Iron Man in Miami

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Iron Man Quips and Jokes His Way Through Armageddon

By Skip Sheffield

“Iron Man 3” is a critic-proof movie. Before it opens in America May 3, it will have pretty much made back its production costs abroad.

What separates IM 3 from the rest of the Marvel Comics universe is its leading man, Robert Downey, Jr., and a clever, strong supporting cast.

Downey has a wry, world-weary demeanor that suits his character of brilliant, eccentric inventor/industrialist Tony Stark. How Stark earns all the money to support his lavish lifestyle is never explained. It’s just a given, as is Stark’s gravity and physics-defying Iron Man armor that transforms him from mortal to super hero. Now parts of the suit fly through the air from distant parts to land on Tony in the nick of time.

As with every other super hero adventure, the world is at peril. This time it is from a shadowy figure who calls himself The Mandarin. Insert bad Chinese jokes here.

The Mandarin is played by Anglo-Indian actor Ben Kingsley, an actor who can radiate menace and power as well as complete silliness. In this role Kingsley is asked to do both.

Both Tony Stark and The Mandarin have their weak, vulnerable sides. This adds to their appeal both as hero and villain.

The IM 3 script is co-written by Shane Black (and at least five others). Black is responsible for the script of the original “Lethal Weapon” and its sequel as well as “Last Boy Scout.” He does have a way with a witty quip, which is Tony Stark’s secret weapon between explosions and catastrophes. This is a good thing, because without the jokes, IM 3 would be pretty boring. It already is too long.

It is evident that all the principal characters have spent serious time in the gym. This includes Gwyneth Paltrow as Tony Stark’s gal pal, Pepper Potts. Pepper even gets the chance to don an IM suit and do some butt-kicking of her own.

Stark’s best buddy Col. James Rhodes, played by Don Cheadle, looks immaculately buff and is good at a deadpan quip as Downey.

There is a lot of absurd scenery-chewing going on, with character’s eyes glowing red before they go wacko. The chief chomper is Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian, a devious schemer who is also a wannabe boyfriend of Pepper Potts. Rebecca Hall gets pretty crazy too as double agent Maya Hansen.

The complex and incomprehensible plot culminates in Miami, natch, where the famed Viscaya becomes a lair for the villains and the sky over Key Biscayne becomes populated with falling people.

So line up and pay your money if you’d like. What I or any other reviewer thinks does not matter. Frankly there is not much else going on in May other than sequels (Fast & Furious 6, Hangover 3, Star Trek Into Darkness) and the remake of “The Great Gatsby” with Leo DiCaprio.