Giant-Man in miniature

[Angua]

Kind of surprised we don't have an Ant-Man thread already - if we do, let me know and I'll merge.

I just got back from watching it, and it was pretty fun! A nice, light comedy heist movie, with the Marvel flair. They really took advantage of the 'ant' in ant-man (I was worried they were going to focus more on just him getting small and popping up again).

I'll probably write more and gush tomorrow, but definitely wanted to get out there that this was definitely let down by the trailers. Despite the change in helm, they really managed to pull it off. Sure, not GotG amazing, but pretty great none-the-less. The characters were pretty spot on (though the villain was, again, pretty under-developed - Marvel is a bit hit and miss with their villains) and the jokes definitely got the laughs.

Marvel has definitely done it again.

Spoiler:

I loved Luis - his detailed way of giving a story is what my housemates tease me about all the time.

Also, nice that the Thomas the tank-engine set was in a fluffy, pink little girl's room.

I knew that Antony was going to die, and that it was going to kill me when it did. The falling wing was perfect.

I knew the tank was going to be real as soon as Paul Rudd picked it up when he was doing the original heist - the fact that they flew it out of the building with the keychain still attached was hilarious.

[Christo]

I was totally into it, man. I mean, I could gripe about some stuff, but why would I want to?

I'm going to sound like a crazy person, but because of the reversal of expectations, I actually enjoyed it more than Age of Ultron. A lot more.

[charliepanayi]

It's...OK. Paul Rudd is an appealing lead and there's some flashes of wit (especially in the final act, the only time the film really comes alive), but there's a lot of sappy blah to get through (TWO fathers who just want their daughters to love them *vomits*) and they waste Evangeline Lilly and Judy Greer. Plus it's another lame MCU villain, Loki and Ultron are still the only ones who were any fun. Would have been more fun with Edgar Wright on board probably.

The bit with The Cure's Plainsong made me laugh though. And the comedic friends are good.

[Angua]

I could totally see that, and was kind of thinking that myself. I think I'd probably put it up there in the top 5 for me (I tend to prefer comedy over action, so probably (in no particular order though GotG is my no 1) GotG, IronMan, Avengers 1, Ant-Man, Captain America).

However, I do say all that with the caveat that it is probably possible to overhype this movie a bit and then ruin it for people going in with too high an expectation (unlike, say the Lego Movie which I don't think could ever be overhyped), but my mum and I were already looking forward to rewatching it when it comes out on DvD.

Also, I'd like to say how happy I am that it turned out so well - my Mum was in the UK and opening night was her birthday - she hasn't had a chance to see any of the Marvel movies in the cinema (can't really go to the cinema at home). I was a bit worried (though I've been pretty optimistic about Ant-Man even with the kerfuffle with Edgar Wright) and I'm glad that the optimism turned out to be well founded (even my housemate who was a lot less optimistic than I was enjoyed it).

[Jesse]

I loved it. My favourite Marvel film (aside from Captain America 2) so far.

Spoiler:

I enjoyed the move away from "Save the world" to something that feels a lot more personal. Centering it around the lead wanting to redeem himself and get back with his daughter felt way more relatable than Marvel's usual fare.

The action scenes felt different as well (which was nice, because I'd only just watched Avengers 2). The size-shifting was fun without being too difficult to follow and I liked the effect they went with.

Evangeline Lilly is fantastic, and I'm super excited to see her put on the suit for the inevitable sequel. I wouldn't even mind seeing Paul Rudd step back (what would his next fight even be?) and have Lilly take the lead in a follow-up.

One thing that I REALLY loved was the cop step-dad. He wasn't an asshole, he was presented constantly as someone just trying to look out for his step-daughter, and never abused his authority to hurt her biological father. I feel like it's rare to see step-parents presented that way in film.

Fucking great film. Enjoyable pretty much from start to finish.

[charliepanayi]

I loved it. My favourite Marvel film (aside from Captain America 2) so far.

Spoiler:

I enjoyed the move away from "Save the world" to something that feels a lot more personal. Centering it around the lead wanting to redeem himself and get back with his daughter felt way more relatable than Marvel's usual fare.

The action scenes felt different as well (which was nice, because I'd only just watched Avengers 2). The size-shifting was fun without being too difficult to follow and I liked the effect they went with.

Evangeline Lilly is fantastic, and I'm super excited to see her put on the suit for the inevitable sequel. I wouldn't even mind seeing Paul Rudd step back (what would his next fight even be?) and have Lilly take the lead in a follow-up.

One thing that I REALLY loved was the cop step-dad. He wasn't an asshole, he was presented constantly as someone just trying to look out for his step-daughter, and never abused his authority to hurt her biological father. I feel like it's rare to see step-parents presented that way in film.

Fucking great film. Enjoyable pretty much from start to finish.

Spoiler:

Smaller-scale is good but unfortunately I feel I've seen the whole 'be the hero your kid thinks you are' thing in films too often for it to be effective. The fact it was done twice here just compounded that.

I do agree that I was pleasantly surprised with how they handled Bobby Cannavale's character though, he could easily have been the one-dimensional bastard step-parent who just exists to be a panto villain.

[Izawwlgood]

I felt some of the backstory was given a bit hamfisted, but I suppose that happens in all Marvel movies when they flail at telling us about the origins. Michael Douglas appeared positively bored to be there, but Paul Rudd was great and good fun.

I particularly liked the way the friend told stories, particularly how he was always getting up to a somewhat surprising activity for a man of his... talents ("And you know Rothko's my JAM yo" had me rolling because Rothko is one of my fiances favorite artists). I think we all know someone who tells stories by starting AT THE BEGINNING. Like, "It all started when I was 12..." beginning.

It was also somewhat interesting that this wasn't really the story of Ant-Man, but the passing of the mantle of Ant-man. That's kind of neat uncharted territory for hero flicks, which is funny because passing the mantle happens all the fucking time in the comics. It was also super great to see a Marvel movie not centered around the world blowing up, but something more personal.

[roband]

Well that was fucking TERRIBLE.

So it starts out as a stoner movie without the weed references, then matures into something about on the level with the Tobey Maguire Spiderman movies. Wow.

No cleverness in the jokes, at all. None. Oh wow a

Spoiler:

giant Thomas the tank engine

- hilarious.

I laughed at times, I did. The "hispanic friend" (because they had to equally split the friends out into "hispanic", "black" and "white european" [who had the worst Russian accent I've ever heard in my fucking life]) was some comedic relief. But you shouldn't need relief in a movie trying so hard to be funny.

One small positive -

Spoiler:

I cared when Anthony died. That's no mean feat.

[rmsgrey]

Of the six Phase 2 movies, I'd put A-M second behind GotG (Cap 2 third; the other three unranked).

Avengers 2 is weighed down by being the link between Cap 2 and Cap 3
IM3 and Thor 2 are both good sequels - good, rather than great.

This one, there are some nits to pick, but not many. The one that got me even before I left the cinema:

Spoiler:

Pym implies that Cross has had his mind messed with by being size-changed by pym particles while not wearing a protective helmet, but at that point Cross hadn't yet managed to shrink a living being without them imploding messily, so how did his brain get damaged?

I wouldn't argue with someone who ranked Cap 2 ahead of Guardians or Ant-Man - they're different enough movies that personal taste will make a big difference.

[Angua]

Yeah, definitely - as I said when I was doing my listing I tend to enjoy comedies much more than other things. Which is why I love the MCU - even in the more serious films they always have time for a lighter side (unlike where DC is heading, sigh).

.

This one, there are some nits to pick, but not many. The one that got me even before I left the cinema:

Spoiler:

Pym implies that Cross has had his mind messed with by being size-changed by pym particles while not wearing a protective helmet, but at that point Cross hadn't yet managed to shrink a living being without them imploding messily, so how did his brain get damaged?

Spoiler:

Yeah, I've been wondering about that. Maybe that shrink gun he had didn't contain them properly? Pym never used a shrink gun - he just had those discs which might contain the particles better.

[charliepanayi]

There'll be a sequel in 2018 - Ant-Man and the Wasp

[Tyndmyr]

Well that was fucking TERRIBLE.

So it starts out as a stoner movie without the weed references, then matures into something about on the level with the Tobey Maguire Spiderman movies. Wow.

No cleverness in the jokes, at all. None. Oh wow a

Spoiler:

giant Thomas the tank engine

- hilarious.

I laughed at times, I did. The "hispanic friend" (because they had to equally split the friends out into "hispanic", "black" and "white european" [who had the worst Russian accent I've ever heard in my fucking life]) was some comedic relief. But you shouldn't need relief in a movie trying so hard to be funny.

One small positive -

Spoiler:

I cared when Anthony died. That's no mean feat.

Oddly enough, I have exactly the opposite viewpoint. Yeah, sure the accent was ridiculous. Meh. The jokes were still funny.

Antony, on the other hand...meh. It's an ant. An ant who gets called Antony all of like twice, and that's the extent of the bond.

Though...I did have to question why the wife and new husband seemed so stuck on money. The movie tried to avoid framing the stepdad as a mustache wearing villain, which is nice for a change, but that bit stuck out as a bit odd, though fairly minor. They didn't seem hard up for cash or anything, so it seemed a kind of arbitrary thing. *shrug*

[roband]

This movie was worse than Jupiter Ascending. And that movie was bad.

[Tyndmyr]

This movie was worse than Jupiter Ascending. And that movie was bad.

Oh, please. This movie is entirely lacking in half-albino wolfmen.

[Zohar]

Also, Jupiter Ascending is amazing. Amazingly terrible, true, but still amazing, and so entertaining to watch.

[roband]

Also, Jupiter Ascending is amazing. Amazingly terrible, true, but still amazing, and so entertaining to watch.

Totally off-topic, but I just saw Sicario. I'd rather rewatch JA than spend another second experiencing anything to do with Sicario.

[Jorpho]

I felt some of the backstory was given a bit hamfisted, but I suppose that happens in all Marvel movies when they flail at telling us about the origins. Michael Douglas appeared positively bored to be there, but Paul Rudd was great and good fun.

I thought Douglas was a very inspired casting choice. He added a certain touch of class. I wonder if he knew that there was a whole thing in the comics about

Spoiler:

Pym abusing his wife?