Iron Man 3

[mf_luder_xf]

Things I liked:

• Tony's anxiety attacks


• That kid!


• Tony's dancing at the beginning


• Dum-E was saved!!


• I Spy Vancouver actors (Papa Stilinski, the sheriff)


• It was a well-paced movie (though it probably all happened within a week - particularly once the Malibu house was destroyed - suggesting Tony didn't sleep for way too long, but that's usually how these movies go)


• I enjoyed the constant references to the Avengers. While no one was like "hey where did Thor go?" it was good to see some consistency.


• Science Bros!


• Pepper Potts getting to be awesome - sometimes she was the damsel in distress and other times she saved Tony. That was a perfect, realistic balance for me.


• The snark was on fire


• Inclusion of AIM - love


• Living armor! (sort of)


• Pepper in the suit - nice hint of "Rescue"


• Rhodey got to be pretty kickass at the end


• Jarvis was flawless as usual


• Hey, no one died! Well, no one we care about.

Things I am not so sure of:

• So, I guess this is what happens when you read the comics and get involved in the many aspects (i.e. comics, cartoons, etc) of a franchise like this. But, I love the extremis plotline in the comics. Particularly the part where Tony injects himself because he feels he isn't good enough (among other more logical reasons). I love that in Extremis, Tony and the armor truly become one. I found it interesting that Pepper was the one to be injected, that the effects were different (though it did match the extremis subject in the comics) and that Tony does not get the armor via nanites into his bones. I really missed that emotional plotline - it was what I'd been looking forward to the most with extremis being part of this movie.


• See again, my status as a comic reader...but I was disappointed by the Mandarin. While it worked very well for the movie, the Mandarin is such a HUGE part of Iron Man comics, to see him revealed as a sham just didn't sit right with me, even if it played well for laughs.


• Still not digging how Iron Patriot was War Machine instead of saving that for a possible Civil War/Secret Invasion plotline later (that's probably out since Osbourne belongs to Sony currently, but I still like the original comics Iron Patriot version over this one)


• I didn't like how Tony seemed like a bumbling idiot with the gun near the end when he and Rhodey were infiltrating the oil ship - we know from IM1 that Tony can shoot a gun/cover fire and no doubt understands what "on my six" means


• That the president/anyone else didn't think it was odd Iron Patriot never lifted his visor. Shouldn't that be a general security check?

Thoughts:

• So, I am slightly confused by the end. Tony magically solves extremis - did he just solve the "kink" or is Pepper now back to normal? And why was he suddenly able to take the shrapnel out now when he couldn't before?


• Did anyone else get a brother/sister vibe from Tony and Pepper? It felt more like RDJ and Gwyneth than the characters.


• So I know RDJ is in contract renegotiation and there's talk there might not be more movies, but the way they ended and even the credits that used scenes from all three movies felt very much final to me. Anyone else? I mean, I'd be okay if it was the last solo movie he did, I just really hope he sticks around for Avengers 2 (3?).


• I get it was a "gesture" but why would he blow up all his suits? That seemed like a total waste to me. Are we supposed to conclude he's retiring? That doesn't make sense given his last "I am Iron Man" statement, but at the same time, if he's not retiring, he's only going to make more suits and thus, again, it was pointless for him to blow up all that tech.


• How was Tony Stark able to go around with no one recognizing him? I get he had a hat and it was Tennessee, but come on.

Conclusion:

Currently - and I know I'm in the minority here - IM2 is still my favorite. Now, it wasn't to begin with when I first saw it, so after some viewings, IM3 may become my new fav. But even with the anxiety attacks, I still feel like alcoholic/suicidal/dying!Tony was more emotionally stirring and the Tony Stark I love because he's so flawed. He was flawed here, but it was more subtle? I'm not sure what it is exactly, but something felt like it was missing from the movie. Definitely need to see it again, though!

Also, 48 year old RDJ shames me. I am just over half his age and I certainly can't leap over walls!

Comments

[siberian-skys.livejournal.com]

I just saw RDJ on The Daily Show the other night and he mentioned that he was in re -negotiations, but he grinned and winked, which I took as he wants to play ball. And there is that bit at the end that says that Tony Stark will be back. Please, god, don't recast that part. Ugh. That would break my heart.

I really have to write a coda for that after the credits scene.

I think I have an answer for you in regards to Tony and the gun thing. Knowing how to shoot one is different than knowing how to back someone up with one in a combat situation. That's just how I took it.

I was wondering about the shrapnel thing, too, but it makes sense since it wasn't traditional surgery. They were using the reactor to pull out the shrapnel once he was cut open. The shrapnel stuck right to it where it was suspended above the operating table. Not bad, for science fiction science.

RDJ is three years older than I am. He puts me to shame as well. I think his wife should write a book. If she can get him into shape, she could certainly whip the rest of us into in no time.

I forgot to mention I loved the kid, too. He was awesome. I need to write a Bruce and Tony adopt Harley fic, too. This movie is just giving me all sorts of plot bunnies.