarin. He was just as intelligent as Tony, he was physically powerful (he could freaking take Tony in a suit with his bare hands!) and was just overall brilliant.

 

[Tony Stark]

Well to ME, unless the Mandarin Twist IS just another Twist, the Whinning Killian

Spoiler

being Mandrin is LAME.

That's my biggest gripe. Just like Hammer, I just wanted to kick Killian in the nads....oh wait....that's right he has none.
I can deal with Mandarin actually being like we were led to believe he really was like...

Spoiler

..and the Mandarin we saw was just a look-a-like, but Killian being the Actual Mandarin is as lame as Whiplash and Dynamo being combined to other fans.

I understand people that feel that way, but I feel the way it was presented...

Spoiler

All of the terrorist actions were performed by Pearce's character, while Kingley's character was just a ruse. That is exactly something the Mandarin would have done in the comics.

To me it's a difference between combining Backlash and Crimson Dynamo, because Killian in the comics was a minor character. Killian was the Red Herring while Maya was the real instigator. I knew something was up when they were turning a guy who had 2 pages in a graphic novel into a major character.

When Tony hacked into AIM and we see Killian looking exactly like the modern day interpretation of the Mandarin, I knew what they were up to.

 

[goth ham]

This was one ugly mess of a movie...YIKES! I would give it a D or F or a 6/10 depending on the scale you would like to use. I thought that there were certainly some standout moments, but overall the plot was terrible. I had 0 problem with the big twist, but the primary villain was absolutely terrible. I enjoyed that they attempted to give some depth and layers to his relationship with Tony, but I kind of wish they would have spent that time explaining exactly what his motivations were.

Spoiler

Oh, and does Extremis make you absolutely insane for no reason? Woah...that lost me completely. I also don't understand the melting of the armor with their bare hands and the overall ability to be a magical godlike creature just from the injection. I thought it just helped you heal...not become (literally) a fire breathing monster (shutter)..

 

[Tony Stark]

This was one ugly mess of a movie...YIKES! I would give it a D or F or a 6/10 depending on the scale you would like to use. I thought that there were certainly some standout moments, but overall the plot was terrible. I had 0 problem with the big twist, but the primary villain was absolutely terrible. I enjoyed that they attempted to give some depth and layers to his relationship with Tony, but I kind of wish they would have spent that time explaining exactly what his motivations were.

Spoiler

Oh, and does Extremis make you absolutely insane for no reason? Woah...that lost me completely. I also don't understand the melting of the armor with their bare hands and the overall ability to be a magical godlike creature just from the injection. I thought it just helped you heal...not become (literally) a fire breathing monster (shutter)..

The Extremis stuff is right out of the comics. Breathing fire and all.

 

[goth ham]

I am not steeped in Iron Man lore, but I can appreciate that being included in the comics. It didn't work for the non-comic crowd however in this MOVIE. My wife and I were both shocked at how dumb that was when it happened. I enjoy comics, but I thought that didn't mesh with the rest of the movie IMO. I will mention that I am in the crowd that would prefer Iron Man to be a bit more "realistic" (though I say that knowing that it is based on some impossibilities) and that stuff took me out of it. Overall, this reminded me more of Green Lantern or a crappy 90's superhero movie. Too much suspension of disbelief. I had a hard time believing any of it...and RDJ played Tony Stark so frantically this time it was difficult to catch what he was actually trying to portray.

 

[jrd550]

I enjoyed the film but didn't love it, and I wanted to love it. Here were my issues, some valid, and others not, but still, they are mine...:

SPOILERS AHEAD

1. Iron Patriot - sure it's explained why he was rebranded and repainted, but story wise he added nothing to the plot, shy of the suit being used to whisk the president away. The first IM film set up this expectation that Rhodes was going to have a big role in the franchise and that never came to be. Also, Rhodes jumping out of the suit in a polo and jeans makes it seem like he's hanging out at home before he suits up - what airforce pilot doesn't suit up before taking off?

2. the twist - I'm actually ok with it because it worked but boy did I want to see a real fight with the Mandarin

3. the pre 2000 plot - sure it was great to see Yinsen - but typically story lines that rely on going back in time to tell a current story don't work for me - maybe I just still have a bad taste in my mouth after the revisionist exercise that was Spider-Man 3 - it feels like lazy storytelling

4. Maya Hansen - her story line and character seemed very underused - granted we didn't actually see her die so maybe she will be back and Black did say his first cut was 3 hours long so maybe she was cut out of the film significantly and maybe she's alive and will help Tony develop Extremis as his built in armor...

5. the villains - I always liked how the IM films were somewhat grounded - granted aliens from the Avengers kind of stretched it, but the villains here seemed more suited for a X-Men film (Sebastian Shaw) than an IM film

6. the kid - he wasn't bad, at all - but I just don't like kids in my franchise films (Indy, Star Wars, Superman Returns)

7. the ads - man there were so many ads in this film that were so clearly visible - hell Fios even got final cut by adding adding the tv reporter truck with a slow modem plot point, and the refurbished work garage at the end. For a film that is 3 hours long, of all the scenes cut they had to keep this crap in - as if they need the money... and everyone drives an Audi.

8. Too much man not enough Iron - sure Tony Stark is an interesting character in of himself, but the film is called Iron Man - I wanted him back in the suit - not in part of the suit at different times, not remotely controlling the suit, not an army of empty suits, not pepper in the suit - the longest period he was in the suit was after escaping the mansion attack, and he was knocked out for that ride.

9. the music - like it or not, in IM, IM2 and the Avengers Tony has been associated with classic rock, Metal to be exact - dropping the needle on some x-mas funk just seemed out of place, as did the music for the closing credits.

10. the shrapnel - to round it off into a nice top ten list... the quick glossed over montage of removing the shrapnel from his chest left me confused... first, what does this mean for the character? Is IM over? Does it mean he can simply move on? To what? It defined him as he told Banner in the Avengers - so what will this new Tony be like? And lastly, it completely unravels the entire plot of IM2 - if removing the shrapnel was that easy why bother to discover a new element, etc...

It's interesting that Marvel are so keen on distancing themselves from the Avengers franchise showing that these films can live on their own - they can, but let's not forget they spent the last six films telling us that they all live together. So what is Marvel really trying to say? I think it's that the Avengers can live without Iron Man, and not the other way around...

 

[Mjölnir]

I am not steeped in Iron Man lore, but I can appreciate that being included in the comics. It didn't work for the non-comic crowd however in this MOVIE. My wife and I were both shocked at how dumb that was when it happened. I enjoy comics, but I thought that didn't mesh with the rest of the movie IMO. I will mention that I am in the crowd that would prefer Iron Man to be a bit more "realistic" (though I say that knowing that it is based on some impossibilities) and that stuff took me out of it. Overall, this reminded me more of Green Lantern or a crappy 90's superhero movie. Too much suspension of disbelief. I had a hard time believing any of it...and RDJ played Tony Stark so frantically this time it was difficult to catch what he was actually trying to portray.

I don't know if that really stands out that much from all the physics defying elements that have already been presented, that gods walk the face of Earth, that magic is present, how radiation creates a monster within a human etc. All things closely connected to Iron Man in the MCU.

It's of course down to personal opinion though, so it's not about anyone being right or wrong. Personally I think that movies that have tried more for "realism" have failed much more with establishing a line between the comic elements and the rest and I just don't think there's much precedent to expect realism here.

 

[metaphysician]

Except for the world's foremost genius weapons designer getting kidnapped by terrorists and the possibility of his clearly advanced tech* potentially falling into the wrong hands.

Yes, genius brain is a superpower.

*Jericho Missile utilizing Stark's proprietary repulsorlift technology being the prime example

Also, he somehow escaped *on his own*, rather than being rescued. I'm thinking that, more than anything else, is what flagged it to there attention. They probably were thinking that his escape very likely involved either weird science or manifested superpowers.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Is good point.

 

[metaphysician]

Also, while the movie didn't delve into it, remember the track record with prior forms of super power induction. If your not already possessed of a solid moral center and a lot of willpower, they tend to induce psychological side effects. Insanity, sociopathy, stuff like that.

Killian recruited from crippled veterans, who were desperate ( willing to undergo experimental treatment for a chance to be healed ), and almost certainly possessed of at least some degree of bitterness over their state ( certainly at a rate above average for the populace ). That sounds to me like a population more prone to suffering the bad psychological side effects. So most of them would either go evil or go insane. . . and the ones who go insane were probably the ones to lose control and explode. Thus, the survivors would be the ones who are now more ruthless and sociopathic than before, but also with strong selfish reason to be grateful to Killian for healing them.

Basically, the Extremis soldiers we saw, the ruthless loyal soldiers, were probably just a subset of all those entered into the trials. The ones who broke down and were uselessly unstable exploded, and if someone possessed a strong enough ethical core to refuse to be one of Killian's loyal soldiers? Probably were killed and dissected.

 

[Destructus86]

I am not steeped in Iron Man lore, but I can appreciate that being included in the comics. It didn't work for the non-comic crowd however in this MOVIE. My wife and I were both shocked at how dumb that was when it happened. I enjoy comics, but I thought that didn't mesh with the rest of the movie IMO. I will mention that I am in the crowd that would prefer Iron Man to be a bit more "realistic" (though I say that knowing that it is based on some impossibilities) and that stuff took me out of it. Overall, this reminded me more of Green Lantern or a crappy 90's superhero movie. Too much suspension of disbelief. I had a hard time believing any of it...and RDJ played Tony Stark so frantically this time it was difficult to catch what he was actually trying to portray.

I think you are pretty much the very small minority on that opinion. which is fine.

 

[Brainiac 8]

Saw Iron Man 3 last night.

I loved it. Since I'm not a follower of Iron Man in the comics or care about his rogues gallery (ha!) in the least, I can say that I thought the twist was fantastic and hilarious.

Seriously, Black should be commended, he pulled the wool so to speak and gave a pretty unexpected twist that wasn't hinted at in the marketing. Plus the final battle was pretty awesome and I loved who got to take the Mandarin down.

Fantastic all around. Not as good as the first movie but leagues beyond the second.

 

[C. Lee]

The Extremis stuff is right out of the comics. Breathing fire and all.

Well...you know how it is....if they do it like the comics, they are unimaginative hacks....if they change it from the comics, they are crapping on the source material.

 

[nogap87]

I can't help but think that the lasting legacy of this film will be summed up as "Better than Iron Man 2".

That's it.

Cool for those who liked it but, excluding huge RDJ fans, the GA will forget this movie existed by the end of Summer.

 

[Rock Sexton]

I can't help but think that the lasting legacy of this film will be summed up as "Better than Iron Man 2".

That's it.

Cool for those who liked it but, excluding huge RDJ fans, the GA will forget this movie existed by the end of Summer.

..... and we will forget your post by tomorrow.

 

[nogap87]

..... and we will forget your post by tomorrow.

Problem?

 

[Immortalfire]

Well...you know how it is....if they do it like the comics, they are unimaginative hacks....if they change it from the comics, they are crapping on the source material.

It's a rule.

 

[Tony Stark]

..... and we will forget your post by tomorrow.

Whose post?

 

[Tony Stark]

well...you know how it is....if they do it like the comics, they are unimaginative hacks....if they change it from the comics, they are crapping on the source material.

lol!

 

[Sparta*]

im sorry to anyone who liked this but I hated Iron Man 3, it was the worst Iron man movie by leagues, the only part I was looking forward to was the mandarin/iron man battle but anyone who saw this piece of a movie knows what happens in that regard. ..

 

[redhawk23]

I'm going to repost my thoughts on the whole Mandarin situation here because really it sums up most of my thoughts on the film as a whole.

I'll leave my thoughts on the Mandarin here.

Spoiler

For Iron Man fans that have been waiting for years to see the Mandarin, I can definitely understand why they would be upset and disappointed with this movie.

Personally though, I actually love what they did, or tried to do depending on your opinion on the execution.

The past few weeks in class I've been studying post-modernism and the theories of Jean Baudrillard pertaining to simulation, so for me personally, this movie came out at just the right time.

Baudrillard described how increasingly in current society, our understandings and meanings of things are based on representations of things rather than the things themselves. Our symbols indicate only other symbols and associations rather than representing anything real. Increasingly, the use and appropriations of these symbols is how we define our selves within society rather than any kind of fixed identity. We wear certain clothes and consume certain products for the associations that they bring us. It is about presentation. In dealing with other people, it doesn't so much matter if you actually have wealth if you can properly make use of the symbols of wealth in your clothes, in your speech and in your attitude.

In that context
Our media has presented us with ideas of what the bad guys look like, often reducing current enemies to cartoons. Once we were fed an assembly line of Communists, Russians mostly. Today, rooted in current conflicts we are often presented with vaguely Islamic, non-white, nebulous terrorists. And not just in movies but on the news too. It is almost always the initial assumption a lot of news outlets go with that attacks fit that standard description when bombings and the like take place (even in the attacks in Norway when the attacker turned out to be a pearly-White, nationalistic Christian).

When I first heard about Kingsley's casting and first saw photos, I must say I was not a fan, mostly because it just fed right in to what I have described above. They had taken what many consider the racial caricature of another era and update him merely by incorporating the stereotypes of our time making him a weirdly pan-Asian, America-hating terrorist with robes and Bin Laden beard. It just seemed like an overly desperate attempt to make him menacing by incorporating every possible contemporary trope and symbol of villainy into one character.

And then they lampshaded it.

They could have just went with the caricature they had created, played it straight and had a standard comic film villain. Instead they made the fact the character they created is actually a hollow play upon stereotypes part of the plot. You have a company creating a villain by purposefully playing upon the pop-culture's current standard bogeyman, playing upon the way such people are portrayed on the news everyday (the beard, the grainy footage of weapons training, etc.)

Meanwhile the government is trying to "rebrand" War Machine from a black and silver tool of military aggression to a red white and blue symbol for America, The Iron Patriot (it tested with the focus groups).

Both Aim and the U.S. government are actively playing upon symbols to create their intended presentation.

"The Mandarin" as a recognized figurehead and as a leader is a complete fabrication intended to stir up fears and draw fire away from the real perpetrators.

The paint job and a name change do nothing to change War Machine's role as a powerful military weapon.

It is an interesting comment on our society and also possibly an admission on the writers part on the process of creating characters.


All of this of course is just my interpretation. I fully understand and agree with the criticisms of people who are disappointed.

Personally though, I thought it was genius. It was a risky and bold move on the part of the filmmakers and Marvel.

To paraphrase another of the films that he is written, Shane Black's got nards!

In addition to all that, I think the film did a wonderful job of developing the Tony Stark character and really wrapping up a major part of his arc that began with the first film. There were a few moments here and there where I thought they were undercutting Tony as the hero a little too much, but overall I thought it was really great.

 

[kedrell]

Well...you know how it is....if they do it like the comics, they are unimaginative hacks....if they change it from the comics, they are crapping on the source material.

Well they need to pick one and just ignore the other, whichever way that may be. I'd just like them to be consistent.

 

[samsnee]

Well...you know how it is....if they do it like the comics, they are unimaginative hacks....if they change it from the comics, they are crapping on the source material.

Iron Man 2: having SHIELD in the movie ruined it!

Iron Man 3: why didn't SHIELD get involved?

 

[kedrell]

Anyway, I'm done nerd-raging on this movie. I never want to hate or even dislike an Iron Man movie. He's my 2nd favorite fictional character of all time after the Hulk(and I've had more than a few issues with his movies). I have gotten my indignation out, I'm pretty well cleansed and ready to move forward and hope for the best. I don't think I'll be watching this movie again any time soon where as I saw the 1st two films and TA many, many times in theaters. I'll sit back and wait to see how the whole of phase 2 unfolds. I considered giving up on Marvel completely for a brief while there but that has passed. I just hope this will all work out in the end.

 

[Vartha]

But if you remember right Black didn't even WANT to use Manadrin.
Like I said I'd have no problem if the Manadrin we saw on the TV screens early on WAS the real Mandarin then they Got and Actor/look-alike. Killian should have been a seperate issue for Tony to deal all together.

I understand people that feel that way, but I feel the way it was presented...

Spoiler

All of the terrorist actions were performed by Pearce's character, while Kingley's character was just a ruse. That is exactly something the Mandarin would have done in the comics.

To me it's a difference between combining Backlash and Crimson Dynamo, because Killian in the comics was a minor character. Killian was the Red Herring while Maya was the real instigator. I knew something was up when they were turning a guy who had 2 pages in a graphic novel into a major character.

When Tony hacked into AIM and we see Killian looking exactly like the modern day interpretation of the Mandarin, I knew what they were up to.