ANT-MAN (PG-13)
Released by Marvel/Walt Disney Pictures
Reviewed by Adam Mast
It has been a long road for Marvel’s ANT-MAN. The great Edgar Wright (SHAUN OF THE DEAD, HOT FUZZ) had been working on this project for nearly eight years, and shortly before the film was supposed to start shooting, he and Marvel parted ways citing “creative differences.” Still, Wright was given an executive producer and co-screenwriting credit (along with Joe Cornish, Adam McKay, and Paul Rudd), so it should come as absolutely no surprise that you can still feel his spirit all over this movie.
Determined to make the summer 2015 release date, Marvel found a replacement director in Peyton Reed (BRING IT ON, DOWN WITH LOVE). Coming into such a situation, however, couldn’t have been an easy task, and to Reed’s great credit, he somehow managed to pull this thing together. ANT-MAN is a lot of fun.
In ANT-MAN, Paul Rudd is Scott Lang, a pacifist of a thief who—after getting out of prison—decides it’s time to finally turn over a new leaf in an effort to be a better example to his young daughter (Abby Ryder Fortson) and his estranged ex-wife (Judy Greer). Of course, finding a job on the outside proves to be incredibly difficult for Lang, and it isn’t long before his lovable but bad influence of a buddy Luis (Michael Pena) is talking him into committing another robbery.
A job gone awry turns out to be a setup of sorts, and ultimately, Lang is brought face to face with Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), a brilliant scientist whose intellect isn’t even matched by the geniuses at Stark Industries. Pym fears that a project he has been perfecting for years—one that involves a high tech miniaturization suit and the power to communicate with ants—is on the verge of falling into the hands of power hungry Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), and he’s convinced that Lang is the only individual who can help him get back what is rightfully his.
Lang is reluctant to aid Pym in his near impossible quest, and the scientist’s bitter daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly), doesn’t do much to instill confidence in the likable cat burglar. Eventually though, Pym does convince Lang to assist him in attempting to pull off the heist of the century. But first, Pym and Hope must put Lang through a rigorous training regiment so that he will have all the necessary physical skills he needs in order to become the ANT-MAN.
To my great surprise, ANT-MAN is one of the most delightful entertainments of the summer. It isn’t as grand as last year’s energetic GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY but it doesn’t aspire to be. Instead of going big, ANT-MAN goes—fittingly—small, and the end result is a wonderfully entertaining movie that doesn’t have the added pressure of tending to the “large stakes” that make up the DNA of many of Marvel’s other big screen properties. It may be simple and safe, but I’ll be darned if it isn’t a joy to watch. In fact, there were many times throughout ANT-MAN when I was overcome with the same sort of spirited feeling I had the first time I saw HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS, INNERSPACE, and THE ROCKETEER.
Much of ANT-MAN plays as a heist movie and the location of the big climactic showdown put a great big smile on my face. These are just a couple of the attributes that make ANT-MAN a breath of fresh air. There are certainly moments in the film that do lull a bit, and there is an overabundance of CGI, but overall, I greatly enjoyed the tone of ANT-MAN. Furthermore, I loved this film’s quirky sense of humor, and there’s no denying that the cast has wonderful chemistry.
Paul Rudd is at his affable best here as a reluctant hero trying to do the right thing. Veteran Michael Douglas is terrific as a father trying to make things right with his daughter, all while trying to protect his life’s work. Evangeline Lilly is tough and vulnerable as a woman looking for answers. She brings fierce independence and real dramatic weight to ANT-MAN. Meanwhile, a hilarious Michael Pena provides comic relief as scene-stealer Luis.
ANT-MAN is the lightest and funniest of Marvel’s cinematic endeavors, and it’s very creative in the way that it cleverly acknowledges the rest of the Marvel superhero universe. When CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER came out, a common question asked by viewers was “Why the hell aren’t any of the other Avengers showing up to help Steve Rogers out?” A fair question, and it’s one that “Ant-Man” has a bit of fun with.
As solid a job as Peyton Reed has done here, and as entertaining as the final product is, a part of me still wonders what this picture would have been like had Edgar Wright directed it. It’s easy to see where his incredibly visual stylistic sensibilities might have elevated the proceedings. But rather than dwelling on what could have been, we’ll focus on what we have. And what we have in ANT-MAN is a lively Marvel movie that cleverly trades in end-of-the-world bombast for a more intimate take on superheroes and the unshakable bond between parents and their children.
Side note: Stick around through the end credits. You get not one, but two stingers, and both are considerably more substantial than stingers of Marvel movies past.
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