Marvel Studios has none-too-quietly become a big-screen/small screen behemoth. Whether this is good news or bad may depend on how you feel about American pop culture’s perpetual adolescence. Is it for instance a sign of a national Peter Pan (er, Peter Parker) syndrome? Or is it an illuminating glimpse into our never-waning-but-all-over-the-map wish to save the world and to be saved, to be invincible even as we’re vulnerable, to be compassionate and get paid well?
If these sort of considerations annoy the heck out of you when applied to escapist fare, I get it. And so, this review won’t hold “Ant-Man” under a magnifying glass. At least not for too long.
I come not to inspect or fry this month’s Marvel offering but to praise it as just pretty darn fun.
Written by the movie’s initial director, Edgar Wright, before he left the project, and doctored mightily by Adam McKay and star Paul Rudd, “Ant-Man” itself plays with themes of dads and daughters, mentors and protégés, visionary tinkering and exploited research.
Paul Rudd portrays burglar Scott Lang who has a heart (and conscience, it seems) of gold. Released from prison, he intends to be on the straight and narrow.
Ex-wife Maggie (Judy Greer) and her cop fiancé, Paxton (Bobby Cannavale), won’t let him spend time with daughter Cassie otherwise.
But it’s hard out there for a thief, as a scene in Baskin Robbins attests. And friend and onetime cellmate Luis (Michael Peña, all dopey, puppy-dog charm) has plans.
So, too, does Dr. Hank Pym. The brilliant researcher and ousted head of his own company — Pym Technologies — knows protégé Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) is nearing a weaponized application of the Pym Particle — which can shrink a person while making them stronger.
What Cross doesn’t yet have is the Ant-Man suit.
That good-looking get-up will soon belong to Scott.
As is the habit with the ever expanding Marvel Universe, “Ant-Man” contains plenty of nods to other franchise stars. For fans, there are mentions of S.H.I.E.L.D., Tony Stark/Iron Man, Captain America and the Avengers as a whole. Pym’s Ant-Man alter-ego made his first appearance on the page in 1962 as one of the founding Avengers.
Michael Douglas portrays Pym, and the movie opens in 1989 with a incensed Pym refusing to allow his research to be used as a weapon.
A computer-tweaked version of the star makes him look an awful lot like one of his more iconic characters: Gordon Gekko of “Wall Street.” Only Pym makes it clear to his business partners that greed’s not so good.
Evangeline Lilly plays Pym’s daughter and Pym Technologies higher-up, Hope van Dyne. She’s estranged but not so much that she doesn’t see Cross’ dark designs.
Lilly has underestimated fun as Pym’s resentful, utterly capable offspring. Although it’s hard to tell if the filmmakers intentionally gave her a wig that makes her look like Catherine Zeta-Jones circa “Chicago.” That joke would be too weird.
The cast is better than solid. Directed by Peyton Reed, the action is a zippy pleasure. The more Scott shrinks, the bigger the fun. The visual effects are witty, especially when he begins making allies of various ant colonies.
Rudd plays to his strengths here. Lang is a rather sensitive fella. But the role of kinder-gentler, wry guy hero and that groovy super-power suit fit him to a T.
Lisa Kennedy: 303-954-1567, lkennedy@denverpost.com or
