While most movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been a hit and well received by critics and fans, Marvel isn’t safe from divisive movies, and Iron Man 3 might be the best example. Iron Man’s third solo movie wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea and got a big dose of criticism for many reasons, but the truth is that all those reactions are what make the movie so great.

Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man is the hero that kickstarted the MCU back in 2008, and the one who sacrificed himself to save the universe in Avengers: Endgame, bringing a satisfying (though very sad) closure to his arc. Iron Man went on to appear in nine more MCU movies (including his cameo appearance in The Incredible Hulk), as well as the upcoming Black Widow. Iron Man became a fan favorite and one of the leaders of the MCU, but having the love and approval of fans doesn’t mean every movie will be well received. Case in point: Iron Man 3.

Directed by Shane Black, Iron Man 3 was very different on many levels from what the MCU had been doing so far, which earned it a lot of criticism. Like many other movies from this connected universe, Iron Man 3 had its flaws, which ended up overshadowing its truly great parts, becoming one of the MCU’s most divisive movies – and that actually makes the movie even better.

Why Iron Man 3 Is Divisive

Iron Man 3 was the first movie to come after The Avengers, and because of that, it dealt with the consequences of the Battle of New York – but in a different way than expected. Instead of seeing the city of New York recovering from the attack, it was Tony Stark who was recovering emotionally and psychologically. In addition to that, Stark had to deal with a terrorist named “the Mandarin”, leader of the Ten Rings. Iron Man 3 was darker in terms of the topics it addressed, but it also added some humor (it’s an Iron Man movie, after all) and a big plot twist, all of which ended up not appealing to most fans.

The Mandarin, played by Ben Kingsley, was actually an actor named Trevor Slattery who was hired by Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) to play the part, with Killian later adopting the mantle of the Mandarin as his own. This was heavily criticized for changing the Mandarin’s origins and overall character and pretty much turning him into a joke, though it was later revealed in the short film All Hail the King that the “real Mandarin” does exist in the MCU, and it’s confirmed to appear in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. However, this hasn’t been enough for fans to forgive Iron Man 3’s villain twist, and it continues to be the #1 reason why the movie is so divisive.

The movie’s combination of serious topics with humor wasn’t well received either, even if the comedic parts are justified by the whole movie being told from Tony’s point of view, as seen in the post-credits scene where he’s talking to Bruce Banner. In fact, the post-credits scene was also divisive, as unlike most extra scenes in the MCU, it didn’t set up future films, instead adding to the movie the audience had just watched. The pace of the story was also criticized, with many finding some parts to be boring and “empty”, especially those with Tony and his new friend Harley (Ty Simpkins). Unlike Captain Marvel, which is considered by many as the most divisive MCU movie to date, Iron Man 3’s criticism was aimed at the story and characters, whereas Captain Marvel’s was more about it being the first female-led movie in the MCU, and everything that came with that that wasn’t related to the story at all.

Iron Man 3 Is One Of The MCU’s Boldest Movies

Underneath all the divisive opinions and criticism Iron Man 3 got is one of the boldest movies in the MCU. Directors Taika Waititi and Ryan Coogler get a lot of credit for making MCU movies that are “them” (Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther, respectively), but Shane Black did it too and before them, and never got the same praise. Shane Black also wrote the script for Iron Man 3 (along with Drew Pearce), which is why the story is full of dark comedy, subversion, and other elements from Black’s narrative style, such as two characters becoming friends and exchanging witty dialogue (Tony and Harley). It’s a full Shane Black movie, and Marvel fans weren’t ready for a change like that.

As mentioned above, Iron Man 3 addressed some serious topics, mainly anxiety and PTSD, all of them through Tony Stark. The hero was dealing with these as consequence of the Battle of New York, going to space in order to save the world, and free falling unconscious from there (and caught right on time by the Hulk). It showed the most human and vulnerable side of Tony Stark up to that point and made him relatable. This extended to the post-credits scene, with Tony opening up to Bruce and showing the audience that the whole movie had been told from his point of view, hence why there were more comedic, sassy dialogues than in the previous Iron Man movies.

The Mandarin twist, although hated, was also a very bold move, as it was the first time the MCU featured a false villain – and it did it twice in the same movie. Ultimately, the Mandarin twist helped introduce the audience to this villain and made way for his real appearance in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Again, Marvel fans were probably not ready for such a shake-up through so many elements in just one movie.

Iron Man 3 Is A Great MCU Movie

Iron Man 3 might be the most divisive MCU film to date (again, in terms of narrative), but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad movie at all. Iron Man 3 is very different to what the MCU had been doing up to then: it’s darker, addressed mental health without fear, made its superhero relatable, and had a big villain twist. All of that while still fitting into the MCU’s style and also playing a big role in Iron Man’s arc. Going back to the topic of anxiety and PTSD, this was one of the most praised elements of the movie, with specialized media like Psychology Today saying it was an accurate portrayal of PTSD symptoms. This was important not only because it showed the vulnerability of the MCU’s #1 hero but because it also addressed the events of The Avengers in a different, deeper, and more personal way. Many MCU movies tend to ignore the events of past films, even those in their own trilogies, and Iron Man 3 proved that big moments such as an alien invasion and almost dying for the sake of the world have very real consequences.

Iron Man 3 defied the MCU while staying true to it, and while it has been done a couple more times since, it’s something that Marvel should do more in future phases. There’s nothing wrong in showing the vulnerable side of heroes, the effects of wars on those who fight them, subverting the source material (something Iron Man 3 did brilliantly, even making way for the real thing to be introduced later on), and adding different types of humor to the stories. Iron Man 3 didn’t get the praise it deserves for doing all that and more, but in a way, it made it easier for others to do the same without the audience turning their backs on them.

Next: All The Clues To Iron Man’s Death In Avengers: Endgame

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