sykoone

In the context of the movie universe laid out by Marvel Studios, the move was quite fitting and an interesting addition to the film series. However, since a huge number of fans have been eagerly awaiting the appearance of the Mandarin since the Ten Rings syndicate from the first film, you'd think that the studio wouldn't completely ruin an iconic villain in the manner they did. I understand that they are trying to, at this point, steer away from the overly mystical/alien elements, but with the upcoming slate of films, this would have been a perfect way to introduce those elements to the movie universe in a major franchise of the set without alienating a good portion of the fanbase. I do understand the thought that the Mandarin is highly un-PC for today's audience, especially with the growing number of Chinese moviegoers to potentially displease. Yet the better decision would have been to leave the character out completely, rather than risking the backlash of this decision. Those that haven't seen the film yet are already aware of the twist since it's being covered by multiple news sources, so any who would be willing to walk away from Marvel's future films will do so without giving the movie a chance.