Enjoyable romp through Marvel land

SIZE matters enormously in Ant-Man, a film about a pint-sized hero in a power suit - one that enables him to view the world from a radically different perspective. He's a speck compared to some of the bigger brand names in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but as depicted in this updated origins story, the title character has what it takes to both satisfy hardcore Marvel fans and attract a new generation of followers.

Despite a long and difficult gestation period, culminating in the departure of original director Edgar Wright from the project, replacement director Peyton Reed's version is an enjoyable romp through Marvel territory, featuring equal parts drama, action and humour. It's also not overly reliant on loud and outsized special effects. Instead, its low-key, slightly tongue-in-cheek approach adds to the fun factor, making it a snappy improvement over standard blockbuster fare.

The narrative hums along from the moment a youthful-looking Michael Douglas makes his entrance as particle scientist Dr Hank Pym, set in the 1980s. Pym has invented an atomic reduction formula that allows a person to shrink to the size of an insect, via a special suit that gives the wearer superhuman strength and lightning speed. But he fears that in the wrong hands the formula can be used to do harm, so he refuses to reveal the formula and is fired from his own company.