37 / 60
DVD
&
BD
REVIEWS
37
After the apocalyptic scenarios
of the Avengers movies, the
introduction of Marvel’s tiniest
superhero provides a welcome
change of pace. Although
boasting plenty of thrilling
spectacle, there is a pleasingly
down-to-earth feel to the film
that brings to a close Phase 2
of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe.
Much of that is down to the
everyman charm of Paul Rudd, who plays the unlikely
hero Scott Lang, a Robin Hood-esque burglar who gets
more than he bargained for when he steals a strange
costume from the home of a reclusive scientist. It turns
out the suit, which allows the wearer to shrink to the
size of an ant, is the invention of former S.H.I.E.L.D.
scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who fell out
with the organisation over their plans to militarise it.
However, Pym’s protégé Darren Cross (Corey Stoll)
has no such qualms and having now succeeded in
developing his own version of the suit, it falls to a
reluctant Scott to embrace his inner hero and help Pym
and daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) prevent Cross from
launching his Yellowjacket programme.
Size isn’t everything
ANT-MAN
A NASA probe launched back in
the ‘80s, containing a record of
the popular culture of the time,
is interpreted as an act of war
by an alien race, who proceed
to attack our world in the guise
of classic video game characters
like Frogger, Centipede and
Pac-man. The Earth’s only
hope lies with a trio of former
championship gamers, played by
Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage
and Josh Gad. Fortysomethings who fondly remember
feeding 20 cent coins into arcade games like Galaga,
Donkey Kong and Pac-man will get a warm rush of
nostalgia from
Pixels
. However, current generation
gamers will probably miss a lot of the in-jokes and
‘80s references, not least the inspired use of
Fantasy
Island
’s Tattoo, Max Headroom, and
Lucky Star-
era
Madonna to deliver the aliens’ demands. Directed by
Chris Columbus (
Harry Potter
,
Mrs. Doubtfire
),
Pixels
is a great idea that’s executed with a
Ghostbusters
-like
vibe and top notch visual effects (the Donkey Kong
finale is a blast). But why oh why did it also have to be
an Adam Sandler film?
Playing for the planet
PIXELS
BD ONLY
Making Of An Ant-Sized Heist: A
How To Guide
Let’s Go To The Macroverse
WHIH News Front
Gag reel
Deleted scenes
Commentaries
Guardians Of The Galaxy
EXTRAS
FURTHER VIEWING
Release Date:
02/12/15
Format:
DVD & BD
Q*Bert
Dojo Quest
“Game On” Music Video by
Waka Flocka Flame ft. Good
Charlotte
BD ONLY
The Creator of the Machine
The Space Invader
Pac-Man
Donkey Kong
Centipede
Galaga
Wreck It Ralph
EXTRAS
FURTHER VIEWING
Release Date:
16/12/15
Format:
TOP
HITS
TOP
HITS
British director Edgar Wright
– a big fan of the comic – first
pitched a screen version to
Marvel back in 2003. Wright
was to have directed this
film, but dropped out in
2014 because of “creative
differences”
New director Peyton Reed
went back to a book from
his childhood,
The World Of
Insects
, for inspiration for the
scenes involving ants.
DID YOU KNOW...
Denis Akiyama plays a
fictionalised version of Pac-Man
creator Toru Iwatani, but the real
Iwatani also appears in the film
as an arcade repairman. Iwatani
did not portray himself because
he doesn’t speak English.
DID YOU KNOW...