Objectively fine, yet the worst Marvel movie so far

Rating: Null/10 (24 November 2015)

So far Marvel hasn't dropped the ball with its Cinematic Universe. All of the movies in the Universe have been huge blockbusters, massively successful and, above all else, enjoyable beyond belief. And I'm not saying that Ant-Man is finally the one where they lose it. But it's the one that comes the closest.
I think the biggest reason for this is the fact that this is such a small movie. It tells about a burglar, a likable guy in general, who unfortunately operates on the wrong side of the law, and has thus fallen on some bad times. But then comes a man who offers him one last gig that would set him for life, allowing him to provide for his daughter. And safe the world in the process, because this is still Marvel after all. A classic heist movie setup - aside from megalomaniac antagonist selling superweapons, of course - nothing wrong with that. The problems arise when you compare it to other Marvel films. We've had scoundrel protagonists before. Both Tony Stark and Peter Quill are more than a touch shady. Yet the difference between them and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is the scope of their actions. Both Stark and Quill save the world, operate on a vast arena, are larger than life in their character and in their actions. Lang saves the world, after a fashion, but it feels tacked on, like it doesn't belong.
I'm also not a fan of the humour in this film. The range of this film's comedy is acknowledging an awkward situation, making a wiseass remark about it, holding a moment of silence and moving on. Sure, when Tony Stark does it, it's hilarious, but when Paul Rudd attempts the same, it's embarrassing. It's the epitome of British humour made by Americans. It doesn't work. At all. I hummed in amusement perhaps once, and that's it.
I also have problems with Evangeline Lilly's character Hope. And the problem is not Lilly's performance, she's more than qualified. The problem is with the script, because at the end you realize that the only reason they were holding her back was for sequel bait. And that's simply not acceptable. The story of the film would have been over in minutes if they had simply done the logical thing and allowed her character to deal with the problem. But no, we have to leave room for a sequel. Cow manure, I say.
And that's pretty much the film in a nutshell. It's a decent heist film with gorgeous special effects, average characters, awful sense of humour and an okay story. My least favourite Marvel movie so far, but an acceptable movie in general.