Update: July 14, 2015
Dragonlord's Review of ANT-MAN (No Spoilers)
Bottom Line: Wagering on an unorthodox main character most people have never even heard of, Marvel Studios' gamble pays off by transforming Ant-Man into a fun heist action flick even though it never quite soars compared to its brethrens' origin films.
Marvel's Ant-Man had a lot of going against it. Second only to Guardians of the Galaxy, this was Marvel's riskiest venture yet. Most moviegoers don't know who Ant-Man is, let alone his alter ego Scott Lang, and most thinks his powers (shrinking and controlling ants) are stupid. And when fan-favorite director Edgar Wright left the project, nearly everyone was predicting the film would now suck.
Cut to the present, and although it doesn't reach the same heights as past Marvel Studios origin films, Ant-Man is entertaining, and unlike other superhero movies before, it's also a fun heist film. Director Peyton Reed does a commendable job of filling in for Wright, giving the film a playful tone that amiably balances the vintage sci-fi, superhero action and caper aspects of the film. Despite no longer involved with the film, Wright's presence still looms with its quick, whiz-bang edit cuts, irreverent humor and rebellious overtone.
Loosely based on the "To Steal an Ant-Man" story in Marvel Premiere #47, Paul Rudd stars as Scott Lang, a reformed burglar chosen by genius inventor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to steal a dangerous tech from falling into the wrong hands. The charming performances by Rudd and Douglas enhances the film, as well as the terrific chemistry of their mentor-protege relationship. They also did an amazing job de-aging Douglas in the 1989 setting prologue.
Corey Stoll as Darren Cross was a pretty good villain with just the right amount of savviness, instability and ruthlessness. Evangeline Lilly was acceptable as Hope Van Dyne, Hank Pym's feisty daughter, who may have a future in the MCU. Though a lot of people will probably find his scenes funny, Michael Pena's schtick was merely amusing to me. David Dastmalchian and T.I. were unnecessary comic relief characters. The humor doesn't always work and at times felt cheap, like when Scott interrupts a 'healing moment.'
The action scenes involving Ant-Man were pretty cool with the constant motion and shift in perspective. The training montage was also enjoyable. The different type of ants were adorable and as much a part of the cast as the human characters. One of the best moments was a pre-heist that leads to a brief but memorable meeting with an MCU character. The film did an outstanding job of showcasing Ant-Man's powers and abilities, and hopefully enlightening doubters that the character is a bad-ass in his own little way.
Despite Ant-Man being a standalone movie, I love the fact that it's fully immersed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with established characters popping up and references to other events and characters, but done in a natural manner. This film is also the first time Spider-Man is somewhat mentioned.
Regardless if it was entertaining, the film just wasn't that great. Under the guidance of a slick director, say Matthew Vaughn, the movie could have transcended the material. One thing I found troubling was Christophe Beck's uninspiring score which was just adequate but failed to elevate the scenes it accompanied. The actual heist was fun but could have elaborated how tough the security was. They also missed a great opportunity to utilize the cop Paxton (Bobby Cannavale) as a foil to the heroes during the planning stages to heighten the tension in the actual heist.
Lastly, watch out for the two post-credit scenes, one at the middle and one at the very end.
Rating: 7/10
