Marvel’s Ant-Man Delivers A Huge Hit With a Tiny Punch

Marvel’s Ant-Man hits theaters today and as large as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, I am thankful the most recent offering has chosen a different path: going smaller!

 “The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

I am a huge Marvel nerd. There, I admit it. So when Marvel/Disney announced Ant-Man as the last Phase 2 film, I was both shocked and nervous. Memories of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids or worse yet, the awful movie attraction at Epcot (Honey, I Shrunk the Audience) ran through my head.

Couple that with the poor management of Edgar Wright, who fought to bring this project to film, and his subsequent removal from the project, I had fears that this would be the first major flop in Marvel’s incredible track record.

Now, after seeing the film, I don’t think this will be a flop at all. It’s not a Guardians of the Galaxy, nor is it an Avenger’s: Age of Ultron. But this movie was never meant to be that. This movie is something much smaller…on purpose.

What I loved most about this film was it was 180 degrees opposite of Avengers: AoU, it was subdued, more personal, and at times, very intimate. Is there action and explosions, absolutely. But Ant-Man is, at it’s heart, a family oriented heist film. Ant-Man takes time to develop on the front end, which scared me a little, but once the action started, the audience seemed to care more.

This is one of the few movies I would encourage you to see in 3-D. It helps make the smallness of the world when Scott Land (Paul Rudd) shrinks become more vivid and immersive. Marvel accomplishes the one thing I was most nervous about, the smallness of the main character. However, when Ant-Man is small it seems very real.
If Avengers: Age of Ultron was a bit too much for you, I think you will love Ant-Man. It has a very big heart in a very tiny package. And make sure you stay through the end of the credits, you wouldn’t want to miss the two special added scenes Marvel is famous for. (Hint: Captain America)

Marvel’s “Ant-Man” stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne, Corey Stoll as Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket, Bobby Cannavale as Paxton, Michael Peña as Luis, Tip “T.I.” Harris as Dave, Wood Harris as Gale, Judy Greer as Maggie, David Dastmalchian as Kurt, and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym. Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a., Marvel’s “Ant-Man” delivers a high-stakes, tension-filled adventure on July 17, 2015.”

I was allowed to see a press screening of Ant-Man courtesy of Marvel, Disney, and our friends at Moroch. The opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.