Ant-Man

I had hoped to undertake my Ant-Man experience — seeing Paul Rudd made internationally bankable in a 3-D spectacle, writing about whether this big summer movie is big and summery enough — without bogging down in refreshers on the Marvel-verse or last year’s behind-the-scenes turmoil as shooting was about to begin. Please, no Captain America homework. Lord, no Reddit threads decrying the ouster of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead genius Edgar Wright, who had toiled for years on the screenplay and was set to direct. Just show me KC’s best acting export staking out a tiny, relatively gentle corner of the exhausting Avengers canvas. Knowing ahead of time that he had borrowed some abs from Ryan Gosling and reworked Wright’s script with his Anchorman director (Adam McKay) didn’t even require a Google search, such is the studio’s efficient publicity. But now I’ve seen it and I want to know what I missed. Despite a handful of witty moments and a couple of actual performances, by Rudd and Michael Douglas, Ant-Man is paint-by-numbers Marvel — unless, maybe, you’re the kind of Jack Kirby-era comics devotee I’ve failed to be. That was my choice, though, and if there’s one thing Ant-Man tells you over and over that it’s about, it’s choices (see also: second chances, redemption). Which makes it less vital Avengers tributary and more amusing Avengers After-School Special. Speaking of PSAs: The Marvel-minded have to stay all the way through every last CGI credit (hey, those folks work hard, so, you know, cool) to get to the Easter egg. Wouldn’t you know, it’s homework, and it’s Captain America.