Iron Man 3 (2013)
Directed By: Shane Black
Written By: Drew Pearce & Shane Black

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, & Ben Kingsley

The second phase of the Marvel cinematic universe gets underway with Iron Man 3, one of the few sequels in filmdom that is just as good as the original.

After the events in ‘The Avengers’, Tony Stark is, understandably, a little rattled. Throwing himself into his work fine-tuning various armors (especially ‘Mark 42’ which seems to have a mind of it’s own). A terrorist known simply as: ‘The Mandarin’, appears on the world stage causing chaos. This chaos hits Tony close to home(literally) causing him to reevaluate everything, especially his life’s work.

Iron Man 2, while a very good film, seemed a little too much Avengers set-up and not enough stand alone Armored Avenger. Iron Man 3 is definitely a Tony Stark/Iron Man film. Focusing the third film entirely on his world is a smart move on the part of the filmmakers, and adds to his mythology in exciting and unexpected ways. Robert Downey Jr. so completely owns the role, it is hard to imagine anyone filling his shoes if the time would ever come to do so. The supporting cast are all on board and do credible jobs. Ben Kingsley handles ‘The Mandarin’ role well, not playing too cheeky a supervillain, retaining a sinister quality throughout. Guy Pearce is also really good as Aldrich Killian, a scientist who creates a new type of weapon that causes Tony to take notice.

Shane Black (Of ‘Lethal Weapon’ fame) handles the co-writing and directing chores extremelly well. The screenplay & story (he must have a thing for Christmas settings) are superior to the first sequel allowing Tony to be out of his element a little during the proceedings. His directing of the action setpieces (Of which there are two exceptional ones involving an Iron Man skydive and the gonzo climax) are spot on, assaulting the viewer with all the Iron Man goodness a fan could want. Marvel Studios once again hits it out of the park, leaving you wanting more… onward Phase 2! Oh, and like I need to tell you, make sure you stay through the end credits for a treat. Highest Recommendation!

-Tom Costello