Iron Man 3 (Shane Black, 2013)

Lethal Weapon series scriptwriter Black collaborated with Robert Downey Jr. on the offbeat Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but there's little convention-bucking here as the Iron Man franchise limps painfully through another two hours of explosions, complete with unconvincing anxiety attacks for the hero replacing his more credible alcoholism, a little boy taken under his wing and Ben Kingsley's admittedly amusing accents a smokescreen for Guy Pearce's tiresome megalomaniac. Another comeback for the flying U.S. military weapon will not be welcome.

4/10