[MAJOR SPOILERS] This is one of the most disappointing movies ever. From trailers and earlier parts of the movie, the Mandarin is hyped up to be this super powerful terrorist threat against Iron Man. I expected it to end with Stark defending America against some big plot or scheme from the Mandarin. Instead, at the end he is revealed to be some pussy in a cave. 4/10

Once again another movie with very little action. Im really disappointed in these movies. Sure the stories are good but that's it.

**While the deeper dive into Tony Stark and his past is welcomed, the execution came up a little short compared to Iron Man’s MCU entries.** Iron Man 3 might be my least favorite of the Iron Man franchise, but it's still a great movie. Iron Man 3 focuses much more on Tony Stark and his trauma following The Avengers rather than on Iron Man and the suit. A large portion of the film and even some action scenes explore who Stark is without the high-tech suit or fancy technology in general. Stark grapples with the fallout of past decisions and has to decide who he is at his core without the money or Iron Man. As expected, the entire cast dazzles in their performances, from Robert Downey Jr. To Don Cheadle to Gwyneth Paltrow, but the true standout is Ben Kingsley's Mandarin. Iron Man 3 is all about Stark's growth and development, and while that's a great idea, its poor villain and lack of actual Iron Man leave the film feeling a little hollow. I still appreciated the movie and its Christmas cheer, but the MCU has far better Iron Man movies and moments to enjoy.