2015 | Dir. Peyton Reed | 117 Minutes
"I know a guy."
To stop a powerful and potentially dangerous technology from falling into the wrong hands, pioneering former SHIELD scientist Hank Pym recruits Scott Lang, a down-on-his-luck master burglar, to steal and destroy the tech from his wayward protégé at the headquarters of his own company. With the help Pym’s inventions, combat training from Pym’s estranged daughter Hope, a ragtag group of thieves, and an army of ants at his command, Lang becomes an unlikely microscopic superhero.
Thoroughly comedic in tone and with a whole lot of heart to boot, writers Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish built what is essentially a quirky heist film that happens to feature a man who can shrink. Comedy director Peyton Reed, along with additional writers Adam McKay and Paul Rudd pile on an extra layer of snappy humor. However, after a light and fun training montage, the film runs into pacing problems roughly halfway through its runtime, with weighty but touching drama clashing with significant dose of exposition in just a handful of consecutive scenes. Fortunately, a surprise fight scene between our hero and an Avenger, and the film’s culminating action sequences are absolutely fantastic, playing with scale in truly inventive ways featuring spectacular visual effects, with Lang's insect friends often stealing the spotlight.
Best known as a supporting comedic actor, Paul Rudd is appropriately charismatic as the scrappy Scott Lang, naturally funny but still able to sell the role’s dramatic beats especially in the scenes he shares with child actress Abby Ryder Fortson who plays Lang’s daughter Cassie. Veteran Oscar winner Michael Douglas brings his A-game to the role of Hank Pym, carrying much of the dramatic weight of the picture, truly committing to the part of a tortured scientist trying to patch the rift between him and his daughter while taking full responsibility for the mistakes of his past. As Hope van Dyne, Evangeline Lilly does a fine job playing the tough no-nonsense frustrated woman who struggles to reconnect with her father, although the role in this film is relatively small, serving more to set up the character for future films. Though the part of the villain is slightly underwritten, Corey Stoll goes for broke as the ruthless mentally unhinged Darren Cross, completely letting loose in his own Yellowjacket power suit during the film’s final act.
The film sports a strong supporting cast of excellent character actors led by the scene-stealing Michael Peña as Luis, Lang’s overenthusiastic former cellmate and partner in crime. The rest of Lang’s crew consists of hip-hop artist Tip "T.I." Harris as getaway driver Dave and David Dastmalchian as computer hacker Kurt. The talented Judy Greer is featured in a very minor part as Lang’s ex-wife Maggie. Bobby Cannavale plays Maggie’s police officer fiancé Paxton whose partner Gale is played by Wood Harris. Martin Donovan makes several brief appearances as a former SHIELD leader Mitchell Carson, revealed to be a Hydra official. Returning from previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films are Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson in a brief but memorable turn, with quick cameos from John Slattery as Howard Stark returning from Iron Man 2 and Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter.
Ant-Man is a concentrated capsule of fun that tops off the second phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a more intimate story playing in stark contrast to the over-the-top grandeur of Avengers: Age of Ultron. As a feature-length denouement to Phase Two, it effectively establishes the post-Ultron world of the MCU, but above all it is still very much its own entertaining self-contained film.
MID-CREDITS STINGER
Pym gifts Hope a prototype of an advanced power suit so that she may follow her mother’s heroic footsteps as The Wasp.
POST-CREDITS STINGER
Dir. Anthony and Joe Russo
Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) are alone with an incapacitated Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Pressed for allies, Sam mentions that he "knows a guy". The full version of this scene is featured in Captain America: Civil War.
STAN LEE CAMEO
Stan the Man is a bartender in a an elaborate chain of communication as part of Sam Wilson's attempt to reach out to Scott Lang to recruit him at the end of the film
FRAGMENTS
- The film was in development since the beginning of Phase One alongside Iron Man with British comedy director Edgar Wright set to direct until creative differences arose between Wright and Marvel Studios at the very end of pre-production (The Hollywood Reporter)
- Director Peyton Reed was once slated to directed Fantastic Four for 20th Century Fox in the early 2000s before leaving citing 20th Century Fox's mistreatment of the source material
- As Darren Cross theatrically dismisses the Ant-Man technology as Cold War propaganda to his clients, he throws out the phrase "Tales to Astonish", a reference to the comic book series in which Ant-Man made his debut in 1962
- During his mission to break into a Stark Industries warehouse, Christophe Beck’s musical score references Alan Silvestri’s theme for The Avengers when the warehouse is revealed to be the new Avengers Headquarters established in Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Christophe Beck's score also references Henry Jackman's theme for the Falcon from Captain America: The Winter Soldier when Scott unexpectedly faces off against Sam
- While infiltrating the Pym Technologies building as a phony security guard, Luis whistles "It’s a Small World," a nod to the Walt Disney Company, the current owners of Marvel Studios
