This review contains some spoilers for Ant-Man.
Avengers: Age of Ultron was a frenzied, unruly, and an ultimately fun ride that seemed like a fitting finale for the so-called “Phase Two” of Marvel Studios’ ever-expansive Cinematic Universe. However, that film doesn’t get the honor of closing out the latest batch of superhero films, with the new film Ant-Man instead having that privilege. That is certainly not a bad thing, as this film proves that not every superhero movie has to have global catastrophe at the centre of it all to have a winning formula, so to speak.
The titular hero of Ant-Man is Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), an ex-con who’s serving time for burgling some executives partaking in shady doings. He’s also a devout family man who is now at the end of his thread when it comes to said family, now being forced to go back into his thieving habits in order to make ends meet. It naturally leads him to the door of one Dr. Henry Pym (Michael Douglas, cool as ever), who has been watching Lang for quite some time. Turns out that the good doctor was also the super-powered S.H.I.E.L.D. operative known as “Ant-Man”, having long retired from the role. Now Pym has tasked Lang to become the new Ant-Man to pull off a heist in order to wring away a derivative of the Ant-Man suit known as the Yellowjacket, developed by Darren Cross (Corey Stoll).
Once again, Marvel Studios’ choice for a lead is another home run in the form of the charming Rudd, whose performance as the well-meaning title character is one that’ll have you easily rooting for him to not only save the day, but to also reconnect with his daughter. He’s certainly not a badass super-soldier like Captain America, nor is he a rich billionaire with access to a suit of armor like Tony Stark as Iron Man, but Lang is the down-to-earth everyman who is looking to make amends for past mistakes – something we can all attest to in our own lives. In fact, some of the film’s most emotional scenes involve Lang interacting with his daughter, showing us that there’s a certain reality to what’s at stake for him as he embarks on his bold new mission.
While the crux of Ant-Man are the usual Marvel superhero theatrics – albeit literally in a smaller scale – the running theme of family becomes one of the movie’s biggest strengths. Lang is a family man looking to make amends with daughter Cassie, while Hope isn’t exactly the biggest fan of her dad due to secrets being kept from her. On the other side of the coin are the attempts of Cross to forcibly make Dr. Pym proud of his efforts in creating the Yellowjacket suit, which is naturally, not as heartwarming as the aforementioned two instances of family.
A lot of the early skepticism for the film came from the rumors that the character of Janet Van Dyne (better known as the Wasp in Marvel Comics lore, and a founding Avenger in the aforementioned canon) would be reduced to a posthumous character to further Hank’s story. Fortunately for the final product, that is not the case. While Janet ends up only appearing in a flashback showcasing her and Hank conducting a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D., her presence is largely felt through, particularly with the character arc for Hope. That being said, fans of the Wasp should be satisfied with how the film treats their favorite character, even if Janet herself isn’t around for the main story.
Another strength lies with the film’s unique cinematography, something necessary for a film that focuses on a hero whose ability involves shrinking himself down to almost sub-atomic size. Utilizing macro-photography techniques combined with motion-capture to bring scenes with Ant-Man, Yellowjacket, and other miniature characters to life, these scenes are a visual marvel (pardon the pun) to behold. While films like Innerspace, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and The Incredible Shrinking Man have all previously brought us stories featuring shrunken protagonists, the premise is fully realized in Ant-Man, showcasing how far cinematography has evolved over the decades. It all culminates in an exhilarating action sequence near the end of the film where things get smaller like never before, and with Thomas the Tank Engine making his big Marvel Cinematic Universe debut – quite literally. The film’s impressive visuals are also in play with the film’s flashback prologue, where CGI is used to perfection in order to de-age Michael Douglas to an appropriate youthful appearance. Simply put, Ant-Man Is a visual treat from start to finish.
Another thing going for this little film that could are its supporting players: Michael Pena, Tip “T.I.” Harris, and David Dastmalchian are entertaining as Lang’s three criminal buddies, with Pena being the standout of the trio; Stoll exudes both ego and menace as the power-hungry Cross; Bobby Cannavale provides a serviceable performance as the new beau to Lang’s ex-wife (Judy Greer) – also serving as a foil to Lang due to his being a police officer; Douglas’s Dr. Pym is a mentor both wise and wiseass at the same time; and Lilly makes the most of her minor role as the doctor’s daughter.
And then, you’ve got the ants themselves, because after all, you can’t be Ant-Man if you don’t have any ants to command. While they’re all mostly CGI creations, they are all fully-realized and believable as Ant-Man’s trusted companions. It’s almost to the point where these pint-sized allies have as much depth and personality as the human characters of the film. A lot of attention and detail is also taken to ensure that these CGI ants behave and maneuver like actual ones, as well. Plus, the film also makes sure to specify certain species of ants and their functions, ensuring that you’ll also be learning a fair bit about them as you see these tiny wonders in action.
In the end, while Ant-Man doesn’t feature hordes of homicidal robots threatening humanity or an all-powerful stone with the power to wipe out everything, it’s still a film with lots of heart to go around – much like its Lilliputian protagonist. It’s a film that’s not afraid to instill aesops about the importance of fatherhood and family in the midst of all the heisting and superheroes running amok, and for that, it’s one that’s all the more better as a result.
Notes & Quotes
- Trailer Watch: Just two for the 3D IMAX showing – Star Wars (Still as cool as ever) and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (Tom Cruise is a madman).
- While Edgar Wright is infamously no longer involved with the film, his presence is still felt, to the point where he and Joe Cornish are credited with the script (with added polish by Adam McKay and Paul Rudd himself.)
- That being said, the final fight between Ant-Man and Yellowjacket does have certain elements that are Wright-inspired, such as the sequence involving Thomas the Tank Engine.
- Of course, it wouldn’t be a Marvel film if there weren’t any extra treats during and after the credits, and you’ll be happy to know that Ant-Man features two “stingers” (yes, pun very much intended), both of which are sure to bring smiles to hardcore fans.
- “Baskin-Robbins always finds out.”
- On that tangent, Baskin-Robbins misfired big time by not doing any tie-ins to Ant-Man, given that the title hero briefly works there at the start of the film.
- “Can we talk about the fact that I fought an Avenger and didn’t die?” (Not only that, Scott, but you actually beat said Avenger.)
- Yellowjacket: “I’m going to disintegrate you!” Siri on iPhone: “Now playing: Disintegration by The Cure.”
- “That’s one messed up looking dog!” (Said dog is an ant, by the by.)