After the world-shaking events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe concluded with a film that had a smaller focus: introducing Ant-Man, a superhero that has been portrayed by different characters in Marvel Comics. Ant-Man is in an exciting heist movie, rooted in science fiction, anchored by the comic charisma of its star, Paul Rudd.
Buy Ant-Man Blu-rayIn its prologue, set in 1989, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) discovers S.H.I.E.L.D. is trying to steal his Pym Particles, a compound that has the ability to shrink matter, leading Hank to quit. He would go on to form a scientific-research company. In present day, Hank has been forced out of the company by his former protege, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), and his estranged daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly).
Also in present day, Scott Lang (Rudd) is released from prison. He had worked for a company that was overcharging customers in the millions. When he blew the whistle, they fired him, so Scott hacked their computer system, returning the money overcharged and posting the company’s bank records online. Being an ex-con, he has trouble finding work. Because he owes back child support, which is causing his ex-wife Maggie (Judy Greer) to keep his daughter Cassie (the adorable Abby Ryder Fortson) from him, he gives in and accepts his friend Luis’ (Michael Peña, who gives a standout comic performance) plan for an easy robbery.
While Luis and his crew wait on the street, Scott shows off his athleticism and his intelligence during the heist. When the final safe is opened, all Scott finds is what he presumes is an outfit for a motorcycle and a helmet and takes them. Thinking the suit must have value, he tries it on and accidentally shrinks himself. He hears someone (Hank) speak to him through the helmet and has to run around the apartment building until he can figure out to enlarge himself.
Eventually, Scott learns that the robbery was set up by Hank to learn if Scott was talented enough to break into his old facility. It turns out Darren is working on his version of Pym Particles, which are to be incorporated into a solder suit, dubbed Yellowjacket, and Hank wants all of it destroyed. Scott accepts and begins training, learning how to fight, how to use the suit, and how to control ants. They need a device stored at an Avengers facility. It’s Scott’s first big test, which becomes more challenging when an Avenger catches him on the grounds. With Darren planning on selling Yellowjacket suits to the nefarious HYDRA organization, Scott and Hank must strike quickly.
Ant-Man starts as a heist film. It concludes as an action film with a battle sequence between Scott suited as Ant-Man and Darren suited as Yellowjacket that is epic in scope, although not always in scale as the characters alternate their sizes as they fight. This shifting perspectives add to its uniqueness within the superhero genre and adds humor to break the tension.
Ant-Man succeeds on the strength of its screenplay by Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish and Adam McKay & Paul Rudd. The characters are believable as unbelievable events occur, and the cast does a great job bringing them to life, understanding both the drama and comedy of the scene with director Peyton Reed helping to balance the humanity among the technology, both in-movie and what was required to make the movie. For the curious, there is a mid credit scene that leads to the next Ant-Man movie and a post credit scene that leads to Captain America: Civil War.
