'Iron Man 3' is 'Decent Superhero Blockbustering'

The premise, courtesy of the film's official website:

Marvel's "Iron Man 3" pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible.

This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man? 

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, "Iron Man 3" is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel's iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of "Tales of Suspense" (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with "The Invincible Iron Man" (#1) in May of 1968.

Here's what critics are saying: 

It's a confidently tongue-in-cheek piece of blockbuster engineering, sweetly calibrated to Downey's cavalier appeal and to Kingsley's oddball interjections, a battle royale of rampant egos in which acting speaks louder than words. — Tom Charity, CNN Entertainment

There are surprises in 'Iron Man 3' but they rarely come from the action sequences — with the exception of a free-falling air rescue late in the movie that had the preview audience applauding. Instead, they come from Kingsley’s delightfully multi-leveled performance, a general disrespect for macho theatrics, and the knowledge that a superhero with all his powers is never a match for a man in full possession of his wits. — Ty Burr, Boston Globe

There’s great pleasure just in watching Robert Downey Jr. play this role — he’s so good it’s hard to shake the feeling that we’re just watching the real Downey riff — and in terms of summer blockbusters even one great performance can be a luxury, much less the assortment you’ll find here. — Brian Bishop, the Verge

It's decent superhero blockbustering, but rather remote and vaguely second-hand. At this point, even with Black's flashes of black humor, the machinery is more or less taking care of itself, offering roughly half of the genial wit and enjoyment of the first 'Iron Man.' — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

The most interesting thing about this new 'Iron Man' is that, far from being slicker than the first two versions, it is unexpectedly — and successfully — darker and more serious than its predecessors, with a cast including top actors like Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley and Rebecca Hall. — Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

"Iron Man 3" is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief suggestive content. The movie runs 2 hours and 20 minutes and opened Friday at Tucker's Movie Tavern.