Iron Man 3

Iron Man 3

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 5/2/13

Reviewed 5/6/13 at Celebration North Theatre in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary

3 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

I am not sure why this happens with sequels: the first one can be amazing, the second is historically weak and if they make a third, like Iron Man 3, it is back to remarkable status. Gary and I really liked it, although we felt like it could have been called "Tony Stark" as not enough "Iron Man" was in the film, but we were still entertained.

Robert Downey Jr. plays Iron Man and he is as funny as ever with his quippy lines out of uniform as Tony Stark. His now committed girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) is his weakness as repetitively drums, "he will do whatever it takes to protect her" and then...he slips. It could be from boredom or his lack of concentration from sleeplessness or...the nutty nemesis Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) that emerges. He is a raging terrorist striking around the world and headed right for Stark after Stark begs Mandarin to come and get him. Too bad because that Malibu cliff home was pretty cool. The apparent leader of an eccentric gang, Mandarin teams up with a couple of acquaintances that have resurfaced from Stark's past. Their intentions are a little unclear on their terror request; taking over the world, destroying it, or making a point to environment destroyers. Also, it was hard to embrace the melting bomb bad guys that were dispatched from Team Mandarin.

Stark is rundown and ventures out on a couple of quests that bring it together in the end. Overlook the holes in the plot and regard it as a superhero movie that it is supposed to be. Iron Man 3 didn't hit a home run on every mark, but Robert Downey Jr. pretty much rounds third as he certainly makes it worthwhile and an enjoyable movie.

QUIET Rating system: 3 1/2 Js

Quality: JJJ

Understood story:  JJJj

Interest: JJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJ