Before I dive into this review, I want to say that unlike many reviews out there, I'm not going to let the politics of the movie affect my review. This is ultimately Peyton Reed's movie, and whatever contributions are there are exactly that -- contributions.
When I look back at the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and I think about the successes and failiures of its various pictures, I think the studio does best when it plays to it's strengths. Which is excellent humor, great action, and excellent use of characters and story.
With Ant-Man it plays to those strengths, not only creating an engaging tale, but also creating one of (if not
the) best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What the cast, writers, and director manage to pull off is equal parts action, heart, and humor.
Ant-Man stars Paul Rudd
(I Love You Man, This Is 40) as Scott Lang, a Robin Hood of sorts who loves to steal from the rich and give to the poor. There's also a
Pretty Woman reference in here somewhere...
As the film starts we see that Scott is wanting to do right by his daughter, Cassie. Which mirrors the efforts of Hank Pym played my Michael Douglas (
Basic Instinct, Wall Street) to mend the relationship with his daughter
Janet Hope Van Dyne. I was able to connect to both characters and their desire to do right by their daughters. I felt the anguish that Hank felt keeping the truth from Hope; I felt Scott's desire to self-improve upon being told that he's missing the mark in his role as a father.
Amongst all of this Hank, Hope, and Scott must band together to stop Darren Cross played by Cory Stoll (
The Strain, Midnight In Paris) from utilizing Hank's Pym Particles for militaristic purposes. There's a few twists and turns in relation to how the three protagonists pull off the heist, but regardless of what was happening, I always felt rooted in the conflict.
As for the villain, I do think Darren Cross works. He may not have the backstory or complexity of a villain like Ultron or Loki, but for the role he serves in the film, he's utilized well.
The humor in the film is top-notch. Adam McKay and Paul Rudd made some excellent additions to the script, and while I was leaving the theatre someone mentioned "It was just like any other Paul Rudd movie but he was a superhero." Which in my eyes is a compliment to the film (despite them spouting it otherwise). The humor is never inapphropriate or overbearing like some MCU films (i.e.
Thor,
Thor: The Dark World).
There's quite a few nods to the over-arching Marvel mythology. Spider-Man does get a mention (and most people will totally miss it I'm guessing), there are a few references and nods to The Wasp, and even HYDRA makes an appearence. We do get a few returning characters such as Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter and John Slattery's Howard Stark. There's also a few direct tie-ins with
Avengers: Age of Ultron.
My favourite part of the movie though, and it's also a tie between it and this scene from
Guardians of the Galaxy:
Both the above scene and the climatic scene where Scott enters the Microverse to stop Darren Cross work because it manages to perfectly blend elements of action, drama, and heart. Hearing Cassie call out for Scott while he's subatomic is both heart warming, heart racing, and heart pounding.
On the note of Cassie comes my one complaint, and believe me when I say it's surface level. There's a few scenes throughout the film that paint Cassie's bond with Scott, when it's already been established in the film. I mean, it is nice to see, but in some ways it's unneccesary once the point has been made.
All in all I give this movie 1,000,000 Uncle Joey's out of 1,000,000.
In all seriousness
, this film is
PERFECT in how it captures the essence of Marvel Studios and it's spirit. Regardless of your view on how they make movies, this film plays to their strengths. Giving us amazing action, true heartfelt moments that stay with us, and witty humor. We'll have to wait and see how Ant-Man's role grows in upcoming films like
Captain America: Civil War, but I think this film not only established excellent framework, but also introduced Marvel's biggest character to date.