Ant-Man (2015) --- “Heroes Don’t Get Any Bigger Than This. Find Out What Happens When He Gets Super-Small.”

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Plot Summary

Forced out of his own company by former protégé Darren Cross, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) recruits the talents of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a master thief just released from prison. Lang becomes Ant-Man, trained by Pym and armed with a suit that allows him to shrink in size, possess superhuman strength and control an army of ants. The miniature hero must use his new skills to prevent Cross, also known as Yellowjacket, from perfecting the same technology and using it as a weapon for evil. (1)

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Review

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Hello, Movie Buffs! 

     Based on the Marvel Comics character by the same name, Ant-Man (2015) is a highly entertaining addition into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is significantly more humorous than most MCU films with witty dialogue and comedic elements that allow for the film to reach an even wider audience range. Ant-Man turned out better than my expectations despite changing the writer in the middle of the film’s production.

     Originally, Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) was set to direct and co-write – with Joe Cornish (Adventures of Tintin) – Ant-Man, as he has been working on it since 2006. However, after weeks of Marvel studios being unhappy with Wright’s work on the film, Wright quite in May of 2014 due to the pair’s differences. Luckily Marvel President and producer Kevin Feige were able to sort of hold things together until a new director was found. Director Peyton Reed (Yes Man; Ant-Man and the Wasp) kept good portions of Cornish and Wright’s script but the script as a whole was loosely based on the Marvel Universe and as such would have made the film another Green Hornet bomb. No offense. Writers Adam McKay and Paul Rudd (who also plays the main guy), with impute from the director Reed, took what was already a decently good script and made it better. They added elements, which I won’t spoil, to the film that gave audiences a preview as to how Ant-Man would fit in with the rest of the MCU characters. (Learn more here.)

     Obviously, Ant-Man has been a challenge for filmmakers, especially when the previous MCU films featured an ensemble of epic superheroes – Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, and even Guardians of the Galaxy. While die-hard Marvel comic fans are familiar with Ant-Man and his role as an original Avengers team member, general audience members are not that familiar with the story or character. As a result, the writers, both new and old, had to start the story from the beginning by explaining how Scott Lang becomes Ant-Man without making the film feel boring and dull. His place within the MCU had to be made known just like it was done for the aforementioned individuals. The special effects were the best part of the film. When you have a character that can use a special suite to shrink and grow beyond average, you have to take advantage of the opportunity to use some incredible special effects. The action sequences further improve the special effects without going over the top with cliché explosive.

     The cast was great. Paul Rudd (Ant-Man and the Wasp) nails it as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, his drab humor and charming qualities carry well throughout the film. Michael Douglas (Wall Street; Ant-Man and the Wasp) is top-notch as Hank Pym and the father/daughter dynamic between his character and Hope (Evangeline Lilly) is great to see. Evangeline Lilly (The Hobbit; Ant-Man and the Wasp) is stunning as Hope van Dyne, and her chemistry with both Rudd and Douglas’ characters works great. Aside from Rudd, Michael Peña (12 Strong)plays Luis, who is a scene-stealer and responsible for some of the film’s funnies moments. This of course is all due to Pena’s excellent comedic skills and comical-timing. Bobby Cannavale (I, Tonya; Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle) leaves a mark as Jim Paxton, the ex-wife’s fiancé, and his wannabe macho-man persona makes it funny to see Scott and Paxton go head to head. Anthony Mackie (Infinity War) makes a small but effective cameo as Falcon, which I believe also helps determine Ant-Man’s role with the Avengers. Corey Stoll (First Man) as Darren Cross/Yellowjacket, is menacing enough and the right type of villain for this film.

     Overall, Ant-Man (2015) is an entertaining film that doesn’t try to hard but is a great addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The humor, story, special effects, action, and cast were great in their own rights. Even though the director was changed at the last minute, you can’t even tell the difference. Ant-Man is definitely worth seeing and I can’t wait to see what the newest sequel has in store for us.

"Sorry I'm late, I was saving the world. You know how it is."

- Scott Lang

*****I recommend watching the following Marvel movies in this order:

Captain America (2011)

Iron Man (2008)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Incredible Hulk (2008)

Thor (2011)

Avengers (2012)

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (2017)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Ant-Man (2015)

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Doctor Strange (2016)

Thor: Ragnork (2017)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Final Vote

Worth Seeing:  8.5 of 10 stars

Worth Buying:  8.5 of 10 stars

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