Iron Man 3

Rewatched for the Once Upon a Franchise podcast. Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0eSEgU1RvyiXLOfhXaw6BV?si=dbdb37bec9d24609&nd=1&dlsi=d1b8e122e0cf4678 Shane Black's authorial stamp is all over IRON MAN 3, for better AND worse. From the fast-paced, witty dialogue to the buddy-cop dynamics he injects into Tony Stark's relationships, the filmmaker succeeds most when deconstructing the main hero, forcing him out of the suit to grapple with his PTSD from the previous New York alien invasion, which provides genuine thematic weight. However, this is consistently undercut by a frustratingly superficial treatment of other serious subject matters, which is often played for laughs, creating a jarring tonal imbalance. This extends to other subplots, leaving the movie feeling caught between a serious character study and a flippant action-comedy, a conflict even the exceptional performance from Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes) can't fully resolve. The infamous Mandarin twist can admittedly be seen as foreshadowed by Ben Kingsley's (Gandhi) theatrical performance, but in subverting expectations, Black neuters its central threat, replacing a compelling villain with the bland, structurally disconnected Aldrich Killian. This narrative issue mirrors the action sequences; for every standout moment like the attack on Tony's home or the spectacular mid-air rescue, there are stretches of messy editing and distracting CGI. The result is a uniquely divisive entry, full of clever ideas that don't quite merge into a satisfying whole, but entertaining nonetheless. Rating: B-

[MAJOR SPOILERS] This is one of the most disappointing movies ever. From trailers and earlier parts of the movie, the Mandarin is hyped up to be this super powerful terrorist threat against Iron Man. I expected it to end with Stark defending America against some big plot or scheme from the Mandarin. Instead, at the end he is revealed to be some pussy in a cave. 4/10

Once again another movie with very little action. Im really disappointed in these movies. Sure the stories are good but that's it.