The Marvel Cinematic Universe movies ranked by hilarity

16. Iron Man 3

Tony’s quips feel a little more tired in this third go-round of Iron Man films. Not that it’s any less funny than the others; it just feels like it’s overreaching.

One of the best new additions was in the form of Ben Kingsley’s Mandarin, aka Trevor Slattery. Kingsley takes him from over-the-top terrorist to classic idiot in a half-second and the change has you confused and then cracking up, especially when he mockingly says Mandarin lines. Or tells Tony AIM promised they would get him more drugs.

Making Tony’s temporary sidekick a cute kid (who later goes on to run away from dinosaurs with Star-Lord) was also not a terrible idea. He has the childish inability to shut his mouth when Tony tells him to (mostly bringing up New York at inopportune moments).

And we get a very nascent Jarvis who attempts to keep his cool while powering new suits and heavily damaged suits. (“I seem to do quite well for a stretch, and then at the end of the sentence I say the wrong cranberry.”) And Happy pushing the nurse out of the way to watch Downton Abbey makes you chuckle, too.

It’s not that Iron Man 3 isn’t funny; it just feels more like Tony’s solo story is played out.