Films Out This Week: May 4th

May 4 2008 Mickey Mcmonagle

Films Out This Week: May 4th

IRON MAN (12A) *****

I love superhero movies and this is a terrific one, despite a few pitfalls. Too much time is spent on getting to know our hero's alter ego, watching his downfall and him learning the error of his ways.There is little time left for hero action, as with the first film X-Men.

Robert Downey Jr is on career-best form as technical genius Tony Stark, a wealthy playboy type who runs an arms company and is utterly amoral.

He ends up in Afghanistan on a deal which goes wrong and is imprisoned by bad guys who demand he builds them a missile.

Instead, he grows a conscience, makes an armoured hi-tech battlesuit and proceeds to set right his wrongs.Wise-cracking Downey, has found a franchise to save his career and Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow fit well too.

Scenes of destruction in Afghanistan may be a little insensitive but who cares? It's a fun movie that fans of superhero films will lap up.

Director Jon Favreau could have made more of the action scenes but this is a minor quibble in the face of a great overall viewing experience.

MADE OF HONOUR (12A) *****

Michelle Monaghan and Patrick Dempsey are well cast as single friends who are meant to be together. His ruthless, womanising character Tom is clearly going to fall for her sweet, innocent Hannah from the star Trainspotting star Kevin McKidd is Duke Colin, her Scottish aristocrat fiance who is perfect in every way - and who humiliates his American love rival in every respect.

Poor Tom agrees to be maid of honour at their wedding in Scotland - and the film goes downhill as the party decamp to the most irritating depiction of this country ever. If any Scot can watch this without finding it offensive I'll be very surprised.

NIM'S ISLAND (U) *****

Nim (Abigail Breslin) lives with father Jack (Gerard Butler) and their animals on an island and adores the adventure novels starring Alex Rover.

The real Alex is writer Jodie Foster, an agoraphobic recluse who spends her days chatting to her imaginary alter ego - who looks like Jack.

When Jack vanishes, Nim begs Alex for help and she arrives to aid her. Dull in parts but a decent ending.