Iron Man 3

[BentonGrey]

Yeah 'Mato...your opinion about movies is no longer valid at all.

[BWPS]

Oh this is streets ahead of those two (though I don't think either are without their good points)... STREETS AHEAD

[Tomato]

Yeah, in my defense on those two, I'm not head over heels in love with them, I just don't think they're horrible either. They're very flawed, but there are enough elements that I appreciate as a comic or movie fan that I can sit through them.

that said, there are other movies I know some fans like more then either gl or wolverine that I just cannot stand. I cannot sit through either X3 or Ang Lee's Hulk in a single sitting, they upset me so much.

[Shogunn2517]

Don't worry, Tomato, I see you man.  Green Lantern was okay to me.  I didn't much like the big bad villain at the end, but as a concept, I didn't think they got it all wrong.  It was a Superhero flick.  Pretty much what I got out of it.  Wasn't expecting too much from it anyway.  Wolverine on the other hand... Ehhhhhhh!!

As far as Iron Man 3 is concerned, I thought it was okay.  I described it as a Iron Man movie.  Like if it came on FX or something and I wasn't doing much, yeah I'd watch it, just like I do for the other two when they come on.

Spoiler

Do I wish they used the Mandarin right?  Hell yes.  Will I damn the movie because they didn't?  As much as I want to I can't.  But trust me, it's a major gripe.  How they going to do that to Iron Man's greatest villain?  It's LITERALLY like making the Joker into a typical circus clown and making Roland Dagget the big villain.  They couldn't at least make the Mandarin concept a REAL threat that Killian was using for his own ends? Like there was a real Mandarin, but Killian found some actor to look like him and do what he wants?  I really hoped(beyond hope) that the Mandarin got his hands on tech from the Chitauri invasion and got rings from there.  At this point I would have just been happy to have an ACTUAL Mandarin character.  Not some fake joke of a guy.

But the other parts of the movie, I thought were good.  I liked the entire arch of Killian.  I liked the references to the Avengers and didn't mind the panic attacks.  I love it when super heroes have real life flaws like that.  Loved the introduction of AIM.  As out of place he was, I didnt even mind the Iron Patriot as much.  As a political operative IRL, I liked the "Trojan Horse" theme they used.  I'm glad they hit really relevant political issues like PTSD and terrorism.  I really thought the Mandarin was the new Osama Bin Laden.  If that didn't scare people, what could.  Only to find out Osama Bin Laden is a cab driver and the real terrorist threat was Dick Cheney(actually, this movie is sounding more realist than I originally thought).  Overall though, I thought it was okay.  Nothing real remarkable, but nothing depressing me like The Dark Knight Rises did.

[thalaw2]

I finally saw the movie and I wish I had read the spoilers.  It had great action, solid story archs, and I would even say it was overall better than IM2.  The extra scenes in China were nothing critical and kinda didn't make any sense. 

Spoiler

you get a few scenes in Beijing that overlook a construction site and dialogue that doesn't add much to the movie.  Looper did it better.

.  My student kept wanting to talk about the NBA playoffs throughout the movie so I may have missed some important points just because I was trying to be polite.  The move cost $5 so I figured I could always go back to the theater and see it again if I felt so inclined.  That said....
I was not happy with the ending. 

Spoiler

Why bother with the Mandarin (translated to Ordinary Chinese on screen) anyway if they planned the bait angle?  I'm sure there were other villains in IM rogue gallery that could have fit the part.  I feel it was cheap.  Not even one power ring?!?!!?  It was worse than the appearance of Galactus in the FF movie.

Interestingly one of my colleagues buys IM statues but has never read a single comic.  He thought there were only 5 suits of armor.  I told him well before the IM3 trailers that there were way more suits of armor than that.  He thought his collection was complete and is now peeved, because it would cost him a couple thousand more to buy all that armor...lol! 

Spoiler

Was Peppor Potts DNA put in as an MK42 user?  Rhodey couldn't more armor because it was all supposedly for Tony's DNA.

[Tomato]

Don't worry, Tomato, I see you man.  Green Lantern was okay to me.  I didn't much like the big bad villain at the end, but as a concept, I didn't think they got it all wrong.  It was a Superhero flick.  Pretty much what I got out of it.  Wasn't expecting too much from it anyway.  Wolverine on the other hand... Ehhhhhhh!!

What you have to understand about Wolverine is that it is essentially the "Die Hard" or superhero movies. You go in, shut your brain off, and watch Bru... er, Wolverine kill people. The plot is irrelevant. Deadpool, as much as fans complain, is irrelevant (and is going to be rebooted according to everyone even close to the deadpool movie). The cyclops/xavier thing is irrelevant. Gambit was SUPER irrelevant.

[thalaw2]

I can't believe folks liked Green Lantern but didn't like Wolverine.  I agree Deadpool was irrelevant in that movie....but everything seemed irrelevant in GL, IMO.  Best DC hero movie I've seen was Green Hornet....in fact I enjoyed that more than IM3.

[BWPS]

Don't worry, Tomato, I see you man.  Green Lantern was okay to me.  I didn't much like the big bad villain at the end, but as a concept, I didn't think they got it all wrong.  It was a Superhero flick.  Pretty much what I got out of it.  Wasn't expecting too much from it anyway.  Wolverine on the other hand... Ehhhhhhh!!

What you have to understand about Wolverine is that it is essentially the "Die Hard" or superhero movies. You go in, shut your brain off, and watch Bru... er, Wolverine kill people. The plot is irrelevant. Deadpool, as much as fans complain, is irrelevant (and is going to be rebooted according to everyone even close to the deadpool movie). The cyclops/xavier thing is irrelevant. Gambit was SUPER irrelevant.

Die Hard is a near-perfect film. It's the Fast and Furious 1 of superhero movies.

[Talavar]

Don't worry, Tomato, I see you man.  Green Lantern was okay to me.  I didn't much like the big bad villain at the end, but as a concept, I didn't think they got it all wrong.  It was a Superhero flick.  Pretty much what I got out of it.  Wasn't expecting too much from it anyway.  Wolverine on the other hand... Ehhhhhhh!!

What you have to understand about Wolverine is that it is essentially the "Die Hard" or superhero movies. You go in, shut your brain off, and watch Bru... er, Wolverine kill people. The plot is irrelevant. Deadpool, as much as fans complain, is irrelevant (and is going to be rebooted according to everyone even close to the deadpool movie). The cyclops/xavier thing is irrelevant. Gambit was SUPER irrelevant.

Gotta take issue with your use of Die Hard here - the first Die Hard is, in no way, a brainless action movie.

[Tomato]

I meant the Die hard series in general. The original die hard is a classic, but you cannot tell me LFDH was a masterpiece of clever writing.

[Talavar]

I meant the Die hard series in general. The original die hard is a classic, but you cannot tell me LFDH was a masterpiece of clever writing.

No.  No I cannot.  And I didn't even see the most recent one.

[crimsonquill]

Ï finally saw Iron Man 3 and pretty much agree with Shogunn2517 on his opinion of the film... It was definitely much better then Iron Man 2 but the way they handled The Mandarian should have been done much better. I didn't mind the twist all that much providing it was just a distraction that Killian was using to his advantage.. however still being tied into the Ten Rings terrorist group which has been seeded for the whole trilogy.

Recently, Shane Black revealed that a WHOLE hour and a half of additional scenes were filmed but opted not to use them for the theatrical edition. My theory is that two endings were filmed..

Spoiler

One being, The safe option with Killian being the mastermind behind the fake Mandarian and letting the film company off the hook by revealing that everything was a bluff including The Ten Rings which were terrorists and arms dealers (including Killian with AIM) that all connected back to conflicts with Stark's father (Stane made deals with them and Vanko was brought to America by them to seek revenge on the Stark family).

The second being, The Mandarian was the mega mastermind that all of the commercials and trailers hyped him up to be. Killian and his operatives were a threat but Mandarian was just using the side effect of Extremis to create living bombs to do his dirty work. He has been hiding in plain sight the whole time in America while letting his operatives in the Ten Rings slowly go after Tony Stark because he was just another businessman who needed to be taught a lesson but instead turned out to be a worthy opponent. Mandarian was just using the media to do all his dirty work for him and Killian just provided him all the technology through AIM to achieve what he needed. Sure this take on Mandarian was a non-magical/non-alien but they opted for just not having him just show up in a technological enhanced device of some kind with a bunch of powered rings to take on Tony, Pepper, and Rhodes. It might have been something that Jon Favreau had in mind but Shane Black decided to go with a much different angle.

I assumed they filmed both endings.. allowing them the option of deciding which approach to take for the theatrical version and also gave them room to "hide" the true ending by never allowing anyone to determine which WAS the real intended ending. So many things are spoiled by the toy lines being released early and many of them were spot on but two particular LEGO playsets just seemed to not to be linked with anything... Mandarian in some kind of super-vehicle with weapons all over it and Killian driving an armored speed boat. I'm thinking those toys are linked to the alternate ending.

I could be totally wrong.. but with Black mentioning the large amount of cut footage and that the Blu-Ray release might have a much different story to be revealed. I'm thinking that fans might get to have the option of their own take on Killian and The Mandarian.

- CQ

[spydermann93]

Just my thoughts

Spoiler

Wouldn't it be funny if the Mandarin was actually a very brilliant mastermind who pretended to be a drug-addicted British actor named Trevor to lure Killian into hiring him? In that way, he could go about his business, cause mayhem in other parts of the world, but allowed Killian to take all of the blame when Iron Man showed up? Not even Killian would know the truth.

This may sound silly at first, as the Mandarin was captured (seemingly by actual policemen), but besides the fact that the police taking him away could have really been his own men, him allowing himself to seem like he was captured (using the media to show that), it would make him a non-suspect for future crimes as everybody would now think that the Mandarin is a fake; a hoax.  Not even Tony would think that it would truly be him making his own life a living hell and systematically bringing down the Democratic world.

[thalaw2]

spydermann93 that's exactly what I was hoping to see.  I was so disappointed.

[Tomato]

Saw the movie today. I'm gonna be honest, you guys had me going in thinking this would be another IM2, but I gotta be honest... that was a great film. I thought it might be among the best solo films they've done.

[hoss20]

I haven't heard anything regarding this but after seeing:

Spoiler

1. Tony blowing up all of his armors
2. The "I'm a different man" statement to end the film
3. The quick, "Oh, yeah, and I got the shrapnel in my heart removed so I don't have to wear an arc reactor anymore" in the wrap up
4. The closing credits showing scenes from all three films

Did anyone else get the feel like this was the final installment of the series?

[Tomato]

Well, it's certainly the end of the trilogy, if nothing else. Iron Man is supposed to be back for Avengers (though Downey is at the end of his contract, so.)

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

From what I understood, RDJ's contract is up and they had not yet decided what to do about it, so they left it so they could retire Iron Man if they wanted to.  They have more recently announced that Iron Man will continue to be a part of the universe whether RDJ signs back on or not.  It may be the last Iron Man solo film, however.

EDIT:  ninja'd

[Tomato]

I am neither antimato NOR ponymato... I am... Ninjamato.

[thalaw2]

From reactions I got from the crowd in China....Gweneth is definitely out.  They want to see someone "younger and more beautiful."  We'll see how much sway the Chinese audience has.

[spydermann93]

From reactions I got from the crowd in China....Gweneth is definitely out.  They want to see someone "younger and more beautiful."  We'll see how much sway the Chinese audience has.

I'm not Chinese, but I say that Ms. Paltrow is just fine for the role of Ms. Pepper Potts.

[thalaw2]

spydermann, I agree.  However, Hollywood follows the dollars.

[Tomato]

Yeah... but I don't think Paltrow is in any immediate danger of being kicked out. I don't care if the Chinese dislike her, Downey's pushed for her pretty consistently. All the politics of Downey's contract negotiations aside, Marvel IS going to do whatever they need to for him to come back... and I'm sure part of that is pushing for her to come back as well.

[Talavar]

spydermann, I agree.  However, Hollywood follows the dollars.

Sure, and if Iron Man 3 had done poorly, a major cast shake-up  could be an issue for future installments.  Instead, it's made more than either previous Iron Man, more than a billion dollars worldwide thus far.  Keeping the cast responsible for that - including Gwynyth Paltrow - is following the dollars.

[detourne_me]

That's funny about China.  I've met Korean guys here that now say "I have to find my Pepper"  tlaking about finding a girlfriend.

[XStream]

Our home flooded a month ago, so we just found ourselves able to get a babysitter and go to the movies last night. I was very unsure if they could "end" the trilogy of Ironman's solo movies without it feeling like a third movie, and I believe they were successful except for the ten minute wrap up that took place at the end of the movie.

Other than the ending, I felt Ironman 3 was a superb stand alone film. As far as comparing the three films it was far better than 2 and in my opinion might have been better than the first one. I loved that Ironman did not fight another giant suit at the end or need War Machine / Iron Patriot (good running gag by the way) to defeat the villain.

The pace of the movie was much different, but it contained a nice blend of dark and lighter moments. There were so many good scenes in this movie, I am having a hard time separating the experience into good and bad.

I thought Tony forced to work without his suit was a nice element to the movie.

I loved it. There were a few things that I didn't like here and there, but overall this may be my favorite Ironman movie. 

[BentonGrey]

I'm a little disappointed they didn't mock all of the plot holes, but this was still a lot of fun:
http://youtu.be/OUYW0JyzydA

Full thoughts of my own coming soon, I promise.

[spydermann93]

Holy crap, that's hilarious!

[steamteck]

I always like those but I laughed out loud.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Just popping in to add that RDJ has signed on for two more Avengers movies, but not any more Iron Man movies.  I'm actually fine with that.  There are plenty of other Marvel heroes out there and it good that he'll be around for the big teamups anyway.

http://www.toofab.com/2013/06/20/robert-downey-jr-iron-man-avengers/