Directed by: Peyton Reed
Genre: superhero
Running time: 117 minutes
Released: 2015
Produced by Marvel Studios
Forced out of his own company by former protégé Darren Cross, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) recruits the talents of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a master thief just released from prison. Lang becomes Ant-Man, trained by Pym and armed with a suit that allows him to shrink in size, possess superhuman strength and control an army of ants. The miniature hero must use his new skills to prevent Cross, also known as Yellowjacket, from perfecting the same technology and using it as a weapon for evil.
Marvel Studios has done it again with Ant-Man, a super hero film that most expected to bomb, proving that Ant-Man isn’t too small for the box office. Ant-Man was a fun movie, playing off its own small size at times to keep itself light and enjoyable. By doing so, it provides a nice contrast to the larger than life Avengers: Age of Ultron, which came out recently.
Scott Lang, a former thief, has just been released from prison and is struggling to rebuild his life without turning back to crime, as no one is willing to hire an ex-convict. Additionally, his ex-wife is unwilling to let him back into his daughter’s life until he can prove he has changed. He is forced to accept an offer from Dr. Hank Pym, who wants him to take up the mantle of Ant-Man and break into his former headquarters to steal the Pym Particle, a shrinking serum that could be used to create super soldiers.
Part of what makes Ant-Man a good film is that it is self-aware. It doesn’t try to make itself out as a giant film. While there are heavy stakes if Lang fails, the world is not going to end. The film even pokes fun at itself with an action scene that takes place on toy trains in a child’s bedroom.
Paul Rudd’s performance as Scott Lang contributed nicely to the light mood of the film. He plays off the ridiculousness of an ex-convict becoming a superhero and provides subtle humor that does not come off too strongly. I strongly recommend this film to any comic book fans or just anyone looking for a fun action movie.
Author: Austin
Austin enjoys reading fantasy books and watching a variety of films from actions to dramas. In his free time, he can be found gaming.
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