*IRONMAN 3 SPOILER* What did you think about the movie twist and use of character plot in IronMan3?

[Right Hook]

It was a decent twist but it seemed like a knife in the back to any comic book fans or really anybody who wanted a true Mandarin showdown. I feel like they pandered to the masses with this one, almost like, Oh! You thought you knew but then le twist! Pretty great, huh guyz!!?!

Problem was, the real villain sucked, having him call himself the Mandarin for no reason was just another slap in the face. Rhodey didn't get to do anything in his new armor and nobody thought that Pepper was dead, even for a second, I refuse to believe someone even considered it.

All that said, I did like it...honestly. The movie fan in me enjoyed it, the Iron Man fan in me wept.

Oh and that secret ending? Fuck you, that was nearly as bad as the one for Incredible Hulk. I want my goddamn Guardians!

 

[Rubberbandninja]

The twist I was hoping to see was that the kid would end up being Tony's, through one of his exes (and that the runaway dad was an adoptive or step-dad).

He's way smart and mature for his age, has similar hair, and potentially similar body shape. They looked good together.

 

[Kyrian007]

I was fine with the twist. Ben Kingsley is really good and this gave him a real chance to show off, plus it probably means they won't have to shell out to bring him in to later movies where he might not be the "feature" bad guy (and risk him upstaging the other performances.) As far as the end... I'm ok with that too. They kind of left it open to both having an IM4 OR just having RDJ show up in cameo and in the ensamble. His problems with the dimentional travel means he won't be the one established hero that will show up in GotG, but I was betting that will be Hulk anyway.

As far as playing down extremis... I wasn't surprised. Sony (or whoever it is) can still run out symbiote for the sequel to the Spiderman reboot, and you don't want to step on those toes if you ever hope to get the license back (hopefully in time for "the New Avengers." And yes, extremis and symbiote are pretty different, but I'm guessing they would seem pretty similar enough in use that non-comic readers (ie most of the audience) could cry ripoff.

What I am disapointed/surprised at... I was really betting we would see one of the infinity gems. Whether it was just a quick reveal like Cap's shield in IM2 or a bigger plot point like the cosmic cube, I was expecting at least one to show up. We know Thanos is the next Avengers baddie, and later on in the comics Stark becoms the protector of the time gem (or space gem, I forget which.) I was just figuring they'd add the gems to each of the movies leading up to Avengers 2. They still could add those in the lead ups but now I'm figuring they will be a part of GotG.

As long as they cast Adam Warlock right they can make up for any mistakes they have or might make.

 

[JagermanXcell]

Another thing, can we please have a Pepper Pots spinoff? Cause that last scene REEEEALLLY made me want more superpowered Pots. >_>

It won't fit...by the end of the movie Potts was established as a character who dislikes violence and isn't exactly a fan of hi-tech stuff.
I mean if I was her I would've wanted to KEEP the fire-red-regeneration superpower and have the strength of mind to regulate it. But she wanted it cured and Tony did just that...so I get the feeling she just wants to keep leading Stark Industries and stay in a healthy relationship with Tony, that's all

Well thats all obvious fact. But a man can dream...
In that case I change my mind.
I want an Iron Man 3 Special Edition: Comes with the real deal Mandarin, 10 rings of actual power, and final battle with magic MAGIC EVERYWHERE!

It'll be a hit. And probably will probably keep the Iron Man fanbase from dividing, kinda like it did... >_>

 

[Gennadios]

I think it worked really well, regardless of how well marvel has tried to repaint him earlier, to me he's always been the yellow scare magical oriental guy.

I never thought he'd make a good movie villain, and I think it's for the better they didn't try, even if they did already establish enough space magic to make him sort of viable.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I wonder if Steve Rogers was busy fighting Bucky in Siberia while all this happened. There is good reasons for Banner, Thor and SHIELD to stay out of the main story, but Rogers is still a soldier and a national icon. So I am betting that Winter Soldier takes place concurrent to Iron Man 3.

The main thing that I feel brings down the Iron Man films, good as they are, is that their villains suck. Don't get me wrong, I loved Jeff Bridges performance in the first, Rourke was okay, and Ben Kingsley was a riot. But as threatening antagonists, they are just kind of boring. Fun to watch dicking around like Downey Jr., but when it comes to fighting, they are dull.

 

[Blackfire001]

I've always kinda seen Iron Mans true enemy being himself ergo his writers. Every villain was more and more a personal stepping stone to recover then a threat. That's comics however. The movieverse has to play by slightly different rules. Did I was to see the Mandarin in all just alien tech glory? Hell yea I did. However what got me about the twist was..... well I fell for it. I expected killian to be a proper sub villian/star-scream of the group. Not megatron in a janitors outfit.

I've always really liked Shane Blacks Movie style too. Which probably put me off guard.

 

[geierkreisen]

Don't know if the following deserves its own thread, so I'll post it here.

Having seen Iron Man 3 yesterday, there are quite a few ideas running around in my brain. I'm especially bugged by reviewers who can't forgive the film and its director one single flaw: to change the concept of the Mandarin too drastically and thus straying away from comic canon.

I don't have the time yet to turn the following into a review / short paper on Iron Man 3. But maybe you'd like to bounce back some ideas of your own.

The movie's merits:
- it tells an engaging, complete story that can stand on its own as well as delivering a good finale to a trilogy
- it has to say a lot of things about the human, especially the American post-911 condition (see below)
- it is funny as hell without resorting to slapstick or stereotypes, even playing with them (Mandarin, Tennessee diner)
- it has memorable action sequences (the villa, the torture room)
- the motivations of other characters, especially villains, are comprehensible
- it doesn't overrely on established comic plot cornerstones, but does work with them in a meaningful way
- it blends in nicely into the franchise
- the hero develops over the course of the film
- the film's messages are ultimately humanistic and positive

Topics the film deals with in the film, on a meta level, often even on both levels at once:
- transhumanism and dehumanization (both genetech and cyborgization are prone to failure, estrange the ones who use them from humanity and ultimately destroy and cancel each other out)
- emphasizing human values and the value of humanity
- drone warfare as effective but emotionally estranging
- debasement of war veterans with ptsd and underestimating handicapped people because of their appearance
- a corporation using the supervillain Mandarin as a stick figure to a.) cover up their failures and b.) create a fear scenario for monetary gain (playing with the viewer's expectations)
- entanglement of corporate and political interests creates a powerful multi-headed opponent whose leaders stay in the shadows
- playing with the unrealistic but understandable need to give evil a face


the hero's development over course of the film:
pre-Extremis Tony Stark
- creates his own enemies
- can't deal with his trauma
- behaves childish
- can't protect / overprotects his loved one(s)
- uses proxies to deal with the world
- doesn't open up to his friends or family
- uses his suit to protect Pepper, but also entraps her
- overrelies on a working formula

post-Extremis
- deals with the problems he has created
- discards his childish and selfish personality, but keeps the childlike tinkerer persona and humour
- bonds with people (but still can't tell them personally)
- discards his drones and his interaction with the world by proxy in general
- finally accepts the strength of his partner as well as his own responsibility
- drops the suit, but is still able to compete using his intellect and sheer will
- sees that he needs interaction with and help from friends (Rhodes, Pepper, Jarvis, the kid)

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

I thought it was fine. It was funny. Then again I'm not a comic guy so I couldn't care more or less if it's different from the comic books or not.

 

[Some_weirdGuy]

I kinda anticipate a 'return of the villians' down the track for like an avengers movie sequel, and possibly in the same way loki got that magic sceptre, the 'real mandarin' may come back with the actual rings.

I do think it was kinda good how they avoided magic for this, and made it all (quote unquote) "science" based. Magic is more a Thor thing, Ironman's more about 'science' and new earthy 'technology'(mostly weapons contractors it seems) and although the link is definitely there through the Avengers connection, it's still kinda nice to see them maintaining this 'theme' or whatever you'd call it.

 

[Dangit2019]

The twist I was hoping to see was that the kid would end up being Tony's, through one of his exes (and that the runaway dad was an adoptive or step-dad).

He's way smart and mature for his age, has similar hair, and potentially similar body shape. They looked good together.

I think they teased the idea when the AIM lady who's name escapes me joked that Stark's "13 year old kid" was in her car. Shane Black just isn't the type to play with that shit, and even if he was, it would have introduced a whole new subplot and set of themes on top of what was already a jamboree of themes and subplots.

OT: From the perspective of someone who's only read a few Batman Frank Miller stories, and mainly sticks to film, the twist was, on its own, great. I feel like the people who are mad are those who wanted their favored version of the villain to be gratified, when really, lets face it guys, introducing magical rings into the hitech world of Iron Man doesn't mesh (in the movieverse, I mean). Sure, you could redo the rings to be some techno weapons, but then that would just be a compromise that only benefited the diehard comic fans.

Now, I know what a few of you are saying: "iron man is in the same universe as Thor, of course the villain can have magical properties!" The problem with this is that though it's definitely possible in the universe, that doesn't mean it will match with the film franchise thematically. Hell, if in act 3 the Doctor popped in and saved Tony Stark, that wouldn't be going against a single rule set by the universe, but you would still call bullshit, wouldn't you?

Mr. General Public didn't walk into IM3 to get a true blue adaptation the beloved comics, he came in to see Iron Man face off against a villain, have lots of great action, and have the context for the action make relative sense. And dammmit, that is what he got.

 

[Scarim Coral]

While I was dissapointed that the Mandarin wasn't the realy villain but I am not on the fense on making him as the puppet, in fact I find the twist scene to be funny. In saying so I honestly didn't really expect to see a show down with him against Iron Man using his magic rings based from the trailer (it doesn't feel like that was going to happened).

I was more dissapointed by the real villain goal and lack of AIM againts (yellow jumpsuit and the helmet) or no MODORK or at least an incarnation of him in the film.

 

[Aarowbeatsdragon]

I thought it was great but a better story to go with would have been, let ben kingsley be the mandarin with his powers from the rings, and have the rings come from thanos. That would have been a great way to tie it into avengers 2!

 

[Vault Citizen]

Initial reaction: what the hell Marvel?
Second reaction: this is so damn funny
Final thoughts: this really works for the story that the movie is trying to tell and it is implemented well, however I am still slightly disappointed that I never got to see Kinglsey's Mandarin fight.

 

[gorfias]

OP: I was surprised, and chuckled at the "big reveal". But I didn't think it was THAT clever. Just an out-of-the-blue twist that was kinda funny and lame at the same time.

Not out of the blue for me, but slightly amusing but lame. To have made Mandarin live up to his hype would have been very hard and taken a lot of imagination. Instead, I think we've seen the actor front man for villain before. Example is Star Trek, "The Corbonite Maneuver". I'm trying to think of more recent examples. I'm sure there are many. But it did fit the plot. Create fear, and charge big time for protection from that fear.

 

[Tumedus]

The twist served the story decently, an albeit weak story mind you. However, there was absolutely no reason to use the Mandarin for the twist. It only serves to alienate fans of the comics and those not familiar with the comics wouldn't have cared if you used a lesser known or newly created entity. And why turn

Its also a terrible move for the overall continuity of the universe, imo. You can always retcon way down the line, but for now you have basically removed the possibility of using Iron Man's most iconic nemesis for any of the future films.

Additionally, the twist was undermined by the fact that the motivation for the true villain was inane. I get the cover up aspect of it, but the whole presidential plot was just so contrived and nonsensical that preserving a fascist evil because he is evil villain would have actually worked better.

I am neither ignorant of the comics nor a purist. I am perfectly fine with the writers and directors taking liberties with the source material. But they should remain true to the characters even if they alter the details. There is no win in this situation by using the Mandarin this way.

 

[maninahat]

I really liked the twist, and having not read the comics, I'm not bothered by the deviation from the source material. It was a neat idea to have a character based around cultural prejudices/stereotypes (as indeed, the original Mandarin, a yellow peril Fu Manchu derivative did), only to then throw it back in the audience's face. It made perfect sense in the context: they wanted a boogie man, and a middle-eastern, Bin Laden rip off is the most natural. I can't think of any other way to do the Mandarin without either resorting to tired stereotypes, or a white washed version, so this was the most pragmatic way.

The main villain is as stupid as fuck though. He has a major plot in which he creates demand for his own industry, whilst covering up the misfires of his wonder drug. The problem is that the failings of the drug would get out the moment the vice-president's son's leg would mysteriously grow back and/or explode. People would connect this new, FDA approved drug with the mysterious explosions and the crazed lunatics, running around and setting people on fire with their bare hands. For god's sake, how come these evil Arms manufacturers are so terrible at coming up with evil schemes? That's the third time now.

The villain super powers though were pretty good. They were powerful enough to be more than a match for Tony's super suits, and an excellent threat for Tony when he is caught without his armour. It felt exactly as Bob described it: there was a Jackie Chan style vision to a lot of the action, where Tony spends most of the time on his backfoot, scared for his life, running away from vicious enemies, and only getting out of it through sheer luck and ingenuity.

 

[Eliwood10]

I was OK with it. I was actually more nervous about how Mandarin from the comics would fit in an iron Man movie. So far, the Iron Man movies have been based exclusively in science and technology, so the magic-based Mandarin would have been a jarring leap since the MCU hasn't really established the existence of magic in this universe outside Thor (which is explained as super advanced technology).

It thought the "Mandarin" we got was hilarious, and the twist worked very effectively. I can't wait to see where they go with AIM... unless they drop it which is entirely possible.