Iron Man 3 (2013)
Marvel's "Iron Man 3" pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man? –- IMDB
Why wasn’t I thrilled by this movie? Simple: it’s bloated. There are too many extra characters – take the Mandarin, for example. The character has a very funny twist when Stark realizes that the Mandarin he’s captured is just an actor playing a role, a brainless man who really doesn’t know anything. But this cuts away from the menace of the actual villain. Pepper doesn’t do much, the War Machine/Iron Patriot subplot doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves, and in the end there are waaaay too many Iron Man suits flying about. Yes, it makes for a cool-looking battle, but from a storytelling perspective it’s not so effective. Also WTF with nerd kid / Tony Stark bonding moment? Totally unnecessary.
Or am I the only one who likes Stark when he’s pure jerk?
I guess it wasn’t that bad. I mean, I was entertained on the plane. It just doesn’t come anywhere near the first Iron Man. Hmmm. It might be better than #2, though.