Iron Man

Obviously, spoliers.  Read at your own risk.
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From the moment the film started, playing a typical 90s song , I knew I was in love with this movie more than the last film.  Now don't get me wrong, I like ACDC, but it was too much to theme an entire movie's soundtrack around them.  Rather than keep moving forward with the Tony Stark we see, we were transplanted to the Tony Stark from the first movie(much of his comic book life(origins story)) I loved the narrative for this.  Robert Downey Jr. has a very funny acting style(straight-faced sarcasm) and a way of enticing you to listen.  Which I did, straight through from 1999 to Present.

For a story, the arc of Iron Man 3 was much stronger than Iron Man 2.  Iron Man 2 had it's moments, but it was not as memorable as, say Iron Man(the original).  Why?  Well when Rhodes was changed I was a little thrown and it also felt like everything was okay and Iron Man always had a handle on things.  Which, we want the super hero to make things okay, but it didn't really feel like he was ever out of control.  That fight, that willingness to prevail, is what makes us love comic books.  Amongst many other things, of course. 

So what did Iron Man 3 do right?  The first thing is the humour.  From the narrative to Tony Stark's uncanny ability to just not give a damn, or the "villain" in his natural habitat(yes I mean Mandarin), there was always a splash of laughter.  Maybe some of it was not meant to be funny, like Tony Stark crash landing in Tennessee, but when a child in the theatre laughs- it makes it okay for you to do the same. Once you see the film, or maybe if you have, you will find many moments hilariously pleasing.  It goes without saying, Robert Downey Jr. is definitely back and a solid Iron Man.

Next, things were well thought out.  Here I mean the script and the practicality.  Not everything from The Avengers was solved and there was a lot that happened.  Normally in a film, the film ends and everything that happened is in the past.  Not this time; In The Avengers Tony Stark finds himself having to deal with going into galactic space(facing near death once more) and coming to terms that there is more to handle than life in his world.  Thor's world is the unimaginable, but what comes for The Avengers is beyond that.  I think that would give anyone anxiety attacks.  Which is what makes this superhero flaw work- it is realistic and gives Tony Stark that much more to work through.  He's got Pepper and he needs to keep her, but when past history and recent history collide it makes for some epic character discovery.  Not to mention he got 42 suits out of it...

Lastly, graphics.  I know, CGI.  A feature that many movies rely on too much.  But from the botany/ficus flame-ons, to the many versions of Iron Man, I never found myself getting hung-up on the graphics.  I didn't see the film in 3D, I am not sure that is an option for this one, and I didn't need to.  The stunts were great, the fight to survive Tony's house was heart-racing, and everything just felt like it came together.  This is a second addition to the idea that things were thought out.  So not only did the plot make sense, the 300+(an exaggeration, but did you see that Design Graphics list?!?) graphic designers had me convinced that Iron Man was real. 

So, go see it.  Please watch Iron Man 1& 2 as well as The Avengers.  The references to New York and the Pepper Potts' relationship won't make a heck of a lotta sense if you don't.  Nor will the zinger after the credits for that matter.  It's well worth the $9 I paid!

Good night!

End Spoilers.