Iron Man 3 Discussion Thread

[DinoLast]

I know the initial reviews stated that it was "better than Avengers and the original Iron Man" which, after seeing, I don't agree with. But I do think it'd be somewhere in the top 10. I mean, are there even 10 Marvel/Disney films?



Sure, it wasn't as good as Avengers or the first Iron Man, but those two are pretty hard to beat in my opinion. For me, all it had to do was top Iron Man 2, and I think it succeeded there.


(then again, I just watched Iron Man 2 on FX the other night and I forgot that it does have some great parts to it like the Howard Stark stuff, I think that movie just suffers from a lack of focus and fulfilling ending)

Well I am counting Marvel films made by other companies too, like Spider-man 1 and 2 and Blade 1 and 2, then there is X-men 2 and I think I enjoyed First Class more than this. I even enjoyed Thor and Captain America more if I am honest.

 

[SOLIDSNAKE]

I think it has some good Super hero moments, the plane rescue was a great scene, but once again it might not have the same impact on repeat viewings once you know what happens at the end.

we are on the same page dino.
I will go see it again because the wife wants to see it but after that next time I will see it is at home on blu ray.

 

[Kuzeh]

Woke up this morning... I am still pissed off with this movie...
arghhhh....

 

[DiFabio]

Well said, as usual.

The lolz in the theater was crazy too. I don't think anyone expected that.


I hate twists for the sake of twists, but I thought it worked pretty well. It's the first time I ever saw something like that before. I mean, what could have happened instead? Some cliched ending? Green Lantern powers?

Spoiler

I don't know how important Mandarin is in the Iron Man myhos (I never read the comics), but I thought the character or characters served their purpose quite well. I see people saying "well, what if the Joker was revealed to be an actor!" but Mandarin is definitely not as well known as the Joker. Most people didn't know who the **** he was until Trailer #1 anyway (other than comic fans).

For what it was, I thought it worked well based on Kingsley's performance and Killian's story/reasoning alone.

Would I buy a $200 figure? No, probably not. But for the film, man, I thought it was great. Definitely unforgettable. I bet even the naysayers had a priceless, shocked expression on their face and found it humorous until they started getting serious and worrying about "comic fidelity" or whatever.

 

[DinoLast]

The lolz in the theater was crazy too. I don't think anyone expected that.


I hate twists for the sake of twists, but I thought it worked pretty well. It's the first time I ever saw something like that before. I mean, what could have happened instead? Some cliched ending? Green Lantern powers?

Spoiler

I don't know how important Mandarin is in the Iron Man myhos (I never read the comics), but I thought the character or characters served their purpose quite well. I see people saying "well, what if the Joker was revealed to be an actor!" but Mandarin is definitely not as well known as the Joker. Most people didn't know who the **** he was until Trailer #1 anyway (other than comic fans).

For what it was, I thought it worked well based on Kingsley's performance and Killian's story/reasoning alone.

Would I buy a $200 figure? No, probably not. But for the film, man, I thought it was great. Definitely unforgettable.

How important is the Mandarin? I would say he is to Iron Man as Joker is to Batman, or Green Goblin is to Spider-man.

 

[Silasya77]

I think the twist would have worked a lot better if

Spoiler

the real Mandarin (Killian) was portrayed better. I cringed every time he was on the screen. He wasn't badass, he wasn't scary. He was just plain annoying and I wanted him to die so bad so I could save myself from watching this character progress. I liked the fire breathing and the dragon tats, but that's about it. I was left feeling like if Kingsley was let to run the whole show it would've been more badass / scarier than Killian's villain portrayal.

 

[BB&WSF]

Woke up this morning... I am still pissed off with this movie...
arghhhh....

Cheer up mate, it'll pass.

Spoiler

I do not want to find reasons for a movie to be good after the screening. For me, it happened with TDKR and now with this one. The hype was built up and then it fell flat. The shock value did not work at all.

 

[iron.jedi83]

How important is the Mandarin? I would say he is to Iron Man as Joker is to Batman, or Green Goblin is to Spider-man.

yes but those examples are what everybody knows, regardless if you are a comic fan or not (and i think Venom is now a more well know villain for spider-man)

if you go and ask a regular movie goer who is Iron Man's greatest villain, they will probably say "a guy in another armor suit."

 

[DiFabio]

How important is the Mandarin? I would say he is to Iron Man as Joker is to Batman, or Green Goblin is to Spider-man.

Well, I said personally I never heard of him before. I wonder how many general audience members were like me. I thought it was always made clear that, while Iron Man is a great, compelling comic book character, his villains pretty much suck and aren't very memorable. I remember around Iron Man 2 before Whiplash was revealed people said that the list of decent villains to include was short because they're so lack luster.


So Mandarin is Iron Man's Red Skull? His Joker? His Green Goblin? His Lex Luthor? I wouldn't know that. In fact, until 2012 or this year I didn't even know comic Mandarin had fans or even existed. Not to short change him, but he seems like some stereotypical 60s Asian villain with magical rings, Iron Man 3's seems more compelling.


Then again, I'm not a hardcore Iron Man fan (like I am with Batman or other things) so maybe that's why it doesn't bother me. Still, while Mandarin might be Iron Man's "Joker" or "Green Goblin", there's no way Mandarin is as well known or iconic as them. I think the character was ripe for change. Even before the film he appeared to be a a non-Asian, modern day terrorist. I don't see what the problem is. People were never going to get "comic" Mandarin.

 

[guyverfan]

I don't think this was one of Marvel's best movies to date but I did enjoy it. The humor was good but I do share the same complaints that others have mentioned though not to the point of never wanting to see it again.

Spoiler

While I found the twist humorous when it was revealed, ultimately I was disappointed by it. There wasn't even a real terrorist threat at all....as Tony said, Killian only created the character of the Mandarin to cover up the accidental explosions caused by the people who couldn't regulate themselves. That way nobody would start looking for the real cause.

And the fact that the suits were all destroyed so easily....and on top of that the Mark 42 never felt to me like an awesome suit. I know it was just a prototype but I wanted it to be more than just something that didn't quite work...hell, it couldn't even blow Killian up.

It probably shouldn't bother me but I felt by having Pepper save the day at the end that it took away from Tony being the hero.

 

[DiFabio]

Oh yeah

Spoiler

While I love the Mandarin/Killian twist and disagree there, I agree about Pepper. I thought that was lame how she not only had extremis in her, but she saved the day.

It was just as disappointing as Bane's death from TDKR. Similar scenario really.


I dunno though, Killian is as "dead" as Red Skull is at the end of First Avenger in my opinion.

 

[Irvy]

I lolled so hard when the penny dropped on the reveal. Trevor you are my hero forevz.

I love that

Spoiler

Killian used Kingsley as the mouthpiece for his organization, spinning an image of the typical Bin Laden type poster boy that everyone so loves to hate. When the truth is that evil men can just as easily be homegrown and in this case, created by Stark himself when he shunned him on the rooftop. Shane Black was quoted as saying he wasn't a fan of old school ming the merciless Mandarin anyway and I think what we got (cringeworthy fire breathing aside) was better and more suited to this movie universe.

 

[Anthos]

My thoughts from midnight show:

Spoiler

1. Shane Black was not the right choice to direct an Iron Man film. It was a great character piece of Tony Stark, but Iron Man was not utilized well. For that matter, neither was Iron Patriot. Did he actually fire a weapon once?

2. RDJ was amazing, Cheadle was great, all around good cast.

3. I wasn't actually clear as to what the bad guys ultimate goal really was?

4. Back to the armor of Iron Man. Making him underpowered throughout the film, I understand it was used to serve the story, was a mistake. His musical chair of armors at the end while cool, each armor just got chewed up really easily and made Iron Man look weak.

I give it a 2.5 out of 5.

 

[BB&WSF]

Spoiler

It probably shouldn't bother me but I felt by having Pepper save the day at the end that it took away from Tony being the hero.

Imo, that's exactly what happened in...

Spoiler

...TDKR, Catwoman saved Bats' a.s.s from the dreaded Bane : p

 

[IrishJedi]

I like how almost anyone can apparently wear one of Stark's suits now and instantly know how to use it.

Yeah, the flick is a bit too over-the-top at times.

 

[The Josh]

Not having seen it yet but having read a few things it sounds like the extremis stuff will lead to the Bleeding Edge Armor.

 

[Kuzeh]

It actually leads nowhere...
This movie is a complete joke...

 

[The Josh]

It actually leads nowhere...
This movie is a complete joke...

I think I'll judge for myself. You think Oblivion is a 9/10 movie and its maybe a 6.5 for me. So I'll take my chances.

 

[Darth Vader]

Spoiler

the whole idea that in the earlier iron man films his armor is super strong but now can't help but disintegrate is pretty ridiculous. Also since HOT TOYS made alot of the armors and they hardly get any screen time hopefully they don't sell well and hot toys goes back to making figures other than iron man.

I doubt the hot toys Mandarin will sell like hot cakes.

 

[Biojex]

Best Mandarin scene is when

Spoiler

he wakes up right into drinking his beer