Review: 'Iron Man 3' - an impressive first blockbuster summer movie that avenges critics

When Tony Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he takes on a journey with his iron suit to find those responsible. He shows he can survive with his own devices and instincts to protect those dearest to him.

Comic Book Hero Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), takes a turn for the better and look to himself to take on his biggest obstacle. In the first part of the franchise movie, he staved off the evil, overwhelming enemies in second film and tonight he feels the pain of is life as a superhero.

Robert Downey Jr. as Stark

 The Avengers activities left Stark suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and insomnia along with is sour love relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), which has gone awry. Stark’s Malibu pad is also under fire from “The Mandarin" (Ben Kingsley), a jihad, who has a knack and reputation for blowing up Americans. And there’s the threat of Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), who is a cocky mad scientist, who seeks revenge from one of Stark’s pranks.

Billionaire industrialist, Stark spends less time in his computer-generated, Iron Man outfit.

The brilliant director, Shane Black, who co-wrote the script with Drew Pearce, takes Stark out of his comfort area. Instead of throwing money at every challenge, Stark has to function as a lone ranger. He's forced to put on his overalls and create gadgets from whatever he has on hand in the garage.  By the way, Black directed Downey in 2005, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which was another intense Hollywood detective roll. So he knows Downey's best characters have a sick feel, a mix overconfidence and inferior demeanor.

The movie begins with a back-the-future kind of story, where Stark explains how his terrible behavior produced the demons that would come back to haunt him. There's a conference, where he puts the make on a botanist played by Rebecca Hall and stands up handicapped, science geek, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). Killian never forgot.

Some ten years after, Stark makes the same mistakes, in the film's present day. After a shopping mall explosion, he sends an on-camera message to the terrorist, The Mandarin, responsible for the attack, blasting his home address to the world with a challenge to look him up. "I'll leave the door unlocked," he teases.

Taken from his love ones and out from his iron protection suit, Stark bonds with a young boy (Ty Simpkins), exchanges mildly teasing remarks with Colonel Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and then comes head-on with the twin evils intent on ruining his day.

Iron Man 3 is a good movie, but has a little challenge living up to the previous two movie and current expectations. There are plenty of twists and turns. The movie has some humorous scenes and it is a thrill ride of sorts, especially the skydive rescue. Watch for hints of Downey’s return for a 4^th take on the film. It’s not a Batman movie, but it does avenge the critics.

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