There was a time when everyone thought that Ant-Man was destined to be Marvel’s first turkey, derailed by Edgar Wright’s unceremonious exit from the pic and a diminished scale in the wake of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Now, however, the first reaction are seeping out onto the web (along with a few new pics, as seen above), and the general consensus seems to be that, while the Peyton Reed-directed superhero flick is by no means a classic of the genre, it’s also not half-bad. Of course, there are already some nay-sayers in the mix.
As per usual, Twitter is the medium of choice for in-the-moment reactions, and all manner of press folk have opened up there about what they saw during Ant-Man‘s unveiling on the press circuit. Though full reviews are embargoed a while longer, check out some of the chatter below:
ANT-MAN is good. Not a disaster like some expected but also not a homerun. Has a *must see* after the end credits scene.
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) June 26, 2015
The one thing I am sure of after OBSERVE AND REPORT and ANT-MAN is @realmichaelpena needs to do a lot more comedies. — Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) June 26, 2015
#ANTMAN is both fun and funny, and just a damn good time. As much as I love #PaulRudd, I have to say .@realmichaelpena steals the show.
— Christina Radish (@ChristinaRadish) June 26, 2015
ANT-MAN is fantastic fun with heart, wildly clever set-pieces, and a scene-stealing Michael Pena. It’s a movie I want to be friends with. — Haleigh Foutch (@HaleighFoutch) June 26, 2015
Ant-Man is more methodical than most Marvel movies but it’s hilarious & a totally great ride. So many fun MCU links too. Another winner.
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) June 26, 2015
Two Ant-Man credits scenes, each better than the last. — Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) June 26, 2015
It takes ANT-MAN a moment to get cranked up, but once it does, it’s sensational. My favorite third-act of any Marvel movie.
— Jeremy Smith (@mrbeaks) June 26, 2015
Sadly ‘Ant-Man’ falls flat in almost every way. Doesn’t seem like it’s sure of what it wants to be. Not so much bad as it is blah. — Mike Sampson (@mjsamps) June 26, 2015
Recent Marvel credit scenes have been kind of minor, but ANT-MAN has two (mid-credits and at the very end) that, unlike its hero, are huge.
— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) June 26, 2015
So I saw ANT-MAN & I dug it! Most inventive action scenes yet & tons of heart. A softer, more intimate #Marvel movie and a great family film — ErikDavis (@ErikDavis) June 26, 2015
“Ant-Man” is hugely entertaining, and a truly significant puzzle piece in the Marvel Universe. This one’s got a big sweet heart.
— ImperatorHitFixDrew (@DrewAtHitFix) June 26, 2015
#AntMan: Mostly boring with lots of exposition, daddy issues and a splash of wit. Oh! And Paul Rudd’s abs. #FemaleGaze — Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) June 26, 2015
I liked Ant-Man more than I did Avengers: Age of Ultron, mainly because Marvel’s doing something different and it works as a stand-alone
— Edward Douglas (@EDouglasWW) June 26, 2015
Ant Man is great. Way better than Age of Ultron. @edgarwright deserves co-director credit. Feels like his movie. — gregoryellwood (@HitFixGregory) June 26, 2015
Ant-Man isn’t just great entertainment, it’s also a great movie. Marvel’s most human film to date. Fantastic.
— Jack Giroux (@JackGi) June 26, 2015
Guys, don’t worry. #AntMan is good. Like, goooooood. Also, it’s the weirdest Marvel movie yet. Weirder than “Guardians of the Galaxy” even. — John Boone (@jtyboone) June 26, 2015
What’s most about the reactions are their pretty universal elation about whatever is in the film’s post-credits sequences. There’s been speculation that the idea of alternate dimensions, where Janet Van Dyne/Wasp is rumored to be trapped, could make an appearance, or that OsCorp could get name-dropped or more. The fact that everyone’s referencing them means that something really big must be in store, so my money’s on a Spider-Man reference or maybe even an appearance by Norman Osborn, who Matthew McConaughey was recently rumored to play.
All will soon be revealed, when Ant-Man opens July 17.