Editorial: Is The Mandarin In IRON MAN 3 Really That Bad?

Editorial: Is The Mandarin In IRON MAN 3 Really That Bad?

Is the plot twist from the Marvel Blockbuster: Iron Man 3, really that bad? I give my thoughts on it. Warning! This will include MAJOR SPOILERS!

Editorial Opinion
By yonny616 - Oct 03, 2013 03:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Iron Man 3



Hey ComicBookMovie community! Today I’m here to talk to you on the most controversial subject in a comic book movie since Bat-nipples: Iron Man 3’s The Mandarin! So before we go any further, I first want to warn anyone that this is a MAJOR spoiler in the movie. So if you haven’t seen it, bookmark this page, go see it, then come back and read this editorial. So lets begin shall we?

It’s been 5 months since the critically and financially successful: Marvel’s Iron Man 3 has been released, and there’s still this one huge debate going on about a certain plot twist. Some fans have called it one of the worst decisions in comic book movies; I’ve even read by some that what Shane Black did to Iron Man’s arch-nemesis is as bad as what Joel Shumacher did to Batman. Then we have the people who do like the plot twist. They hail Shane Black as a genius for doing what he did to a stereotypical Chinese villain. Now, I’ll say this: As a comic book guy, and some one who couldn’t wait for The Mandarin and all his ten ring science (It ISN’T magic!) to start kicking Stark’s ass, I was pissed by how they just turned The Mandarin into a joke. I seriously left the theatre pissed for the first time. Yet, there was something in me that still appreciated the twist. That something in me is my movie guy telling me otherwise and to not look at it as a comic book movie, but to see it in the point of view of just a movie-goer.

Now, I still hate the plot twist (I wanted Chinese Mandarin!). Yet this is what we got, and I appreciate it as a movie guy. The way the plot twist is done is so amazing! We literally never saw it coming, no one did. I hear fans complain how they were mislead in the advertisements, but isn’t that the whole point of a plot twist? Isn’t a plot twist where you’re made to believe that one person is “it”, but in actuality "it" was someone else all along, and you never even realized it? If they hinted about the plot tist, then some people would have caught on and speculation would on it would have started. Also Making the Mandarin into a character, or someone who doesn’t exist, isn’t really anything new. If I remember correctly in one of Marvel’s comic universes, The Mandarin was just a company called: Mandarin International. There’s been so many revision of the Mandarin, and this one was no different.

I will like to say one more thing. This isn’t canon to the comics and as much as we comic book guys love canon, it shouldn’t be tied down to such rules. This is a film, and it’ll always be an else-world story. Sure you can say that there should be a limit to what they can change in the character, and while I agree; I also disagree. Killain to me isn’t Mandarin, but that is how Marvel, Shane Black, and the rest of the crew decided to present him to us and I appreciate a damn good plot twist when I see one. My only real gripe is Killian survived the suit explosion, but dies from the tank missile? Also why does this film remind me of Batman Forever so much? But that’s a whole other article.

Well those were my thoughts on this subject. Hope you enjoyed the read and thank you so much for your time!

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PYM90
PYM90 - 10/3/2013, 4:13 PM
Yes, Yes it is
marvel72
marvel72 - 10/3/2013, 4:31 PM
it was a terrible idea but after being pissed off about it i do find the scene pretty funny.

up there with deadpool & the galactus cloud.

its shame the marvel cinematic universe could of had some good villains i.e loki,red skull,abomination & the mandarin but it wasn't to be. :(
McNyagano
McNyagano - 10/3/2013, 5:27 PM
^^ you're exaggerating right??? o_O No way the Mandarin is near the level of how dead pool and galactus were treated by Fox.
McNyagano
McNyagano - 10/3/2013, 5:48 PM
@DrDoom

Trevor was not the Mandarin. I don't know why people keep saying he's the Mandarin. It's like if I keep saying Watanabe is Ra's al Ghul when in fact Henry is.

Henry Ducard=Aldrich Killian
Mandarin=Watanbe

TheYoungMan
TheYoungMan - 10/3/2013, 6:01 PM
I think it's weird that the most popular hero in the MCU has the 2 worst movies in the MCU. Although to be fair, The Incredible Hulk was pretty bad too. And Thor was average at best. And so was Captain America. Jeez, come to think if it, the only 2 great movies in the entire series is Iron Man 1 and The Avengers :/

Back on topic: Ya, the Mandarin was bad.
Moohika
Moohika - 10/3/2013, 7:39 PM
Short answer-YES!

Long Answer- I know people bring up that it would be racist or that people wouldn't understand the rings, but for [frick]'s sake they had fire breathing Extremis soldiers! How hard would it have been to slightly alter him or at least have him not be a big joke!
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 10/3/2013, 8:34 PM
I'm totally trolling you man, but you won't get better feedback than what I've got to offer... and we're usually polarized, so it's a whole lot better than: "good job, I agree...."

Which is what I'm often stuck with. Not that I don't appreciate it, but sometimes being right all the time can get boring when everyone agrees.

Mandarin sucks. Sorry, but he's about as appealing as a character as Stilt-Man. He's got superpowered bling. So does Green Lantern.

Could you imagine if Trevor was the Mandarin? Probably go something like this...


You're welcome ;)
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 10/3/2013, 8:42 PM
On a serious note, the actual Mandarin (or at least, his rings) would probably be great in a future film, but hopefully not used for a couple of Iron Man fights.

Maybe in a reboot, we'll see something closer to the comics. Will all of his rings have the same powers as the comics? Doubtful, doubtful. There'd be no way to make the threat small enough for Iron Man to take care of himself, even with backup from War Machine.

I'd say the biggest mistake of Iron Man 3 was making all the Extremis soldiers have the same heat based powers. You could have drawn all of the rings (or at least most) into them, but making them extremely unstable. And Killian could have used his improved brain to wield the psychic ring, figuratively speaking, controlling them all.
GinjaNinja
GinjaNinja - 10/4/2013, 6:15 AM
Honestly the newer versions of the Mandarin aren't far off from Killian. But I agree, the Suit should have killed him. But I guess reasoning is that he was even more weakened from the suit and was finished off... idk.
marvel72
marvel72 - 10/4/2013, 4:37 PM
@ McNyagano

worst comic book characters brought to the big screen.

1st galactus cloud
2nd deadpool
3rd the mandarin
marvel72
marvel72 - 10/4/2013, 4:41 PM
i loved all of the build up to the mandarin,then i took a massive kick in the balls when i saw trevor.
MrCameron
MrCameron - 10/4/2013, 5:32 PM
I agree with Tainted. I just find it extremely odd how the character only developed a fanbase after the movie.....
averageBEAR
averageBEAR - 10/4/2013, 5:38 PM
Sorry people, but you must not know that Killian is not the MANDARIN...like really who would name there child that. Killian was behind the MANDARIN the whole time, so yes he can call himself the "MANDARIN". The MANDARIN in the comics was a y lame villain and really was only used during that time period.Villains come and go so stop being a pussy about it. The movie is great FTH
BatmanHeisenberg
BatmanHeisenberg - 10/4/2013, 7:10 PM
I think HonestTrailers did a perfect job of describing my feelings toward Trevor Slattery.
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 10/5/2013, 6:55 AM
Must have been truly lonely for you then.
maninfinesuit
maninfinesuit - 10/5/2013, 9:27 AM
I like Iron Man 3. I like the twist, and the way it was explained is very smart. Only thing I take umbrage with in regards to the Mandarin is how weak Guy Pearce himself was as a villain.
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 10/6/2013, 5:55 AM
Eh, not really. Life goes on and all of that.


But really, no one cares about the Mandarin. Just his rings.
GreatMentor
GreatMentor - 7/20/2016, 11:15 AM
"But really, no one cares about the Mandarin." - then why so many people hate what this terrible film did with the Mandarin? If no one cares for the Mandarin, then, no one should be upset about the fact that Shane (spineless hack) Black ruined Iron Man's most bad-ass adversary?
actionmoviefanatix
actionmoviefanatix - 10/7/2013, 6:48 AM
I liked the twist but felt a little cheated on The Mandarin character as a whole. In retrospect, though, we could easily get a real Mandarin in a future movie. It's easy to explain away. Just have Mandarin say he let Killian believe he had the power of the Mandarin and Fin Fang Foom you have a comic book movie.
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