Movie Review - Ant-Man

Ant-Man ****½ (out of 5) (PG-13) Regular readers have likely picked up my leanings on the last decade, or so, of summers largely dominated by big-budget movies based on comic book superheroes. I vastly prefer those that have fun with their subject over those taking such fantasies too seriously. Give me Robert Downey Jr.’s wisecracking Iron Man over all the brooding Batman sagas any day. Same for the amiable rogues from Guardians of the Galaxy compared to any of their darker, more dramatic counterparts fighting evil throughout the cosmos.

So who better than Mr. Nice Guy Paul Rudd to become a reluctant savior with highly unlikely powers courtesy of Marvel Comics? All hail Stan Lee. In this case, a scientist (Michael Douglas) created a supersuit and chemical cocktail that enables its occupant to instantly shrink, as needed, while also commanding an army of ants via a bonus mind-linking device. Paul’s character is like a Spiderman without all the angst and low self-esteem. We given just enough backstory to flesh out a sympathetic sentimental side to his persona, without the other guy’s bouts of guilt and other reasons for moping.

The plot is typical - demented corporate jerk perverting possibly-beneficial science into an ultimate existential threat - but perfectly suited to introducing newbies to this hero, his family and a few bumbling buddies. For a director whose resume shows mostly sitcoms and a couple of rom-coms, Peyton Reed delivers a fine package of pace and character development, deftly weaving the comedy, sentiment and computer-generated action into a cohesive final product. Sequels are certain, and will be most welcome.

Side note - Gifted comic actress Judy Greer plays a marginal role as Rudd’s ex-wife. Her screen time is comparable to her turn as the mom worrying from afar in the latest Jurassic Park blockbuster. Between the two, her box-office braggin’ rights for 2015 will be off the charts. (7/17/15)