Kristoffer Hayward
Staff Writer

With advertisements featuring the villainous Mandarin, dozens of flying Iron Man suits and promises of danger and explosions, “Iron Man 3,” one of the biggest movies in theaters this year, has probably piqued everyone’s interest.

The movie delivers all on of those points and even gives a unique twist on what fans of the franchise are expecting. Though it’s difficult to share without giving any sort of spoiler, know that things may take a surprising turn at any point during the movie.

The special effects are grand, from scene backgrounds to the iconic suits themselves.

Plot is up to the standard of the other “Iron Man” movies and even those of the Avenger teams [Thor, Hulk, Captain America and so forth]. There are big budget explosions and action scenes that are a testament to modern CGI and movie production.

A word of warning, however; there are more than a few references to the events in “The Avengers” that spur some character development in Tony Stark. So if you’ve been meaning to watch “The Avengers,” any catching up should be done before watching this movie.

At just over two hours long, parts of the movie might feel a little long for the eventual payoff that comes in the last half hour, but any fans of the “Iron Man” series should find a lot to goggle at. All those specialized armors from the comics, like the Hulk buster, appear in glorious CGI, and quirky innovations to the suits are always fun to watch.

As with every m=Marvel movie, stick around through the credits for a juicy tidbit and the words “Tony Stark will return” to prophesize yet another sequel. Yes, the credits drag on. However, with as many people working on the computers to bring the various Iron Man suits to life as well as their acrobatic feats of flying, the special effects should be worth the time it takes to credit them.

The end scene also suggests we may see another member of the Avengers take the spotlight, and the big guy hasn’t been seen in his own film since 2008.