If "Guardians of the Galaxy" proved anything, it's that movie-goers appreciate lead characters who are as flawed as we are. Not every hero is as invincible as The Hulk or Thor. Some are just regular guys or gals trying to do the right thing. "Guardians" also showed us that comic book movie fans appreciate a liberal dose of humor in their movies. If handled properly, the plot won't be undermined by a few witty one-liners or characters whose silly antics or ineptitude puts a smile on the audience's faces. "Ant-Man," the latest entry into Marvel's cinematic universe, is sure to put a smile on your face, but it also provides enough thrills and a compelling story to satisfy on those levels as well.
Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is an ex-con trying to get back on his feet to help support his young daughter. Once employers find out about his record, it's out the door he must go. So, without any other options, Lang turns back to a life of crime for one last job: breaking into a wealthy old man's house to steal what riches may be hiding in a safe in his basement. The safe, once cracked, contains no visible riches -- just an old motorcyle suit and some vials of chemicals. Things go awry, Lang gets arrested and his only escape is to assist his would-be victim in a dangerous plot to prevent global chaos.
Michael Douglas plays genius scientist Hank Pym, the old man whose house Lang robbed. Pym may or may not have invented the technology to shrink living beings down to size decades ago, but if he did, he covered it up and buried the research so it would not fall into the wrong hands. Evangeline Lilly plays Hope, Pym's daughter, currently an executive at the company that Pym founded but was then forced out of. Corey Stoll plays scientist Darren Cross, once a protégé of Dr. Pym, but now on his own quest to master the science of shrinking things, both animate and inanimate. Pym sees that Cross is on the brink of a breakthrough and realizes that his one chance to prevent this technology from being weaponized will come at an event at the factory that is just a few days away. Pym enlists Lang to suit up in the "motorcycle suit" (which is clearly more than meets the eye) in order to pull off a dangerous heist, and potentially save the world.
One of the film's triumphs is in its ability to turn one's traditional expectation of an "action movie" on its head. Oh, there are exciting action sequences, to be sure, but due to the sometimes small stature of its heroes and villains, the shift between perspectives -- from a first person view of the action close-up to a wider more traditional view of the scene -- can lead to hilarious results. What seems epic in the close up looks like child's play as the perspective shifts out. Without giving too much away, I will say that Thomas the Tank Engine plays a rather large role in the film's climactic battle.
The film's effects are exceptionally well done, not just in the action sequences and whiz-bang special effects but in more subtle ways as well. At the start of the film, Hank Pym is a much younger man and Michael Douglas looks as if he's back on "Wall Street." Also, the soundtrack is excellent with a great score including Christophe Beck's powerful Ant-Man theme. And speaking of sound, the film was mixed in Dolby Atmos, an immersive sound format that places sound not just all around you but above you as well. If you get a chance to see the film in a Dolby Atmos theater, we'd recommend it as the sound really enhances the experience.
As usual with a Marvel movie, you should stick around through the credits to check out the bonus scenes. I won't spoil anything there, but suffice it to say Ant-Man and his friends may be joining some of Marvel's heavy-hitters in the future. And I for one am looking forward to that.
| Movie title | Ant-Man |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2015 |
| MPAA Rating | PG-13 |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | Marvel strikes again with an entertaining origin story of a hero who is both larger - and smaller - than life. |
