Released in 2013, Iron Man 3 concludes the trilogy and is very different in tone than the first two offerings. Humor is still present but not as prevalent; here, a more somber tone is struck as Tony struggles with anxiety attacks in the wake of the Battle of New York (as seen in The Avengers- reviewed here). As he experiences various degrees of panic, he focuses more on what he knows- his suits (now capable of remote control or autonomous action through Jarvis). His struggles bring on the inevitable conflict with loved ones, but a significant menace soon trumps all- The Mandarin, a terrorist whose attacks on the US (at home and abroad) have authorities scrambling for answers. As Tony hunts this new enemy, associates from years past work to perfect genetic modification- an alteration that shows both great and terrible promise. Will this new technology be just what the world needs- or needs to avoid?
I really enjoyed this movie despite two problems:
1. The main villain and his associates are driven by unclear motive (revenge? power? attention? just because?).
2. The main message of the movie is good but doesn't come through. As stated by Tony, the point is "we create our own demons." We (may) start with pure motive, but compromises are made, and bad things happen as a result. Other than several statements (and short scenes) to this effect, though, the message takes a back seat as the flick devolves into action sequences with lots of 'wow' factor.
These things aside, it was an entertaining ride. For the first time, the villain in an Iron Man movie is actually "cool" and seems a worthy foe. The suit's new abilities are awesome. Several twists (though not all well-received) heightened suspense, and the message (however subdued) is still worth contemplating. It's easy to see why Iron Man 3 is one of only three Marvel movies to top $400 million domestically (source here).
Rating: A-
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