Iron Man 3!!!!

Iron Man 3.

Following on from the massive success of the Marvel franchise  'Avengers Assemble' film, Iron Man 3 picks right back up months after the New York attack where Tony Stark's actions saved New York city and the world from total destruction.

The start of the film is narrated by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and you hear the start of the story that is the main plot of the film. A few years earlier Tony was to be at a New Year's Eve party and approached by a spotty, ugly man Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) who asks for a private meeting with Tony to discuss his latest bio technology and wants to work with Tony. As Tony sets up a rooftop meeting just as the clock strikes midnight and the date changes to the year 2000 he leaves him standing alone in the cold.

Moving back to present day and you see a very happy Tony Stark but with one problem, he is still haunted by what happened in New York and goes through the motions of panic and anxiety attacks and chronic insomnia. Soon enough terrorist attacks are reported on the news and show massive explosions killing people. As a terrorist named The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) comes forward Tony is threatened and as catastrophic events take place his home is destroyed separating him from his girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and is now all alone. 

Set out to find and take down the mandarin he befriends a local boy Harley Keener (Ty Simpkins) and with the help of his old friend James Rhodes (Don Cheadle), working together they try to find the mandarin and take him down before he causes any more destruction and chaos. 

The film itself has a nice little storyline it, following on after the Avengers Assemble film was a great idea. Showing the more human side to Tony Stark going through anxiety and sleepless nights shows he can be all talk at times but deep down he's just like everyone else. In the film you see Tony on screen alot of the time out of the suit and you only see Tony in the suit for some of the big epic battles. The twist halfway through the film is very clever and certainly has me stunned, of course comic book purists will either like this or absolutely hate what they have done. 

It has to be said the action sequences when they come they come in massive and seriously impressive. The scenes have you hooked and have you looking around the screen to take it all in. Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark is on top form as usual and plays him with such charm and charisma but also some vulnerability as well. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts works well and manages to pull out some good emotional scenes. Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin was a stroke of genius as he brings in a sinister yet at times funny character that everyone will love. 

Visually amazing backed up by a good story with a big twist in the middle it is a massive step-up from the oh so not too interesting Iron Man 2. With a clever little clip after the credits at the end showing who Tony is really telling his story to, lets just say a second Avengers film is soon on its way and we certainly haven't seen the last of Tony Stark.

8/10.