Much of the buzz surrounding Ant-Man these past few months has not been warm due to the departure of the film’s original director, Edgar Wright. His replacement, Peyton Reed, did not inspire much hope amongst fans either. (Reed is best known for Bring It On and Yes Man). Wright had been attached to Ant-Man since Marvel Studios announced the film in 2006, alongside Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. So after years of delays and speculation, can Ant-Man stand tall beside Marvel’s other box office powerhouses.
In short: absolutely.
When master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is released from prison, he is recruited by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to perform one final heist and save the world. Pym promises Scott a chance at redemption, a chance to be with his family and lead a normal civilian life, and so he dons the Ant-Man suit, which allows Scott to shrink and grow on a dime as well as communicate with ants.
Ant-Man continues the Marvel Studios’ tradition of incredible casting. Paul Rudd brings his comedic talents and a level of sincerity that makes Scott a hero you actually want to root for, not just because you have to root for him. Scott is an everyman; he doesn’t possess immense strength, nor is he even remotely wealthy. He loves his family and will do anything for them, especially his young daughter, Cassie. Michael Douglas’ performance emphasizes Dr. Pym’s frustrations and failures and leaves the audience feeling as though he isn’t always telling the full story. The film’s villain, Darren Cross, is played cartoonish and campy by Corey Stoll (House of Cards). As Hank Pym’s first protégé, Cross is overdramatic but fun to watch, even if his character can be simply summed up as “evil”. As Hope van Dyne, Dr. Pym’s daughter, Evangeline Lilly (Lost) proves she can be a more compelling hero than Paul Rudd, if only the film would allow her to be. [Cue Iron Man’s “next time, baby” scene.]
Without a doubt Ant-Man’s biggest scene stealer is Michael Pena as Luis, Scott’s friend and another former criminal. Luis is an eternal optimist and each of his lines is said with a big, infectious smile.
While its characters may exhibit very real flaws, relationships and goals, Ant-Man is a comedy at heart. With a script by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish and rewrites by Adam McKay and Paul Rudd, Ant-Man is a bit of a mutt when it comes to the film’s sense of humor. Don’t let that fool you, the comedy is pedigree, and the film easily becomes one of the funniest super hero movies in recent memory. Edgar Wright’s signature style is still very evident in the film, the use of rapid-fire cuts during training scenes and cutaways to tell jokes. Meanwhile, Adam McKay’s quick witted dialogue gives each of Ant-Man’s characters a unique voice.
When it comes to action, Ant-Man is no joke. When Scott first shrinks down to ant-size, the camera follows to reveal a world where everything he encounters, whether it’s rushing water, a vacuum cleaner, or loud dance music, is a threat to him. In the film’s third act, it is amazing to see Ant-Man grow and shrink with precision, never knowing where he will show up and who he will take down next. As Ant-Man’s partners-in-crime, the various species of ants play important roles in the central heist. The adorable “crazy ants” act like foot soldiers, while flying ants help Scott get into and out of trouble. Each set piece goes above and beyond the expectations set by Ant-Man’s trailers and are visually stunning thanks to excellent camerawork, CGI and choreography.
With great performances, a fun and action-packed script, and a surprising amount of ties to the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe; Ant-Man proves that Marvel’s solo outings can outshine the bigger names.
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