Iron Man 3 might not be the perfect movie, but it's time that fans of the MCU recognize it as what it is: the best in the 'Iron Man' series.
Spoilers: The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Between the criticism of Iron Man 3 being undermined by Trevor Slattery and being the first movie to follow up on The Avengers, Iron Man had it's slew of discouragement from the community, but that doesn't mean that it isn't the best entry in the series and the perfect enhancement post-Avengers. Strung full of character development, continued Marvel world building, and the overwhelming dynamic effect of Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man 3 is not only captivating, but it was the first opportunity for Marvel to prove itself with surprises in newly popularized comic entertainment.
The biggest complaint when it comes to Iron Man 3 is the use of Trevor Slattery over the true Mandarin as seen as one of Iron Man's bigger comic rivals. On one side of the coin, there is an argument to be made that the majority of the people that are seeing this entry after The Avengers are no longer following along with the comic alterations. The Avengers changed the face of the MCU and film adaptations of comic books forever. It created an exponentially growing community of people that simply want to enjoy the action-packed, emotional uniting of super do-gooders versus evil. This gives the direction of the movies the opportunity to do things such as throw a pseudo-Mandarin in the mix of the MCU bunch without an overabundance of disappointment to much of the audience.
On the other side of that coin, there are those that know the Mandarin to be a powerful being in the comics, taking over many regions of the world similarly to how they lead Trevor up to in this entry before shattering that with a hilarious twist in the second act of the movie. But that's just it. Marvel Studios had the opportunity to create something new to the MCU — a twist. Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Avengers, these past entries led everyone to believe one thing. In the end the heroes, that the audience are aware of, win over the evil, that the audience is also aware of. In Iron Man 3, the audience is taken on a new trip, introducing the hero, Iron Man, versus the villain, The Mandarin, that readers of the comic are aware already previously aware of. Suddenly, the audience, excited to see The Mandarin on the big screen, get completely turned around learning the incredible truth that The Mandarin of this movie is an utterly unassuming, intoxicated, and comedic actor. This only further exhibits the newfound excitement of the new phase of the MCU. Trevor Slattery isn't meant to take away from the enjoyment of this movie, he is meant to add to the disbelief of the new entries in the MCU. To prove this point, they even made a One-Shot short, All Hail The King, showcasing the future of Trevor Slattery and leading to the inevitable Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings; only building the overall progression of the universe itself.
That's enough on the Mandarin, though. Let's take a look into the remaining spectacle that is this film. This entry is the first to explicitly follow another and show the after effects of one event to the other. Some look at Tony Stark's overwhelming trauma from The Avengers as a dull plot-filler, but this subplot is the perfect melting pot to keep the audience from betraying their overall belief of Tony Stark himself. Tony Stark is not proven to be a good person, even considering his near-death stint in The Avengers. what can Marvel Studios do to keep him likable? Give him genuine and relatable emotion in the form of panic attacks and anxiety that is no longer subdued by his overall self-righteousness. Tony Stark isn't the only character to receive believable and enjoyable development however. Pepper Potts gets captured and receives unexpected superpowers, making her more than a lackluster love interest needing to be saved in the final act. We meet Harley Keener, a curious and lovable kid that ironically becomes Tony's second-hand man and only diversifies the already enjoyable film by age and, honestly, cuteness. We also meet Killian and Hansen, an evil duo with their own twists and turns throughout the movie. All of these various cast members along with the lower-end plot of Happy Hogan being hospitalized gives this movie life and power in comparison to the previous, monotonous plotlines between Iron Man and a rival.
In contrast to the complaints surrounding this movie, Iron Man 3 creates plots that the audience wants Marvel Studios to follow up on, such as The Mandarin, Extremis Technology, The Ten Rings, Harley Keener, etc. Some may see this as inconclusion, but it should be viewed as Marvel beginning to note their own greatness is a way that will further enhance the overall universe with time. Marvel Studios is taking this opportunity to age like a fine wine by utilizing assets they can come back to when the time is right, and that isn't an absurd thought. The comics do this regularly; creating new plot lines, rehashing old plot lines, setting stories up. Marvel Studios is finally hitting their first stride after The Avengers and are finding new ways to renew comic intrigue while appealing to their new wider audience.
Finally, what makes Iron Man 3 so great is the developed interaction between Robert Downey Jr. and his peers. Robert Downey Jr. is talented. The way that he is able to develop himself and everyone else within this movie is incredible. The up and downs of his relationship with himself as well as Pepper Potts, James Rhodes, J.A.R.V.I.S., etc. are only enhanced by the rich cockiness in Tony Stark; behaviors that could not be exhibited by anyone other than Robert Downey Jr. Before Iron Man 3, these behaviors were viewed as purely chaotic and of his own self-interest, but the post-Avengers Tony is varied and a more unique character than the billionaire extraordinaire audiences already loved.
Taking on the MCU directly after The Avengers is a tall task, one that not many movies could live up to. To many, Iron Man 3 didn't live up to the overall hype, — but it deserves to. It boiled down the most pivotal factors of the world after the Attack on New York in a way that only this movie could. It has depth in it's characters and relationships, but more importantly, it has depth in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It creates unique plot points in it's own compromises, while continuing and diminishing arcs in a successful way. Iron Man 3 pushed the limits of what was allowed in building a comic book world without reaching the edge of that cliff and deserves more from it's previous viewers.
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