“It was never just a heist.”
And in those words, Paul Rudd‘s Scott Lang captures in a nutshell what Ant-Man is as a movie. Tonally, Ant-Man fits very well in the tradition of Hollywood heist films, it has all the clichés – it’s fast-paced, thrilling, and quirkily comedic. At the same time though, it’s also very much sci-fi and a comic book movie. This meeting of the genres, supported by special effects that spare no expense in presenting the dazzling vision of big action in the “tinyverse” makes Ant-Man one of Marvel’s most enjoyable and downright better entries (Here’s looking at you, Thor).
Taking its cue from its incredible shrinking protagonist, Ant-Man scales down its story compared to the epic, world-saving action we’ve gotten used to seeing from Marvel. With this smaller-scale comes bigger heart. Not once will you find yourself shaking your head, wondering what’s going on while watching the movie; it’s all very straightforward and standalone. Having this streamlined plot gives the characters larger space to shine, highlighting relationships and scene-stealing performances from its cast of characters and it is this heart that serves as the foundation of the movie. Quite frankly, this is as a breath of fresh air when you compare it to the more bloated entries of the Marvel franchise.
Along with heart, humor also serves as a strong suit of the movie. You can pretty much tell Adam McKay‘s stamp on the script from the great comedy Ant-Man features – from the nonchalant delivery of joke-interlaced dialogue to wacky group dynamics (which surprisingly for a PG also involve some profanity). In fact, Scott Lang’s crew composed of: Michael Pena, T.I., and the Dark Knight’s David Dastmalchian feel very much like the Channel 4 News Team from the Anchorman movies, albeit a more family-friendly version of it.
Complementary to this brand of comedy are the influences of Edgar Wright, which still shine underneath it all. Still present are the stylistic visual comedy elements, such as fast cuts, which the director is very much known for. I’d like to think that these are remnants from the original concept of Wright. Peyton Reed‘s direction though deserves the credit for being able to combine all these different elements and styles not only seamlessly but also effectively while at same time adding a little bit more.
Ant-Man‘s visual comedy is even more impeccable once you consider how well blended it is in the innovative action featured in the movie. Action and comedy work hand in hand in Ant-Man as it is able to shift the spectrum – being high tension in one moment to being flat out funny in the next. Very self-aware, It doesn’t feel forced nor does the comedy feel like an overdo which kills the flow of the action (Here’s looking at you again, Thor). The shining moments of this blend though are when they are able to juxtapose the tiny action sequences to the zoomed out real world scenario.
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The glue that holds all these well crafted components though are the terrific performances of the movie’s well rounded cast. Paul Rudd is able to play his natural likability to an ace in Scott Lang. He’s not your boy scout of a hero nor does he look cut from the same cloth as one but it is this goofy, “guy you can meet on the street” appeal that makes him impossible not to root for. Competing though for most likable character is his sidekick Luis (played by the normally serious actor, Michael Pena) who steals the show with his solid comic timing.
Ant-Man though, like most of the Marvel movies, also suffers from weak villain-itis. Even with a terrific actor like Corey Stoll taking on the character of Darren Cross/Yellowjacket. The script just isn’t enough to flesh out the character. There just isn’t that much dimension and depth to make him memorable. He just serves his role as the evil guy who wants to do something really bad that the heroes must stop, that’s it. But don’t get me wrong, Corey Stoll definitely brings everything he’s got to this role, he is able to serve the right amount of imposing to make the villain feel like a threat. It’s just that beyond that, there’s little motivation or development to his character. In fact, It is the drama they try to put behind Stoll’s character, as well as the estrangement between Hope (Evangeline Lily) and her father, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), that drag the movie a bit in some places. Luckily, Paul Rudd is there to serve as the voice of audience, cutting the dramatic tension in more than one scene.
Ant-Man is far from a perfect movie. Its plot is formulaic and, when you come to think of it, it doesn’t really break new ground but it is this simplicity that also serves as its strength. It doesn’t try to supplant a nice simple plot with a complex yet convoluted one; It doesn’t go for epic, mass destruction to showcase superhero action. It is straightforward, lighthearted, well-paced, and enjoyable. And in a sea of bloated, disappointing blockbusters, maybe this is just the kind of movie we need.
Marvel’s Ant-Man is now showing in theaters.
