34 replies to this topic

[Qcjoe]

I just got back from seeing it.  Its not what I wanted, but at the same time it was fun.

[JMW326]

I enjoyed it. It was a little bit of a departure from the first two but I was fine with that. I can see where some might not like it but I thought it was fun and a nice addition to the franchise.

[Gothneo]

I think the friend I saw it with has forgotten what type of movie the genre delivers, as he was more critical than I of it.

Iron man 1 is one of the best efforts in the genre, while IM2 and IM3 I think are more typical. I was oping they would reach the level set by IM1 again, and I just didn't see it.

My expectation is that I'm not going to be surprised and think the story is fresh and new because there is allready so much material written (from the comics). My expectation is that they comb through 50 years of writing and pick the best writing and adapt it for the movies and the times.

I think we got a bit of that with the plot, but they weren't true to the characters in my opinion.

[Qcjoe]

I give IM 2 a pass because of the writers strike.

[Gothneo]

You could have rented it after the fact?! or is everything done during the strike off limits forever?!

[Qcjoe]

You could have rented it after the fact?! or is everything done during the strike off limits forever?!

Im not sure why I would not have seen it when it came out.  It still was decent enough,but the worst of the three.  It just bares pointing out that a lot of movies had issues during that time.  Just stating fact.

[Gothneo]

Ah! Gotcha!

[Jedigreedo]

I saw it on Sunday and thought it was pretty awesome.  Although I don't care about the Mandarin or AIM, so that probably helps.  Despite the Mandarin twist not being overly clever given that Batman Begins did a similar deception with Ra's, I think IM3 pulled it off better.  But mostly since Kingsley was entertaining whereas Ken Watanbe in Batman Begins was a waste.

 

Pros:

Spoiler

- It solidifies a pretty solid development arc for Pepper from the first movie to now

- Seeing a superhero with well executed anxiety issues and not just crying into the camera was great

- Suits galore

- Tony and Rhodey being not just interesting but amazingly effective characters outside of their suits was very refreshing

- "They're only coded to me" Hopefully that helps people finally realize through the subtlety that Tony intended for Rhodey to take the suit in IM2

- A kid that wasn't annoying!

- Really good way to get away from the armored villains

- While the damsel in distress bit is cliched, it was a nice change to it that they had already started changing Pepper instead of just threatening to do it

 

Cons:

Spoiler

- Pepper's death was shocking for a single moment, about the time it takes to remember they already started changing her

- Although I don't care about the Mandarin changes, it did feel like a waste to bring back The Ten Rings from the first movie only to show it as completely fictional

- Pepper's final fight with Pearce's character would've been more amazing had he not already died so dramatically in the Mark 42 suit

- Tony's shrapnel removal and Pepper being explained to be cured at at the end seemed a little too perfect, similar to IM2's problem with a new non-toxic element being so convenient to create

- Mark 42's incapability to really get Tony through situations was mostly alright given its prototype nature, but... even the Mark 1 would've been more effective in several situations.

 

But, there are no perfect movies.  Overall, I greatly enjoyed IM3 and consider Iron Man now the most perfect superhero trilogy* despite IM2 being somewhat of a letdown.  However, IM2 is vastly superior to the disappointments that were Dark Knight Rises and Spider-Man 3, and that's why IM takes the top spot for superhero trilogies.

 

 

*- Thor, Avengers or Captain America could easily steal the top spot here as long as both sequels are stronger than IM2.

[JMW326]

I went and saw it again today and thought it was much better the second time around. It had its flaws but still a very entertaining movie.

[Gothneo]

It might sound funny, but I can be entertained and enjoy a movie, even though I don't think its that good!

 

Its all about expectations. If I know its just going to be a mindless popcorn munching thrill ride, then I set my expectations accordingly.

 

For some reason I remembered liking IM2 better, so I watched that again last night just to be sure, and I think the two are very much alike actually.

Spoiler

essentially, the antagonists,  from both are created from actions or elements of Stark's past. Demons from the past returning to haunt him. IM2 it was Whiplash, the son of his fathers former, disenfranchised partner that helped design the arc reactor. In IM3, the leader of A.I.M. (the Mandarin)  turns out to be someone he snubbed years earlier.

 

The connection between stark and whiplash (and Hammer) I found to be set up nicely in IM2. The connection to Stark and Mandarin is established, however, I lost something with the Pepper / Mandarin connection. They seemed to try and set it up that Pepper and the Mandarin had some type of relationship, which was the entire reason for him going to Stark Industries, which makes Happy suspicious, who then follows him, gets hurt in an explosion, so Tony takes it personal and threatens the Mandarin, who then feels the need for a first strike... too complicated! IM1 and IM2 were both about simple greed and power.

 

Also, in each of the movies there is an element of Stark that is "Broken" and he needs to get it fixed before he can overcome the his antagonist. IM1 is epic because he has to create the Iron Man to survive. IM2, the thing that keeps him alive, the arc reactor is the thing that is killing him. IM3, he has Post traumatic stress disorder from the events of Avengers. 

 

I actually thought the "my arc reactor is killing me" angle from IM2 was the weakest of the three, but having flaws and failing to live up to an idealized super hero is one of the things that always made Iron Man interesting. In fact, that's a hallmark of Marvel that their heroes are more like regular people, flaws and all. Over the years, Iron Man really struggled with alcoholism, and I guess that's just not in vogue or something, but more in keeping with some of the great IM comics I would have liked to see them go that route.

 

The real disappointment for me though with IM3, was not just the waste of the character of the Mandarin, but the way they used Sir Ben Kingsly. They had this fabulous actor and they just didn't maximize the use of him! This echoed my feeling on the use of the Mandarin. Mandarin's origins are great. Essentially, the son of wealthy Chinese aristocrats who's wealth is stripped away by the Communists, He finds ten power rings in a crashed alien ship, which he learns to master and wields to take over large parts of China. The U.S. fearing destabilization of China  sends Iron Man in to see whats going on and fix it. That was the plot 45 years ago, and with a bit of tweaking, it could have easily still been relevant today!

 

The end battle of IM3 really was a lot like IM2. IM2 Stark and Roddy fight dozens of Hammers drones. IM3 Stark basically turns his entire armory into drones and uses them all to stop the Mandarin. The one-on-one battle, like the one between Iron Monger and Iron Man in IM1 I found much more satisfying. 

 

Probably the best moment for me in IM3, is when Mandarin attacks and destroys Stark's house, he commands the Mark 42 to envelop Pepper to protect her. Its a touching scene because Tony (always well played by RDJ) is typically very arrogant, and self centered, and when a life threatening situation erupts, he protects the innocent and the woman he loves, even if it might be at the cost of his own life, which is what being a hero is about.

 

Re-thinking it, and comparing it to IM2 a bit closer, I think I'd score them about the same, but I still enjoyed IM2 better, and maybe its just because the opening scene include cheerleaders!

[ryanlb]

I loved IM3, think it's my favorite of the three films, and my second favorite Marvel movie, just after Avengers. I was amazed by everything I saw. I had no notions of what I wanted, other than a fun, interesting movie, and I think they delivered. I liked how Killian was the first comic-book-feeling villain, rather than Tony have defeat an evil version of himself, he was fighting something totally alien to his abilities, and I liked that he really wasn't able to defeat him. It does help humanize him that he's not perfect, and that even all his super strong armored suits can't solve every problem, or defeat every enemy.

 

The movie stripped Tony down to his bare essentials, and let us, and him, rediscover what it is that makes him Iron Man, and it's not the suit, so much as his genius mind and brilliant mechanical aptitude. Plus, the added bonus of no longer being a self-centered, spoiled rich kid, he really has progressed since the first film. I have not a single complaint about it.

 

 

Similarly, Star Trek Into Darkness was amazing. I also have no complaints about it, I thought everything was great, from the villain's portrayal and motivations, to Kirk having to deal with his character flaws, and trying to overcome them, and growing and becoming a better person and a better captain. The Kirk-Spock relationship was great, and I really liked the symmetries, or reflections, of other past films. I enjoyed everything about this film, and I find it unseating First Contact/Undiscovered Country as my second favorite Star Trek film, after Wrath of Khan, which I cannot ever get enough of.

 

So far this summer's movies have been utterly fantastic, with both of them being amazingly strong entries into their respective series, each taking the spot of my second most favorite film in their series, and nearly on par with the firsts. And the other two films this year I'm highly looking for I HOPE (but don't expect) Man of Steel to be better even than Superman and Superman 2, and I do expect Thor Dark World to be superior to Thor - which was pretty good.

[TheHSBR]

IM3 was ok but far from the original.  My main gripe is turning Tony Stark into an action hero.  If he can invade a heavily fortified base, why does he even need to wear armor?  It irritated me further because it also meant Stark was not in the armor.  I also didn't like the whole kid angle...I generally dislike children in movies being added to appeal to that demographic.  I really enjoyed the buildup of the Mandarin in the film, enjoyed his fate, but at the same time dismayed by the overall use of the character.  Id say its a fun movie but after great reviews, I was expecting more maybe even something that rivaled IM1but alas it didn't come close.

[Gothneo]

That was my take as well TheHSBR. For me, I go back and forth between IM1 and TDK for best ever comic adapted movie. IM3 didn't measure up to either of those for me.

[richpit]

I liked IM3, but definitely don't think it was the best of the series.  It was entertaining, but I think, oddly enough, too busy with all the different suits and what-not.  I hope no one considers that a spoiler, as it was in the trailers. Also, I wasn't to happy with the villain.  

 

Comparing apples to pears, I think Star Trek Into Darkness was a much better movie than IM3 was.