Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a well-intentioned white collar criminal who has just been released from prison, moves in with his former cellmate Luis and attempts to live a life on the straight and narrow, when he finds himself in the middle of a heist that yields nothing…but a somewhat odd-looking suit. Feeling he just pulled off a major feat by breaking in, he grabs the suit (that he then believes to be an old motorcycle suit), without realizing the great power it holds. It’s only after he tries on the suit and is shrunk to ant-sized proportions with super human strength that he meets Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), a retired scientist, who is more than a little concerned with the actions of his former protege Darren Cross (Corey Stoll).
Much like Pym, Cross has been working on his own shrinking technology – but for a much more sinister purpose – and has developed a Yellowjacket suit. Realizing the danger it poses, Pym determines that the Yellowjacket technology must be destroyed before it falls in the wrong hands. It’s up to Pym and his somewhat reluctant daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), to teach Lang how to lead the ants and harness the power that the Ant-Man suit possesses, so the world may be saved from the havoc Yellowjacket could create if it landed in the wrong hands.
I was lucky enough to get a preview of this film the day before it was released in a very special New York screening hosted by Paul Rudd himself. And yes, he’s every bit as nice as he seems!
I won’t lie, I went into the screening not knowing what to think. I haven’t seen many Marvel movies, so I was a bit concerned that I’d be unable to follow exactly what was going on, but nothing could have been further from the truth. This movie carefully explains who Ant-Man is, how he came to be, and how he will contribute to the Marvel universe. I expected an action movie, but found it to be so much more.
The cast absolutely makes this movie. Paul Rudd shines as a ex-con, good guy who is trying to pull his life together so he can reconnect with his daughter when he gets sucked back into one more job. It’s easy to sympathize and laugh at him as he struggles to learn the power of the suit and how to control the ants. And his connection with his daughter Cassie (played by Abby Ryder Fortson) will tug at every single one of your heartstrings. He no doubt channels his inner family man while acting in this movie.
Michael Douglas brings a bit of Hollywood charm to the film, while providing the background that you need to understand the history of Ant-Man and why Cross and Yellowjacket are such a threat. Thanks to his easy to understand description, you don’t need to be a long time Marvel fan to understand the film. He successfully pulls off the roll of knowledgeable scientist who wants to thwart Cross and concerned father who doesn’t want his own daughter sacrificed in the process. And his painful retelling of his relationship with Hope’s mom and how she passed will leave you grieving for his character.
Most of all, I love the strength given to the character Hope and how Evangeline Lilly brings that strength to the screen. She’s the one that masterminds their entry to Cross’ compound and how they will destroy Yellowjacket. As the mom of two girls, I love seeing strong female roles. But as strong as she is, she’s still human. She struggles with her mother’s death and her now strained relationship with her father.
I went into Ant-Man expecting an action movie, and instead found a well thought-out story line with well developed characters. It was filled with action, but it was also filled with heartwarming moments and lots of humor. I laughed way more than I ever expected.
If you haven’t seen Ant-Man yet, you definitely should! And if you’ve already seen it, but want to bring Ant-Man home, try one of these Ant-Man inspired drinks!
THE ANT-MAN
You will need:
4-6 lemons
2 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)
6 cups water, divided into 2 cups and 4 cups
1 cup superfine sugar
blackberries (for garnish)
Step 1 – Juice 4-6 lemons to get 1 cup of freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Step 2 – In a blender or food processor, purée the lemon juice and blackberries.
Step 3 – Pour the mixture through a strainer to strain, discard any seeds. Set aside.
Step 4 – In a large saucepan, add 2 cups of water and the sugar. Boil until dissolved. Remove sugar water from heat and cool
Step 5 – In a pitcher, add the sugar water, blackberry purée and 4 cups of additional water. Stir until well-combined.
Step 6 – Refrigerate until chilled or add ice to glasses. Garnish with a blackberry.
THE YELLOWJACKET
You will need:
3 cups freshly-squeezed lemon juice (from about 12 lemons)
2 cups superfine sugar
4 cups cold water
Lemon slices for garnish
Step 1 – Juice 15-18 lemons to get 3 cups of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Pour into a pitcher.
Step 2 – Add 2 cups sugar into the pitcher and stir until dissolved.
Step 3 – Stir in 4 cups of cold water and chill or add ice to glasses. Garnish with a lemon slice.
