3.5/5 Ant-Man In my mind, Ant-Man will always be the “the movie that could’ve been.” Think of all the delicious possibilities in a Marvel film made by British comedy extraordinaire Edgar Wright. one-fourth of a screenwriting credit does not begin to justify the comic book studio refusing to trust Wright’s creative and comedic genius. Unsurprisingly, like any movie with a highly publicized director change and four different script polishes from four different writers, Ant-Man feels like a disjointed mixtape of styles and musings. Luckily for us, Yes Man-director Peyton Reed does a surprisingly handy job of polishing over the creaky joints and making Marvel’s caper film feel more singular than it has the right to be. As far as plotting goes, nothing has changed. There’s a down-on-his-luck, good-hearted hero (Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang), a couple billionaire CEO’s (Michael Douglas’ good Hank Pym and Corey Stoll’s bad Darren Cross), and something supernatural that could destroy the world if Hyrda gets their hands on it (Pym’s shrinking serum). Oh, and do not forget the handful of gratuitous references to the other Avengers that serve no other purpose than to get a couple lazy chuckles from a fanbase who will never admit their fatigue. While the story offers few surprises, Ant-Man does succeed when it comes to humor, the charm of its cast, and a somewhat more simplistic approach - I say "somewhat" because no movie that features a building imploding into nothing or a man shrinking his way into the unknown territory inside an atom can truly be called simplistic. There is one thing that is not in question: Paul Rudd is lovable comic of expert timing. Saying Rudd carries the film may be an overstatement, but there is no denying his contribution to the welcoming feel of the film. The same could be said for Michael Douglas, who automatically adds points just for being there, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, and Michael Peña. | Director: Peyton Reed Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Evangeline Lilly, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Michael Peña, T.I. Writers: Edgar Wright, Adam McKay, Paul Rudd, Joe Cornish |
There is one character that I would like to dedicate a little time to, and that is Pym’s daughter Hope, played by Lost veteran Evangeline Lilly. If there is one thing that Marvel studios should put more thought into, it’s their female characters. Hope encapsulates everything that’s wrong with the Marvel female. Almost 100% of the time, the women of Marvel are twice as fierce as the male hero. Being a fierce character can only go so far. No matter how capable and willing they are to get the job done, they always end up observing, sidelined by a more marketable male figure. It’s almost as if Reed & Co. are in on it, seeing as how they make countless references to how much more capable Hope is than Scott; but in the end, they adhere right back to the ways of old and Scott saves the day, gets his daughter back, and wins the affection of the same girl who should have been the star.
Was I entertained by Ant-Man? Sure! It was funny, aesthetically pleasing, and thrilling (in that safe Marvel kind of way). The shrunken action sequences are truly a sight to see. At the end of the day, on a base, formulaic level, there is nothing here that cannot be found in the original Iron Man. There has never been a truly terrible Marvel film, and the same can be said for a truly classic Marvel film. They have found their marketable, just-good-enough sweet spot and I’ll be damned if they ever move away from it.
Was I entertained by Ant-Man? Sure! It was funny, aesthetically pleasing, and thrilling (in that safe Marvel kind of way). The shrunken action sequences are truly a sight to see. At the end of the day, on a base, formulaic level, there is nothing here that cannot be found in the original Iron Man. There has never been a truly terrible Marvel film, and the same can be said for a truly classic Marvel film. They have found their marketable, just-good-enough sweet spot and I’ll be damned if they ever move away from it.