Some great superhero movies come in small packages.

Rating: 8/10 (28 July 2015)

"We have so many big men fighting this war. Maybe all we need now is a little guy." - Dr. Abraham Erskine (Captain America: The First Avenger)
Never can those very words be more ironically fitting for this newest MCU entry than any other film in the series. After the huge hit that was "Avengers: Age of Ultron", Marvel decides to take things back to basics and start Phase 3 with probably the most unlikely superhero imaginable. A great deal of skepticism surrounded this film on whether or not it would be successful, let alone be accepted by general audiences. There was also the concern of a change in directors due to conflicting views of how the story would be presented. Normally, this would cause a film to fail (prime example being the 1998 GODZILLA) but, in an unexpected twist, this film gained a positive reception and after seeing it in theaters, it's easy to understand why.
Plot: Dr. Hank Pym, the first Ant Man, creates technology revolving around the miraculous "Pym particle", a formula that allows the user to shrink to the size of an insect while still retaining incredible strength and use tech to control ants. However, fearing what this could do to the world in the wrong hands, he keeps it a secret. As a result, his bitter former protégé Darren Cross not only takes away Pym's company, but also decides to try and recreate this power in the form of the Yellowjacket suit and sell it off to some unsavory parties. Wanting to prevent a global disaster, Pym takes under his wing Scott Lang, a skilled thief who wishes to better himself for his daughter. With the help of Pym, his own distant daughter Hope, and an army of fierce ants, Scott sets out to perfect his newfound powers and steal back the technology from Darren as the new Ant Man!
Similar to "Guardians of the Galaxy", this whole idea sounds ridiculous on paper, but likewise the film is somewhat self-aware of this and just has fun with it while still making the story and drama substantial. The comedy is executed well, making me laugh multiple times, a lot of that being due to Paul Rudd's and Michael Peña's performances. The effects and actions scenes are definitely the highlight of the film. Ant Man's power to shrink brings some refreshing visuals in terms of scale and the fight scenes are very well-choreographed, especially one involving a certain Avenger. I also like how this movie uses different species of ants, already such amazing animals, and on top of that, each species has its own unique abilities to assist the hero. The climax where it's Ant Man vs Yellowjacket is definitely one of the best in MCU, with all the aforementioned aspects harmoniously coming into play.
The characters are all great. Scott Lang/Ant Man is such a likable protagonist, someone who, despite losing his way from time to time, can improvise and push himself to become something more, especially for his daughter, who by the way is such an adorable kid. He can also surprisingly hold himself well in a fight and with his wit, suit, and ants to assist him, he's a force to be reckoned with. Hank Pym makes for a great mentor figure, just as witty and resourceful as Scott. In the comics, he's got lots of issues but this version presents this trait in a way that makes him heart-felt and sympathetic rather than aggravating. Hope is also a character that has some complexity to her and her relationship with her father is a great parallel to Scott and his own daughter. The villain Darren Cross/Yellowjacket is a pretty simple villain, cruel yet charismatic, but still threatening enough and having a fairly understandable motivation, not to mention that his suit packs some nasty firepower.
While the film does start out a little slow, once it gets going, it's a thrill to watch. With fun characters, exciting action, hilarious comedy, great visuals, nice twists, and a few good themes, Ant Man does not disappoint in almost every way. I look forward to seeing more of the insect-themed hero in future MCU films.