Ant-Man (July 2015)

Official Australian release date: 16/7/15. Viewed: 15/7/15.

Director: Peyton Reed

Actors: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll

Genre: Action / Sci-Fi

Rating: PG       

Another month, another Marvel film! (Well, it’s actually been two months since ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’). And although it may make me sound like a fanboy, I’m still not sick of them – especially when they’re still as fun as ‘Ant-Man’! Definitely not one of the bigger superheroes (no pun intended), but Ant-Man and Wasp were original Avengers in the 1960’s comics and have always been integral to the Marvel universe. The film does well by including the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym (Douglas, holding up well for a 70-year-old) and tying him in with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Howard Stark, as well as showing some of the Wasp. The film also sets up Ant-Man’s involvement in future ‘Avengers’/’Captain America’ films by having the Falcon (Mackie) involved too.

Brought to you by the director of ‘Bring It On’ & ‘The Break-Up’, it’s surprising it’s not a weak rom-com! Reed does an OK job, but it’s hard not to imagine what Edgar Wright, the original director (he still gets a writing credit) – famous for ‘Shaun of the Dead’ & ‘Scott Pilgrim vs the World’ – would have done with it. That’s not to say it lacks imagination or humour – as shown by the tank and the Thomas the Tank Engine scenes – but just that it at times feels a little pedestrian. I guess the PG (and not M) rating also contributes to this.

The story is pretty simple, as is fitting a non-super-powered/non-Mutant hero – Scott Lang (Rudd) is a burglar (not a “robber”!) who is trying to do right so he can be in his daughters’ life again. Luckily, Pym and his daughter, Hope (Lilly) come along and give him the opportunity to wear the Ant-Man suit, which has the ability to shrink, thanks to the “Pym Particle”. The film is fast and fun, with Rudd a great choice for the lead role, with his charm and humour (helped by one of the writers being Adam McKay, best known for ‘Step Brothers’ & ‘Anchorman’). There’s some ‘seriousness’ with Cross (Stoll) as the villain, but it is all very fast-paced and the stakes never seem too high. This won’t be anyone’s favourite Marvel movie, but it’s certainly not a bad one either.

Overall: Light and easy fun and action.

Gav's Rating: 3.5 stars.