Although also kind of odd to realize amid all the nineties nostalgia, that Y2K really is thirteen years ago already...

At one point, he's theorizing that the terrorist campaign is more about masking the ongoing tests of their superweapon, than a purpose in itself, but of course then the question is, what do they actually intend to use the superweapon for once it's been perfected? And then after that, yeah, suddenly we see that he's in cahoots with the VP due to his granddaughter, but that still doesn't tell us what Killian's actual goal is - sure, he'll have the actual president in his pocket then (although you have to wonder at any president who'd put himself in such a blackmail-able position), but what for? The refreshing honesty at the end about not really giving a toss about that environmental disaster and merely needing a somewhat "popular" excuse for terrorism - okay, but what is his actual goal? Especially after he's killed his star researcher who seems to be the only one who can actually perfect the technology? And how will things proceed once the VP takes the top slot - will the Mandarin just vanish, wouldn't that look highly suspicious? I suppose they could've arranged some spectacular capture in which the Mandarin conveniently dies so he can't tell the truth...

I guess. It just seemed like it was lacking some fleshing out to be a real plot element, it might have made more sense if it was a pre-existing thing...

Also, with that ending - this is the final Iron Man movie, then? Other than his inevitable appearance in the next Avengers, I mean.

Indeed. He was very good.

At least the music was good. I always find credits sort of interesting for the kind of mini-making of that you get just by reading them. By just looking at what number of people are involved in which job, you get a better idea of how movies are made nowadays - and it's always interesting to see where things were shot. Apparently that town they used, the one where he meets that kid, is an actual town, but in one of the Carolinas (iirc) instead of Tennessee - no idea why they needed it to be in Tennessee for the movie. Perhaps it had something to do with the weather, wanting it to snow?

Anyway, yeah, it was neat. Took me a moment to recognize Bruce Banner - I had a feeling I should know him, but I needed the "I'm not that kind of doctor" to get me there.