Ranking Every MCU Phase 2 Movie From Worst To Best

5. Iron Man 3

Marvel Phase 2
Paramount Pictures

Thanks to the box office 'Avengers Bump', Iron Man 3 would earn more than the first two movies combined and become the fifth highest-grossing movie in history. While the movie does have its flaws, it remains a highly entertaining adventure with Robert Downey Jr. again on top form as Tony Stark, aided by some signature Shane Black wit and humour.

Having Tony Stark suffer from panic attacks and giving him a precocious child sidekick were unusual choices for a $200m blockbuster, while Marvel's villain problem rears its head again thanks to Guy Pearce's fire-breathing Aldrich Killian, and the climax that ends with Pepper Potts turning into an Extremis soldier to save the day only to be cured during a montage five minutes later feels rushed and tacked-on.

The Mandarin twist may have angered many fans of the comic book by turning Iron Man's greatest nemesis into a punchline, but it was a fantastic reveal in the age of internet spoilers. Writer/director Black handles the action well and also manages to sneak in his usual tropes (Christmas iconography, meandering voice-over and smart banter) while staying within the Marvel framework to deliver a very good, if not great, superhero movie.

That being said, who else wanted to see a spinoff with Stark and Rhodey (without an armored suit in sight) solving mysteries after witnessing their dynamic in the movie?

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