"I believe everyone deserves a shot at redemption, do you?"
Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) just got out of prison. He's hoping to start over and leave his life of crime behind him for good. But not so fast, after not being allowed to see his daughter Cassie, Scott eventually gets a tip for possibly a huge heist opportunity. Eventually deciding to take that opportunity, Scott breaks into a safe, only to find, a suit! A suit that shrinks!! While in the suit, Scott hears the voice of a random old guy named Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who just, by chance, has been watching him through surveillance and had him chosen to be the next Ant-Man. What can become of this?
One great thing about Ant-Man is that unlike Marvel's recent streak of upping their ante almost to the point of over-saturation of special effects, Ant-Man tones things down. The visual effects aren't constant. In fact, they are appropriately-used in the right spot. But even so, the shrinking visual effects, along with the cinematography, are all well-done. One specific action scene at the end also utilizes some really good visual effects (I'm not going to spoil it though). I have to admit, the last 30 minutes of the movie with the ending heist and action scene is extremely exciting.
Marvel movies are famous for planting seeds and references to other films as well as what's to come for the future. But, Ant-Man's connection to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most ambitious and the most genuinely enjoyable. The post-credits scene (not saying anything) is perhaps one of the best and most star-studded/cameo-filled scenes I've ever seen. In this movie, 2 major Marvel characters make appearances (and that doesn't include Stan Lee, who has another funny brief appearance here). In addition to that, Hayley Atwell returns as Agent Carter in a flashback scene, as does John Slattery as Howard Stark.
Rudd does solid work here as Lang. He's interesting and has a certain charisma that works well with his character. Douglas does a very good job as Pym, bringing a wisecracking, yet geeky tone to the professor. Also, at the beginning, special effects turn Douglas 25 years younger in a pretty darn amazing way. Evangeline Lilly is a decent female lead, and has a few solid scenes, even if it may seem like she doesn't have as much to do as Rudd or Douglas. One other young actress I'd like to point out is Abby Ryder Fortson, who plays Scott's daughter Cassie. She's given a few hysterical lines, and does a nice job with her character. Christophe Beck's music score hums along at a nice rate, even if it isn't particularly memorable.
I also liked how this film didn't take itself very seriously. For majority of the flick, even if it seems like a heist flick, the way the script moves feels more cartoonish, laid-back and somewhat like a Saturday morning cartoon. Considering this movie is trying its best to be family-oriented, not being incredibly serious was a very wise move. I also enjoyed the messages of redemption and getting priorities straight.
This film adds a family dynamic to the equation for the first time in a Marvel film, and it is my personal favorite plotline of the movie. It adds some heart to a heist flick. Here's the thing, I wish I could have seen a little bit more of it. It touched me and took my attention more than the plotline involving Lang and his heist gang. There is a couple of touching scenes, but I would have liked maybe a flashback of Scott and Cassie before Scott became more crime-driven. But what we're given is good.
In the meantime, I didn't find Michael Pena's character to be very funny. He's hard to keep up with and can be annoying at times. Considering how fast he talks (and I know this is random), Warner Bros. could definitely use him for a Speedy Gonzales movie (lol, he would be perfect, just saying...). But here, with the exception of one repeated gag that works, his character doesn't quite gel. I also was slightly disappointed with the villain. Corey Stoll does fine with what he's given, and Yellowjacket's suit and powers are a good fit in the MCU, but the way he acts and what is given to him is kind-of stereotypical (in terms of villains in general).
One other somewhat bothersome thing about Ant-Man is (and I'm putting my family-friendly hard hat on here) that, like Guardians of the Galaxy before it, the amount of cursing/language, is simply too much. This is a movie that was advertised on Disney Channel and actually tones down the violence enough to actually be more appropriate for elementary schoolers. But, the quantity of cussing here is twice the amount found in both Age of Ultron and Jurassic World, movies that are more intense and scary (as far as children are concerned) than this. Let me just reinforce this, if you want to make a movie that you want to have kids come to see, you don't put frequent uses of words in their faces that may end up making parents uneasy. Now this is not a huge issue, it just makes the movie ultimately a little bit less enjoyable than it could have been.
Ant-Man is the latest new superhero added to an already growing list of comic book heroes that are making their way to the screen. And with much more coming in the next 5 years, one has to wonder if the originality in these films is starting to go away. But what makes up for the usual superhero shtick is that these characters each have different backgrounds, different personalities, and different challenges that make them who they become.
Marvel has done a great job with that. And they hit a creativity and storytelling peak with Avengers: Age of Ultron earlier this summer. That movie was funny, exciting, visually stunning, and may have been the best movie in the MCU thus far (still need to watch it along with the first movie to make that decision). That's a hard act to follow here.
But I was clamoring to see what they had up their sleeve next. In the end, despite a troubled production history, Ant-Man actually does serve up something different. Its' script is slick, fun, and despite sometimes trying too hard to be funny, it is just as exciting and interesting as anything Marvel has brought to the big screen thus far. Plus, it plays around a couple of times with other characters in the MCU in perhaps the most exciting way seen so far. And that leads me to being somewhat disappointed that the screenwriters had to increase the profanity count here (only Guardians of the Galaxy among all MCU flicks has a bigger quantity of foul language).
Putting that and a few other small potholes aside, Ant-Man, though far from the MCU's best effort, is still a different, respectably-thrilling, and very decent addition to the rapidly-growing superhero genre.
Score: 7.3/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of:
Language: The s-word is blurted out four times. In addition to that, "d---" is hurled out 10 times, and "h---" and "a--" are used a half-dozen times each. One use each of "son of a b----" and "p---y". We also hear the obscene acronyms "BS" and "SOB" once, "screw" a handful of times, and "oh my g--" and various similarities a half-dozen more times.
Adult Content: Hope's outfits sometimes reveal cleavage. One kiss. Luis quips about a woman being the first "pair of b--bs" he ever touched.
Violence: A couple of people are zapped into red blobs. Scott is punched in the eye. A handful of moments involving giant ants. Lazers nearly disintegrate Ant-Man, and also destroy a handful of other things. A building explodes. Various punches, gunfire, etc. A couple of giant things cause some damage. Pym gives someone a bloody nose. Someone is shot. Another shrinks violently out of existence.
Drugs/Alcohol: Xanax is referred to once. Scott drinks a beer once. Alcoholic beverages make a few other isolated appearances.
Other: Criminal activities are seen a handful of times. Luis and the rest of Scott's crew aren't arrested for their deeds.
