Armed with a suit that shrinks him down to the size of an ant,
thief Scott Lang must help scientist Hank Pym save the world. ACTION/COMEDY/SCI-FI
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Ant-Man (2015)Directed by Peyton Reed
Written by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay, Paul Rudd Starring Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Abby Ryder Fortson, Michael Peña Based on characters from Marvel Comics |
Ant-Man was the little comic book film that could. It may not have been Marvel's greatest triumph, but it is without a doubt, a win for them. They have successfully taken one of their most looked-down-upon characters and made a solid film, which many thought would fall apart with all the drama surrounding the early production.
Paul Rudd was a great choice to play Scott Lang, the second man to wear the Ant-Man suit. His comedic timing combined with his immense likability helped make the film a success. Michael Douglas was an equally great choice to play Hank Pym, the first Ant-Man and one of Marvel's smartest characters. I, for one, never thought I would get to see Hank Pym adapted to film and Douglas plays him as he was meant to be played: A scientist driven to the brink by shadowy agencies who want his formula. Evangeline Lilly did a good job as Hope van Dyne, the daughter of Hank Pym and his late wife Janet van Dyne (who comic fans will recognize as the Wasp), though I felt her character was unnecessary. She seemed to only be there because they didn't use the Wasp and Hank needed someone to care about. Then we come to Corey Stoll's passable performance of Darren Cross, the villainous Yellowjacket. His character was a blatant rehash of Obadiah Stane from the first Iron Man and was once again an evil scientist with a personal grudge towards the hero. I wish Marvel would stop using this worn-out trope and come up with a different reason for the villain to hate the hero. That being said, Stoll performed admirably and did not kill the movie. Overall, Ant-Man was a huge surprise that proved to everyone once again that Marvel really can walk on water. As long as they keep churning out epic films like this, I will continue to be impressed. With two exciting post-credits scenes that promise more Ant-Man to come, I can look forward to that time. |
After tons of behind-the-scenes drama, from Edgar Wright departing and supposed heavy studio interference, surrounding this film, I honestly expected worse. Fortunately, I was very wrong as Ant-Man is another enjoyable film from Marvel Studios. A film with tons of humor, heart, and the introduction of an unconventional hero, Marvel shows everyone once again why they should be the only ones in charge of their comic characters.
Paul Rudd is fantastic as Scott Lang, the second person to don the Ant-Man suit. He brings a lot of warmth and heart to the film, along with his signature humor. Michael Douglas is great to watch as the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, bringing some gravitas to the role. Corey Stoll makes an impression performance wise as the film's villain, Darren Cross/Yellowjacket. The main problem with his character, though, is he's a very one dimensional villain. A recurring problem in a lot of Marvel's films. The real highlight of the movie, though, is Michael Peña as Scott Lang's best friend. He steals every scene he's in and is absolutely hilarious to watch. Everything pointed to this being Marvel's first major failure, but, luckily, it proved not to be. A great introduction to a new hero in the Cinematic Universe that also provided a ton of laughs and heart. Also, the two post credits scenes are great, with the last one blowing me away. Ant-Man still proves that this is a great time to be a comics fan. |