Bloodshot (2020) - 3/5

This is a solid action movie with a more intelligent premise than it at first appears to have. It has a few really great, showy action scenes, a few decent action scenes, and one CGI-heavy action scene that’s not done as well as it probably should have been. Even though the plot takes several deviations from the average action film, it’s ultimately a one-and-done spring crowd-pleaser, and it lives or dies on the audience’s affinity for Vin Diesel.

Closest comparison: It’s like Memento by way of The Last Witch Hunter (2015).

Setting: Near Future Sci-Fi
Plot: Revenge Action
Tone: Spectacle Action

Iron Man 3 - 3/5

This movie has some of my favorite moments in all of the Iron Man movies, but huge plot holes and convoluted retrospective character motivations unravel what could have been an amazing movie. The creators definitely seem to be having a lot more fun with this one over previous installments, sometimes getting caught up in their own enjoyment and forgetting to tie everything together at the end. This movie’s biggest strength is how it contrasts Tony Stark with Iron Man. This movie’s biggest flaw is introducing plot points, characters, and very powerful abilities, then forgetting about them. And this movie’s biggest sin is creating a central bait-and-switch, but making the switch far less interesting than the bait.

Closest comparison: It’s the troubled third child in the Iron Man series.

Setting: Geopolitical thriller
Plot: Underdog adventure
Tone: Action