Ant-Man

Marvel saves the world for the thirty-sixth time, in the same story template, just by slightly different means and with more jokes. And that’s what they want to keep serving us for the next years. There’s nothing wrong with this movie, it just has nothing new to offer me. But the acting’s pleasant and the technical aspect perfect in the traditional Marvel fashion. The de-aged Michael Douglas is even better than the de-aged Schwarzenegger was in Terminator Genisys, it’s chilling. (07/16/2015)

It's the same thing over and over again, only with family values coming more to the fore, as well as clearly defined characters and more humour, especially provided by Michael Peña. If there's anything new to talk about here, it's the central character's perks, as the visual antics are carefully staged and the zooming in and out is handled in a brilliant, dynamic, and entertaining way. Sadly, though, Peyton Reed is otherwise pretty much a routine man, because a script this leaky can't be in a movie with any ambition, and that goes for Marvel's save-the-world movies as well. (12/14/2015)

Given the longstanding delays and considerable creative difficulties, I can hardly believe how inventive and lively Ant-Man ultimately turned out to be. The era of comic books on every corner can shine in full force, but Scott Lang and Hank Pym are not ones to suffer from audience saturation. Surprisingly, the script precisely balances action sequences with a non-violent family storyline, and Paul Rudd's natural acting (not to mention his cheery chemistry with Michael Douglas and the rest of the cast) smooths out even the biggest rough edges, such as the shaky and disjointed opening act. Creating a superhero appetizer (not to mention one placed between an Avengers film and a Captain America film) is harder than it seems, which is why I'm truly delighted by its successful start. Especially since this character is tailor-made for future teamwork. (08/23/2015)

This is how Marvel should always look. Cleverly targeted situational humour that gives a whole new dimension to an otherwise unoriginal story, while leaving a refreshing impression with traditionally technically brilliant and, thanks to the main premise, original action sequences. Other than Guardians of the Galaxy, it's the only film of its kind that, in retrospect, that can put a smile on my face from ear to ear, which is entirely thanks to the great actors (Rudd is likeable, but Peña rocks in a supporting role with outrageous wisecracks), and a reasonable runtime that doesn't allow the screenwriting to slack off and get bogged down in boring political or even psychological drivel in the style of the latest Avengers. Not without flaws, but an absolutely confident and wonderfully well-mannered Marvel product. :) 80% (10/08/2015)

Probably the funniest Marvel movie to date. The absolutely incredible Michael Peña steals every scene, even if he’s just passing through. A classic structure of the birth of a hero clad with original ideas and it’s fun. Edgar right obviously played about with the story. The beginning without action is really refreshing and the finale is packed with ideas. Infiltration, the fly trap, the keyring, the fight on the little train. Everyone’s going to go on about Hamster in a Nightshirt (I just love that series), but originality is long since a thing of the past in this branch. Paul Rudd gives a decent performance, no surprises, but plays his part, Douglas enjoys playing Pym and he shows in the intro just what a great choice he was. I’m very happy about Evangeline Lilly and I hope we see her in the future Avengers, there can never be too many good (and attractive) female roles. Corey Stoll stays surprisingly in the background with no surprises up his sleeve. I don’t know how much Peyton Reed remolded Wright’s original vision, but the result is still first-rate family entertainment with a pinch of heist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggP5YDziMSY (07/15/2015)