SilverWook said:

Great, now there's no suspense the movie might suck.  Use spoiler alerts, damn you! ;)

You mean a spoiler like Tony Stark is reveled to truly be Gary Mitchell? 

Saw it today. Brilliant film. The best of the three.

Is this thread spoiler friendly?

Not yet.  Doesn't open until tomorrow in the US.  Give it a week or so to post spoilers.

Went to the midnight premier and thought it was very good. The first is still better because of the character arc, but for a second sequel this was well done and entertaining. I really, really liked how they handled the Mandarin, it was a clever and somewhat daring choice and an excellent commentary piece. The film never hooked me like the first one did but that's a pretty high bar to match. I was glad to see that for the first time they actually gave Pepper Pots something to do instead of simply being Tony Stark's girlfriend. I was a bit sad there was no credits tease for the next film like the previous Marvel films--maybe they did that just as a lead-up to Avengers--but there a short and fun bit after the credits are over that is worth staying for.

I get the feeling by the end of the movie that they might be setting this up as the last film in the Robert Downey Jr Iron Man series, barring his appearance in Avengers 2. They could certainly do a fourth, but I think Downey might be getting a bit tired of the role having played it four times times as it is.

I saw it in 3D and IMAX, the 3D was well done and surprisingly subtle, I would recommend it for those who enjoy that format.

I thought it was very meh. People didn't like Iron Man 2 because it felt like a prequel to Avengers, but this was far too stand-alone in a post-Avengers universe. Once we get spoilery, I'll come back.

Isn't he on contract for Avengers 2? Or is that wishful thinking on my part. Personally I think Downey needs a slightly better sendoff, it felt like they were thinking "well, he MIGHT be back to Iron Man 4, we HOPE he will, so we won't give the character the right amount of closure to keep the door open." Even if he isn't a main character like in Avengers, it would be appropriate I think if he came back for one last retirement tour.

Reflecting on the film a bit, I really do feel that the story was weak. The problem with the Iron Man sequels is that it does kind of feel like it's the same thing over again, even though each film (Avengers included) is fairly different. It still another Iron Man appearance. The films are based on character more than plot, and this one had a couple really great twists but I was never really engaged that much. Still a good film, worth seeing, but I still have this feeling that if I never saw it again or they never made a fourth entry I wouldn't really care. I would care if Downey was absent from Avengers 2 though. I feel like he works better in that ensemble than he does on his own, although I guess you could make that argument for all of the characters. Maybe it was a lack of tension that I was feeling. They clearly did try to bring Tony Stark down to rock bottom, I guess the problem is that everyone knows that he'll end the film driving away into the sunset in a sports car.

RDJ will be in Avengers 2, I believe. But I agree with you, Zombie, every one of these sequels feels like the first.

"Tony is a loaner, who can take care of himself. By the end he learns that he needs friends." - Tony's plot in Iron Man 1, 2, 3, Avengers

We just reported that Robert Downey Jr is in talks with Marvel to return for "The Avengers 2" and "The Avengers 3." But the actor isn't even discussing "Iron Man 4," and we may now know why.

Downey earned somewhere between $50 million and $80 million on "The Avengers," and has already earned over $35 million for his work on "Iron Man 3," but his "The Avengers" co-stars aren't making anything close to that. In fact, most of the actors are being paid around $200,000, far less than they would earn on any other movie.

Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth received only a $500,000 pay increase for returning for the "Captain America" and "Thor" sequels. And unlike Downey, the actors will earn only $500,000 more if their movies break the $500 million mark at the box office.

Despite having a contract, Hemsworth considered backing out of "Thor 2," because he earned $5 million working on "Snow White and the Huntsman" and Marvel isn't offering anywhere near that, despite the fact that "Thor" and "The Avengers" are massive franchises. Scarlett Johansson is also fed up and isn't willing to take a pay-cut to return for "The Avengers 2."

Marvel is known for low salaries and replacing any actor who doesn't accept the company's way of doing business. In fact, the studio has already threatened to replace Hemsworth. But Marvel doesn't want to replace Downey at this point and it seems that the actor is using that leverage to fight for his co-stars by threatening not to return for "Iron Man 4" and possibly any other Marvel film unless they all get appropriate pay raises.

Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson May NOT Return for "The Avengers 2"

Marvel is after all ' the House that Tony built'. 

We're three Hulks deep and nobody cares but if they replace Downey Jr. there will be rioting in the streets ;)

Johansson was rather meh in Avengers IMO [Loved her in IM2] and it kinda sounds like Hemsworth is just having a Whinge. Yeah, It's a big difference but he signed a contract.

I'm sure we'll see RDJ in Avengers 2, He loves playing Tony / IM. A day may come when they don't need to rely on RDJ to prop up the Avengers franchise but I don't think we are there yet.

Chris Hemsworth might also be upset that  more people will most likely be going to see Thor 2 to enjoy Loki's new hairdo rather than for his portrail of Thor.

zombie84 said:

Still a good film, worth seeing, but I still have this feeling that if I never saw it again or they never made a fourth entry I wouldn't really care.

I enjoyed this fairly well, but I was disappointed with certain aspects.  In particular...wait, can I get into spoilers yet?  Maybe not.  Okay, I'll limit my gripes to one thing, the same problem I had with IM2: the Iron Man suit seems pretty cheap these days.  Easy to come by, easily destroyed.  I thought this suit was super tough, but not really anymore. :(  And I think it does indeed seem like Tony is relearning the same lessons of friendship over and over, with only mild progress in each take.

Plus there are a number of points that could easily be used as fodder in my armchair movie critic thread.