'Ant-Man' Review

Ant-Man Review:

Small Scale, Big Fun

BY IAN TAN

        Closing up Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Ant-Man, a hero with the ability to shrink to the size of an insect. That sounds like quite a ridiculous concept for a superhero. I mean, Ant-Man? It seems like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were really scraping the bottom of the barrel when they came up with this superhero. However, as Marvel Studios has proven with Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy, no hero(es) too unknown, big or small can fail to attract millions of dollars at the box office as long as Marvel’s got their name in the opening titles.

            In Ant-Man, we follow Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a down-on-his-luck burglar who’s trying to make things right with his estranged daughter. Just when things go from bad to worse for Scott, an old man by the name of Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) offers him a shot at redemption – a heist that involves Scott having to break into Darren Cross’ scientific facility and steal a piece of shrinking tech called the Yellowjacket before it falls into the wrong hands. The original shrinking technology achieved by Hank Pym years ago was never meant to go public, but sour mentor-protégé drama between Pym and Cross has led the latter to do everything in his power to harness it for the sake of revenge and monetary success.

The baldie, the baddie. 

With the production of the film being quite a mess (director Edgar Wright opted out of the project due to creative differences, the script underwent multiple rewrites and a new director was needed to replace Wright) – I was worried that the film might’ve turned out like an Iron Man 2 instead of a Guardians of the Galaxy. Thankfully, I am pleased to say that Ant-Man is more of a Guardians of the Galaxy triumph than an Iron Man 2 disappointment. Good on you, Marvel. May you never make another mediocre film again.

Director Peyton Reed had some big shoes to fill after Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World) stepped down from the director’s chair, and Peyton Reed did a great job with this movie. The combination of action, comedy and drama is well balanced thanks to Reed’s direction and the film’s witty script. Much like The Avengers, this Marvel production makes the best use of its ensemble cast seen on screen. Every actor is given a chance to shine in this movie. Many supporting characters such as those played by Michael Pena, T.I. and David Dastmalchian will definitely remain in audiences heads long after the credits roll. 

The cast of Ant-Man. Director Peyton Reed on the right.

              The standout for me was Michael Douglas, who's as good as an on-screen Hank Pym can get, and injects some genuine emotion into the role. The parallel of having both Hank and Scott deal with father-daughter issues puts the film's heart in the right place, even though the family drama in the Pym house resonates more than Scott and Cassie's. Paul Rudd too is excellent as Scott Lang/ Ant-Man, playing the character with some great comedic timing and a good dose of down-to-earth charm. I can't wait to see the camaraderie he'll share with the other members of the Marvel Cinematic Universe once Captain America: Civil War  opens next year. 

Action-wise, Ant-Man features some really interesting sequences thanks to the titular hero’s shrinking abilities. Although there really isn’t that much action until the final act of the film, Scott’s journey of discovery as a hero is what really glues audiences to the screen, much like in the first Iron Man. Several scenes involving Scott training in the Ant-Man suit with the supervision of Hank and his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lily) make for some really entertaining sequences. And whenever shrinking is involved, the special effects look great. There are a couple of instances where the Yellowjacket suit does look a little CG, but the overall use of special effects here is convincing enough. Also, this is Marvel’s best use of 3D since Guardians of the Galaxy, and the third dimension really enhances the overall movie-going experience.

Honey, I Shrunk Myself

Now, Marvel’s standalone films have never been recognized for memorable villains, and Ant-Man is no exception. Corey Stoll as villain Darren Cross/ Yellowjacket is underwritten, dull and forgettable. He’s basically Obadiah Stane from Iron Man, but Jeff Bridges already nailed that business rival villain character so there’s nothing new or noteworthy about Ant-Man’s similar nemesis. Villains aside, although the film has its share of dramatic and heartfelt moments that work when they need to, they don’t seem to fit in smoothly with the overall storyline due to some choppy editing and lack of dramatic focus. In addition to that, the film does suffer from some expositional dialogue in the first quarter of the movie, and it sometimes feels a little unrealistic and forced. What does work, however, is the humour. Every character in Ant-Man is subject to at least one scene of comedy, and it works every time. Michael Pena in particular has two hilarious scene-stealers, one early on in the film and the other towards the end.

Red and yellow. Bee Vs. Ant. CGI Vs. Practical.

             In a nutshell, Ant-Man is another Marvel success. Not only does it serve as a well-told superhero origin story, it also fits in seamlessly with the Marvel Cinematic Universe with some great nods to past and future events within the shared movie universe. Despite its lack of a compelling villain and a bit of uneven editing, Ant-Man provides big entertainment on a small(er) scale compared to previous Marvel entries, and its merits definitely outweigh its faults. As far as superhero origin films are concerned, this one comes pretty close to the quality of Iron Man and Captain America: The First Avenger. 

Final Verdict

Ant-Man gets 8 out of 10 stars – A small, but thoroughly entertaining Marvel Phase 2 finisher.