Ant-Man | Review

Today Marvel Studio’s last film of the summer season premieres in theaters today, and it promises to be both unique and on par with the other characters in the cinematic universe already established. The Ant-Man franchise has had a bit of a controversial start with the departure of a director part way through the making of the film has made this one of the most talked about films from the studio. The premise of the “Ant-Man” centers around the master thief Scott Lang and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, to protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. As the film opens in 1989 where Dr. Pym (played by Michael Douglas) a very young version using the same special effects used to make Agent Carter older in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In this scene, we see the return of Howard Stark (played by John Slattery) and a slightly aged Agent Carter. We can assume that having this meeting in a Stark storage facility with both Howard Stark and Agent Carter this was something to do with S.H.I.E.L.D.(as both Stark and Carter were founding members). As this takes place in 1989 we see a much younger Dr.Pym and this is by far one of the most impressive feats of the film. They go on to discuss is the Ant-Man suit and how it can be put to better uses. Sensing there intent to make his creation a suit for war Dr. Pym refuses and challenges them to take him on. He then starts his own company Pym Industries in which he becomes a powerhouse in his own right.

Afterwards, we are transported to the present day where we meet Scott Lang a expect thief on his last day of his prison sentence. He is picked up by his former prison cellmate, Luis, who is part the comedic relief. for the film and provides the backstory on Scott. This is the part we found rather disappointing though there is a little touched on about his past, we found it very interesting and how he was arrested. (His backstory is something that if shown would have made us feel more for the character and we feel may be part of the reason the original director might have backed out.) In the beginning Scott does find a job at Baskin Robbins under a false name, but is later found out and terminated.(all be it in a hilarious exchange with the store manager) As he returns to the Louis’ place where he is staying he meets a crew of fellow criminals and given an opportunity to make “some quick cash.”

Though Scott was determined to stay on the straight and narrow path the loss of his job and the slow realization that he has lost his family pushes him to become a master thief once again. (Tthe film does not really let us know that he was married and she divorced him while he was in jail, nor does it state how long he was in jail for. So a part of the film that could have been easily explained was not) We find out that the mother of his child is now engaged to a San Fransisco police detective, Paxton, who it is safe to say does not like him much. They plan on stealing the contents of a safe in a wealthy gentleman house who is out of town for a week.

This gentleman happens to be none other than Dr. Pym and what is in his prized safe is the “Ant-Man” suit. Realizing there is nothing to take he reluctantly takes the suit and leaves.Later he tries on the suit, and quick sees this is not something he wants. He then under the cover of darkness returns the suit to the house he found it. This is where he gets caught and arrested. Once he is taken to jail he is confronted by Paxton and told he will be sent back to jail.

Soon after Scott is told his lawyer is here to see him, and once he goes into the interrogation room he finds out the his lawyer is Dr. Pym. He also tells him that he broke into his house and he was the one to hired him it steal the suit in the first place. He then offer Scott the option to join him or go back to jail. Scott accepts his request and is told to go back to the cell and wait for further instructions.

It is then we see the Ants slowly crawl into his jail cell and present him with the Ant-Man suit. With less than ten seconds to put on the suit Scott rush to put the suit on a second time, only this time he is fed detailed instructions on his ant counterparts via the helmet. He shrinks to ant size and escapes with  ease as you can’t arrest what you can not see.

Once out of jail and safe at Pym’s house he is let in on why he was selected to steal the suit. It is then where we find out that Pam needs him to break into his own company and steal a suit created to be just like the An-Man suit for military purposes called the “Yellowjacket.”

We find the “Yellowjacket” was the creation from his protege, Darren Cross, and with his only goal to sell it to the highest bidder.

It is then Pym introduces his estranged, Hope, who has been working very closely with Cross. She is his “man on the inside” if you will. If they are to take the steal the suit and destroy the research/backed up data. He will have to be trained……in two weeks at that.

Final Verdict: If you are looking to laugh and watch something with a superhero in it as well. Go see it. (Keep in mind this is Marvel,and you will have to see this to understand everything that is going on in the future films.)