"Ant-Man" is the latest installment in Marvel's connected superhero universe, and features the unorthodox new hero, Ant-Man, played by Paul Rudd. The face behind the mask is a skilled thief named Scott Lang, who is viewed as a hero in his young daughters eyes, but has proven to be anything but that in the beginning of the film. He is a convict who lost his family, and when he is released from prison, he is determined to change his ways and make a positive difference in the world. Enter Hank Pym, played by Michael Douglas, a brilliant scientist who has been voted out of his company by his greedy protege Daren Cross, and his daughter Hope Pym, played by Corey Stoll and Evangeline Lilly, respectively. Pym enlists Lang to help him stop Cross from using the powerful Pym particle and selling it off to criminal organizations. Lang becomes the Ant-Man, using ant like strength (and size) along with his god-given talents for theft for good.
"Ant-Man" had a lot of controversy surrounding production. The film had been in development for years until Edgar Wright, known for "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz", was tabbed as the director. Ultimately creative differences or what have you led to a divorce, and Peyton Reed was Wright's replacement. Directorial switches in the middle of production aren't a good sign, as they point to dysfunction behind the camera and lack of cohesion, but the final result was a film that ran without a hitch. "Ant-Man" was genuinely entertaining, despite its comical plot. This was due in large part to the movies overall tone, one that was very self aware and didn't take itself too seriously. Had "Ant-Man" tried to be a brooding Batman-like crime drama, it would have failed miserably. However the entire movie was witty and funny, even during intense scenes. "Ant-Man" knew what it was, and embraced it. The comedic charm of Paul Rudd and Michael Pena was what truly made "Ant-Man" hilarious, but it was also the well felt influence of its original director, Edgar Wright. With films such as "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead" in particular, Wright introduced his style of filmmaking, which was one filled with quick cuts and snappy dialogue. His movies are all fast paced and feature slews of montage like comedic bits. "Ant-Man" also featured situations like this with Michael Pena, whose character was reportedly created just for him by Wright in the film's early development. Wright was named in the credits as one of the screenwriters, and deservingly so, as his presence was truly felt.
The only real gripes I had with "Ant-Man" were a couple of the characters, namely Evangeline Lilly's and Corey Stoll's. Lilly plays Hank Pym's daughter, Hope. The two had a backstory that was somewhat interesting, but also drawn out a bit. Hope was annoying at times but eventually came around towards the end, becoming a less whiny and boring character. Stoll portrays Darren Cross, who was once Pym's protagee has since become the main protagonist of the movie. His motives aren't really justified and Stoll is caught overacting several times. He's just cruel for the heck of it and the viewers are not shown any method to his madness, making him a one dimensional villain. But aside from minor flaws, this movie was pretty solid. I especially enjoyed how unlike most superhero movies, there wasn't a forced romance shoved down our throats. The movie acknowledged the romantic tension between Hope and Scott, but didn't make it into a cliche and boring plot line. "Ant-Man" is shot gorgeously, especially in the moments where Scott turns small and becomes the Ant-Man. Having the camera blur the larger objects around Scott and sharply focus on the things his size was a brilliant touch that made the action sequences more exciting and fresh.
Overall, "Ant-Man" has a pretty basic plot, one that isn't very grand or sprawling, but provides a good starting point for what is definitely going to be a profitable franchise. There is beauty in simplicity, and "Ant-Man" kept things just small enough to complement the humor and wit of its ant sized hero and his hilarious accomplices. The stakes are just big enough to make the audience feel suspense, but not big enough to suspend our belief. "Ant-Man" was fun, and it made the most of its cast with good writing and a fresh, if unorthodox, concept.
B+