There will be some mild spoilers in my comments. I am writing this with the intent to lower your expectations as much as possible, simply because you are probably going to go see it anyway, and if I can get you to expect less, you may be pleasantly surprised. I believe it will break records and make lots of money. Nearly every single review I have read says this is “the best Iron Man yet…” or something to that effect. For the record, I absolutely loved the first 2 Iron Mans.
Iron Man 3 is worst of the Iron Mans, and here is why:
1. Pepper Potts actually wears the Iron Man suit more than Tony Stark. Tony spends most of the movie playing CSI detective or McGuyver. There is a virtually little to none of Tony Stark in the suit kicking butt.
2. There is a common theme of (cheap) “imitation” / “illusion” throughout the movie. I have no clue why the director chose go this route when he could have chosen to tell a great story. Ben Kinseley’s acting skills are off the charts, but the way his character was used in the story is a discredit to his talent, he could have been so much better. Im calling this a cop out due to budget constraints.
3. We know that the Iron Man suit is virtually INDESTRUCTIBLE. This has been fairly well demonstrated in the first 2 films. In Iron Man 3, the actual armored suit(s) are only a little tougher than tin foil. This is demonstrated. Repeatedly….
4. It’s amazing how much power can come from a car battery.
5. Tony is now emotionally damaged from his “Avengers” New York City worm-hole experience. Something as simple as a child asking him about the experience will turn him into an emotional infant curled up into a ball sucking his thumb. Why? And if it is something so terrifying for him, how come he isnt allowed to face that fear?
6. There are countless instances of rules/laws established in the first movies that are broken without explanation.
7. There are a ridiculous amount of loose ends that aren’t tied up/ things that are never explained.
8. Speaking of loose ends, my 6 year old nephew can tie up someone better than they tie up Tony.
9. The Dialogue is weak. Only a handful of witty comments.
10. Ive never liked Don Chealde as Rhodey, he is just too nice. Terrance Howard was way better.
11. Flying suit parts? Ya…right.
Anyway, I know most of the civilized world will love Iron Man 3, I for one would rather watch the 1st 2 before the 3rd one again.
Michael, I have nothing but the utmost respect for you, your photography education and your movie reviews. I’m a firm believer of everyone having their own opinion. However, I have to disagree. While you mention flaws with the movie, let’s not forget that this the first "action" movie of the summer, it’s Iron Man and it delves into a deeper side of Tony Stark. Each movie has built upon the technology from the previous. I do agree with the Cheadle casting (I like Cheadle), and I agree he is not as edgy like Howard.
Loose ends – okay yes, but they room for the next Iron Man movie don’t they?
Of course we all have to remember to suspend our disbelief when we watch action movies! They are here to entertain us – and Iron Man 3 certainly entertained me for 2 hours!
Thanks for your movie reviews Michael – we will see what you think of the next Star Trek movie 🙂
@ James- you know I love you buddy, and it is ok to disagree. Food for thought (SPOILERS):
1. Why can Tony suddenly get an operation to remove the shrapnel in his heart when unable to before?
2. What in the world was all the talk re: bran/neuron mapping about and not explained?
3. Why did they turn the Manchurian into a complete wuss after marketing him as the most terrifying villain ever? Why didn’t they just let him be that character?
4. Why is it so easy to rip an Iron Man suit to pieces in this film, when it was impossible to do so in the first two?
5. Arent Iron Man suits impervious to extreme temperatures (See IM1 re cold). Then how in the world can these bad guys "heat things up". Yes, maybe they are "very hot’ but this doesn’t click for me.
6. How can someone so mentally tough and brilliant (Stark) also become such a wuss instantly…without explanation. I am fine with character flaws, but at least give them a meaning/reason.
7. Why did Tony wait to unleash all these extra Iron Men suits until the end, when he was thoroughly getting his butt kicked throughout the movie? (To me this is a huge flaw with the storyline). He desperately needed them in act 2, but it wasn’t until act 3 he used them.
I am a huge believe of "suspension of disbelief" but it is the director’s burden of proof, not the viewers. If there are too many loose ends/ questions, disbelief cannot be suspended. Black didn’t play nice within the world already created by the first 2.
I also thought this was a weak Iron Man movie. I loved part 1 the best. Michael, did you know that Iron Man 3 was partly funded by the Chinese? With that in mind, rerun the things The Mandarin says in the movie and you can draw your own conclusions as to why they’ve made him a joke of a character. It’s almost an attack on Americans. Sad… And why the heck does Tony Stark go through his whole ordeal of chemical poisoning in IM2 with his light magnet leaking and killing him when apparently he could have just tossed it and gotten surgery to remove the shrapnels?!?!?! Sooo dumb.