Movie review: ‘Ant-Man’ is a funny, clever addition to the Marvel universe
Marvel's "Ant-Man." (Marvel Studios)
Screenshot from Marvel's "Ant-Man." (Marvel Studios)
Parents need to know that "Ant-Man" is a Marvel Studios/Disney superhero film basked on a Stan Lee comic, and is overall on the tamer end of the Marvel movie scale. (Common Sense Media/TNS)
Parents need to know that “Ant-Man” is a Marvel Studios/Disney superhero film (based on a Stan Lee comic) that’s tied into the rest of the “Marvel-verse.” There’s plenty of action/sci-fi violence — from fistfights to shoot-outs to a few gory deaths in which the human (or animal) victim turns into gelatinous goo — but overall this adventure is on the tamer end of the Marvel movie scale. Occasional bursts of language (mostly “s–t,” “ass,” and “damn”) are peppered throughout the dialogue, and there are a couple of suggestive jokes/references, but there’s only one (brief) kissing scene and very little drinking. The hero and his young daughter are sometimes separated, which could upset younger kids, but she’s never in extended peril. Like Guardians of the Galaxy, this action adventure is full of humor, with some edgy jokes that will go over younger kids’ head.
WHAT’S THE STORY?
In “Ant-Man,” Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is a Robin Hood-like burglar who’s just been released from San Quentin prison. With few legitimate prospects and a young daughter and ex-wife to pay child support to, Scott agrees to go in on a heist with his former cell-mate, Luis (Michael Peña), and two other pals to rob a rich old man’s safe. The target turns out to be Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who set up the robbery opportunity to recruit Scott as the new Ant-Man — a suit-wearing superhero who can shrink down to the size of an ant and also communicate with insects to make them do his bidding. Hank and his skeptical daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly), want Scott to help them keep megalomaniacal Dr. Darren Cross) from perfecting his own Ant-Man-like suit — which he wants to sell as a military weapon to the highest bidder.
IS IT ANY GOOD?
The Marvel Universe’s tiny but fierce hero is also its funniest. As always, Rudd is a natural with sarcasm and one-liners, playing off of a hilarious Peña as Scott’s prison bestie Luis and enjoying an easy mentor-mentee rapport with Douglas’ Hank Pym. As Cross points out, Hank and Scott have a lot in common — particularly as fathers with an obvious need to protect their daughters. The chemistry between Scott and Hope is a predictable “opposites attract” storyline, but Hope is one of the most interesting Marvel women to date because she’s clearly itching for a chance to put on an ant suit and get things done.
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Cross is the standard emotionally fragile, egomaniacal villain with extreme daddy issues. Stoll seems to be making a name for himself as a baddie, and he’s well able to play a man who simultaneously hates Pym and desperately seeks his approval. The plot and the explanations of how the Ant-Man suit works can get a bit convoluted, but the action sequences and humorous dialogue make up for the occasional plot holes. Bottom line? There’s a lot to enjoy in “Ant-Man,” and Rudd is so charming and so easy to invest in as a viewer that it’s only natural to hope for a sequel that puts him in touch with more of the other Avengers.
RATING AND CONTENT
Recommended for ages 12 and older
Quality: 4 out of 5
Positive messages: 3 out of 5
Positive role models: 3 out of 5
Violence: 3 out of 5
Sex: 2 out of 5
Language: 3 out of 5
Drinking, drugs, and smoking: 1 out of 5
Consumerism: 4 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)
MOVIE DETAILS
Theatrical release date: July 17, 2015
Director: Peyton Reed
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Genre: Science Fiction
Run time: 117 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13
