MOVIE OF THE WEEK #2 (7/17/15) ANT-MAN
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| "Man! You think ring around the tub looks gross from afar ... Try being this close to it!" Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) finds himself in unfamiliar territory after first putting on the suit that turns him into the creation of Dr. Hank Pym, the titular ANT-MAN. Credit: 2015 Marvel Studios. All Rights Reserved. |
WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Peña, Clifford "T.I." Harris, Bobby Cannavale, David Dastmalchian, Martin Donovan, Abby Ryder Forston, Wood Harris and Judy Greer
WRITER(S): Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish & Adam McCkay and Paul Rudd (screenplay); Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish (story); Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby (characters)
DIRECTOR(S): Peyton Reed
60 SECOND PLOT SUMMARY (OR AS CLOSE TO THAT TIME AS ONE CAN MAKE IT): A film that mixes the two incarnations of the men best known for portraying him in the comics, Ant-Man begins by taking us back in time to 1989. That's where we first meet Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. (the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division for the uninitiated). A brilliant scientist, Pym is afraid of his most miraculous invention: The "Pym Particle," a scientific breakthrough that manipulates atoms in a VERY unique way. Unfortunately, Pym knows that Howard Stark (John Slattery reprising his role as Iron Man's dad), Mitchell Carson (Martin Donovan) and the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. will want to use his creation as a weapon (and he is not, as one might say, down with that).
Fast forward to the present day and Pym is now out of power he started, ousted by the man he once served as a mentor to, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll). Working alongside Pym's own daughter Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), Cross is thisclose to making a breakthrough of his own: The "Yellowjacket," a suit that mimics the Pym Particle to shrink a man to the size of an insect. And once Pym discovers that, he realizes that Cross – whom he rightly suspects plans to use the Yellowjacket in the most nefarious of ways – must be stopped.
Enter Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). A recent parolee of San Quentin prison, Lang is a man who wants to put his criminal past behind him for the sake of his daughter Cassie a.k.a. "Peanut" (Abby Ryder Forston), a young girl who still views her daddy as a hero. Maggie (Judy Greer) doesn't share that view anymore, however, which is why she has moved on and become engaged to Paxton (Bobby Cannavalle), a police officer who views Lang as more of a nuisance than anything else. Putting his criminal past behind him isn't going to be easy, either, as Lang's two main buddies – the fast-talking Luis (Michael Peña) and Dave (Clifford "T.I." Harris) and their friend heavily-accented friend Kurt (David Dastmalchian) – are always on the lookout for a "job." (And it's not the type that comes with a W-2, either, if you get the drift.)
As luck would have it, their latest job centers around breaking into the house of an old man with a big safe in his place that just has to have something good inside of it ... But what Lang discovers inside will change his life – as well potentially as the rest of the free world – forever.
Fast forward to the present day and Pym is now out of power he started, ousted by the man he once served as a mentor to, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll). Working alongside Pym's own daughter Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), Cross is thisclose to making a breakthrough of his own: The "Yellowjacket," a suit that mimics the Pym Particle to shrink a man to the size of an insect. And once Pym discovers that, he realizes that Cross – whom he rightly suspects plans to use the Yellowjacket in the most nefarious of ways – must be stopped.
Enter Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). A recent parolee of San Quentin prison, Lang is a man who wants to put his criminal past behind him for the sake of his daughter Cassie a.k.a. "Peanut" (Abby Ryder Forston), a young girl who still views her daddy as a hero. Maggie (Judy Greer) doesn't share that view anymore, however, which is why she has moved on and become engaged to Paxton (Bobby Cannavalle), a police officer who views Lang as more of a nuisance than anything else. Putting his criminal past behind him isn't going to be easy, either, as Lang's two main buddies – the fast-talking Luis (Michael Peña) and Dave (Clifford "T.I." Harris) and their friend heavily-accented friend Kurt (David Dastmalchian) – are always on the lookout for a "job." (And it's not the type that comes with a W-2, either, if you get the drift.)
As luck would have it, their latest job centers around breaking into the house of an old man with a big safe in his place that just has to have something good inside of it ... But what Lang discovers inside will change his life – as well potentially as the rest of the free world – forever.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Longstanding fans of previous Marvel movies; Paul Rudd fans; Michael Douglas fans; Michael Peña fans; people who like movies with mixes of unique action and comedy
WHO WON’T (OR SHOULDN'T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who can't buy into the Ant-Man concept; anyone who need superheroes with more brawn than brain
SO, IS IT GOOD, BAD OR ABSOLUTELY AWFUL? When Marvel Studios announced that a full-length feature starring one of the original Avengers characters that was left out of the Avengers movie, many fans were excited. Then they heard it was Ant-Man and many of those same people went "Who?!"
Well, his name may be the most unfamiliar in the current Marvel movie universe, but believe this: Ant-Man delivers the biggest entertainment value of the summer with a great mix of smart comedy, action and dazzling special effects.
While it is by far the least "dark" of any of the Marvel entries, Ant-Man delivers pretty much everything you could hope for in a superhero action movie. Paul Rudd may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think Marvel action hero, but watch 30 minutes of Ant-Man and it may be hard for you to imagine anyone else playing the role of Scott Lang. Rudd does an excellent job as you might expect at nailing the film's plentiful comedic moments, but he shows a strong presence as a man trying to do right by his daughter in the film's more sentimental moments. However, when it is time for Ant-Man to go into action, he exhibits the command necessary to make the character believable and someone you want to root for. He likewise does the same in training to become Marvel's next hero; picture him as the Rocky Balboa of the Marvel Universe except with Apollo Creed's swagger in the right moments.
Rudd likewise plays well off of Douglas, who functions expertly as Lang's mentor and center through whom the entire film runs through. Whereas he serves as the father figure that creates animosity in his former protege and trust issues in his daughter, he also does his best to atone for both of those in his treatment of Lang in a classic "man making up for past mistakes" fashion.
The two things that really make Ant-Man stand out, however, are the secondary characters that compose Lang's crew and the action sequences that, quite frankly, haven't really been seen in a superhero movie before. Peña is absolutely hilarious as Luis, stealing nearly every scene he's in by just being a jovial guy you'd want to hang out with who is well intentioned if not a little too hyper possibly for his own good. Harris also shines within the screen time he is given, making the duo a perfect pair of comic foils to keep things lighthearted and fun throughout the film
Besides Rudd, director Peyton Reed may be the biggest winner to come out of Ant-Man as not only is the film loaded with eye-popping scenes, it's arguably the best of the Marvel origin story movies yet. Ant-Man draws you into the world of what it would be like to be an ant – and a man with total control over an army of hundreds/thousands of them – in dazzling fashion. This isn't Honey I Shrunk the Kids type of stuff, this is live action to scale type of stuff. That's what in turn makes the film's epic final battle so amazing as it delivers a mix of unprecedented action and comedy you'll have to see to believe as it pays homage to what any kid who ever had action figures battle in their room wanted that experience to really be like. Reed's attention to every little detail really pays off in the long-run, inserting Ant-Man firmly into the Marvel universe, catching up with with the Avengers and setting up future films. (Hint as if you need it: Sit in your seat until the very end of the movie.)
But given how good Ant-Man is, you likely won't want to get out of your seat except to go purchase a ticket to see it again.
Well, his name may be the most unfamiliar in the current Marvel movie universe, but believe this: Ant-Man delivers the biggest entertainment value of the summer with a great mix of smart comedy, action and dazzling special effects.
While it is by far the least "dark" of any of the Marvel entries, Ant-Man delivers pretty much everything you could hope for in a superhero action movie. Paul Rudd may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think Marvel action hero, but watch 30 minutes of Ant-Man and it may be hard for you to imagine anyone else playing the role of Scott Lang. Rudd does an excellent job as you might expect at nailing the film's plentiful comedic moments, but he shows a strong presence as a man trying to do right by his daughter in the film's more sentimental moments. However, when it is time for Ant-Man to go into action, he exhibits the command necessary to make the character believable and someone you want to root for. He likewise does the same in training to become Marvel's next hero; picture him as the Rocky Balboa of the Marvel Universe except with Apollo Creed's swagger in the right moments.
Rudd likewise plays well off of Douglas, who functions expertly as Lang's mentor and center through whom the entire film runs through. Whereas he serves as the father figure that creates animosity in his former protege and trust issues in his daughter, he also does his best to atone for both of those in his treatment of Lang in a classic "man making up for past mistakes" fashion.
The two things that really make Ant-Man stand out, however, are the secondary characters that compose Lang's crew and the action sequences that, quite frankly, haven't really been seen in a superhero movie before. Peña is absolutely hilarious as Luis, stealing nearly every scene he's in by just being a jovial guy you'd want to hang out with who is well intentioned if not a little too hyper possibly for his own good. Harris also shines within the screen time he is given, making the duo a perfect pair of comic foils to keep things lighthearted and fun throughout the film
Besides Rudd, director Peyton Reed may be the biggest winner to come out of Ant-Man as not only is the film loaded with eye-popping scenes, it's arguably the best of the Marvel origin story movies yet. Ant-Man draws you into the world of what it would be like to be an ant – and a man with total control over an army of hundreds/thousands of them – in dazzling fashion. This isn't Honey I Shrunk the Kids type of stuff, this is live action to scale type of stuff. That's what in turn makes the film's epic final battle so amazing as it delivers a mix of unprecedented action and comedy you'll have to see to believe as it pays homage to what any kid who ever had action figures battle in their room wanted that experience to really be like. Reed's attention to every little detail really pays off in the long-run, inserting Ant-Man firmly into the Marvel universe, catching up with with the Avengers and setting up future films. (Hint as if you need it: Sit in your seat until the very end of the movie.)
But given how good Ant-Man is, you likely won't want to get out of your seat except to go purchase a ticket to see it again.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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