Iron Man 3, the third installment of the Iron Man series, is everything its predecessors were: action-packed, witty, and full of plot twists and surprises.  And bucking fears that the third installment would not clear the bar set by the original Iron Man, Iron Man 3 is just as good–if not better–than its predecessors.

In Iron Man 3, Tony Stark, the jerk-we-love-to-love, returns packed to the brim with sharp remarks, one-liners and, surprisingly, character development, which is something we don’t see often in superhero movies.

We learn that Stark suffers from anxiety attacks after the events of The Avengers, and to cope has been building models upon new models of the Iron Man.

We get to see how he acts in a monogamous relationship, when he’s thrown into isolation without even JARVIS for help, and even as a father figure—or role model, since “father figure” seems a little too extreme for Tony Stark.

This comes at the expense of some of the minor characters, like Pepper and Rhodey, but the Iron Man films have always been about Tony Stark, and Robert Downey Jr.  gives as good a performance as any in this installment.

The plot is exciting and intriguing.  A new agency, Advanced Idea Mechanics, makes its appearance with its “Extremis” product, which supposedly cures physical disabilities.  Meanwhile, a seemingly invincible terrorist, the Mandarin, threatens the U.S.  with multiple bombings all across the country.

There is never a dull moment in the movie; even in its slow parts, the writing is clever and entertaining.  And although the new monsters, which glow red and look like mutants, do seem a little cheesy, they are no cheesier than anything out of Thor.

Iron Man 3 is a movie worth seeing.  Even by superhero movie standards it’s fun to watch, and it will make you laugh aloud.  Be warned—the jokes are fast-paced, and if you get caught up in one, you’ll miss another, and you will want to hear every single line of dialogue in the film.

There is no shortage of exciting action scenes—there is one that involves the Stark Mansion crumbling to the ground, another that involves an entire army of Iron Men.  With Iron Man 3, Marvel Studios continues its recent success in combining comedy and action to create uniquely enjoyable superhero movies.