Iron Man 3
I actually loved Iron Man 3 so putting it so low in my rankings is a showcase of just how good Phase 2 has been. Shane Black enlivened the film with Robert Downey Jr. turning in another great performance as Tony Stark. We get to see the character who when stripped of his gadgets and easy access to his lab has to make do with what he has in front of him, showcasing the genius of the character instead of simply the snark. Tony is dealing with some PTSD after the attacks in New York and it feels honest when he and Pepper’s relationship is put on the forefront because of it. The energy was fun and kept the plot moving and it felt like the perfect ending for Iron Man’s stand alone films. Again, sure, the villain was pretty much a non-entity by the end and the real interest was with the relationships between Pepper and Tony and Rhodey and Tony but it was the kind of behind the scenes shake up with Black that keeps these movies feeling new and fun.
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