ANT-MAN

Sometimes having a bias opinion over a movie can be a bitch. It's tough especially when Edgar Wright is one of my favorite filmmakers. Man, it sucks that we'll never see what could have been!

When it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I'm in for the long haul. Or at least till AVENGERS: INFINITY WARS PART II? That's how far I'm invested in at this point. What Marvel Studios has planned after that is unclear to me, interest wise? If we're talking reboot, then I'll pass. Sony making a deal to share Spider-Man couldn't have happened at a better time. The best Spidey films since SPIDER-MAN 2 should be the future, not an immediate Iron Man reboot.

ANT-MAN the newest Marvel Studios “character” film since CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, does feel like the future of the MCU. I know that GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY was the latest film in terms of new characters, but that film is a whole other animal. There is a reason people are comparing ANT-MAN to the first Iron Man movie.

I know I am not alone on this, but certainly feel like I belong in the minority. I'd love to see a future Avengers movie without Cap, Tony, and Thor! Yes, give me Falcon, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Vision, and Ant-Man! Oh, and of course Spider-Man! There's your box office draw for the alternate Avengers team. I'd die to see this line up of Avengers 2.0, not because I'm a Avengers fan, but because I am a comic book geek.

So far the future is going to be Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and The Inhumans. Let's hope it stays this way! But I'm afraid that once Robert Downey Jr. leaves for good, then it's reboot time. Because you have that “fast-food” audience mentality that there always has to be an Iron Man around. And unfortunately these types of moviegoers pay the bills better than True Believers like myself.

Reformed cat burglar Scott Lang can't seen to catch a break. Baskin Robbins won't even hire him. All Scott wants to do is see his daughter. But his ex wife won't let that happen until he gets a real job and a apartment. Desperate, Scott agrees to pull one more burglary. The job ends up becoming a set up. A set up to help Scott.

Enter Hank Pym, a scientist that used to work for S.H.I.E.L.D that created a suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength. Hank left the agency after an incident with his wife. He took his research with him, leaving his company and S.H.I.E.L.D with no super suit.

Years later Darren Cross, a “mentor” of Hank Pym, is on a breakthrough to discovering the ability to shrink. Cross wants to weaponize the new found technology. So Hank entrusts the aid of Scott to done the super suit and pull off a corporate espionage heist to save the world.

So is ANT-MAN any good? Yes. The film works well as a Saturday matinée. And the rumors are true, it's probably the best character driven Marvel Studios movie since IRON MAN. Off the top of my head I'd rank it 8th or 9th in the cinematic universe.

The jury is still out on whether or not I wanna see a sequel? An Ant-Man and Wasp team-up may be fun! But much like The Hulk, it may be best if Ant-Man just shows up in the Avengers films.