KIT MILLER
When I first told my father about the movie “Ant-Man”, he told me Ant-Man sounded like the absolute worst superhero ever. He thought Ant-Man was even worse than Aquaman. The joke is on him though, because “Ant-Man” is by far one of the best movies of 2015.
Before I get into how great this movie is, I do want to start with the big, glaring downside to this movie. “Ant-Man” could be considered a stand-alone movie from the other Marvel movies, but it does have a lot of references to them. It does not necessarily take away from the enjoyment if someone is not a die-hard Marvel fan, but one might feel awkward if people around one are laughing at the references and one is not. My friend, who is not well-versed in the Marvel universe, did have a lot of questions at the end of the movie, but she loved it all the same.
“Ant-Man” is about an ex-convict, Scott Lang (played by Paul Rudd), who is trying to turn over a new leaf. His ultimate goal is to be able to visit his young daughter, Cassie. Cassie’s mother, however, is wary of Lang and tells him he has to prove himself. Lang gives it a serious effort, but he cannot escape his past, which leads to him meeting Doctor Pym and becoming Ant-Man.
Doctor Pym gives Lang the opportunity of a life-time: to become a superhero, save the world, and redeem himself. He has a difficult task ahead of him though. The mission: break into Pym’s old company – currently headed by a mad-man named Darren Cross – and steal the Yellowjacket suit. While Lang struggles to control the Ant-Man suit and command his ant armies, Dr. Pym and his daughter, Hope, face struggles of their own, including their shaky relationship that resulted from the death of Hope’s mother. The biggest struggle, however, is finding a way to defeat Cross and his Yellowjacket suit.
“Ant-Man” has the perfect blend of science, comedy, action, and love. Everyone from scientists to nerds to insect-enthusiasts will love this movie. The plot is easy to follow and understand and the science is explained in simple terms. The comedy also rivals that of the hilarious “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie. There are two key father-daughter relationships that are explored throughout the movie, and each is touching and special in its own way. The characters have fatal flaws and dark pasts that haunt them, but sheer determination and an army of crazy ants might just be enough to save the day.
