Many fans of the Marvel Universe films have missed the mark when it comes to the bad guys. The villains in this complex movie world are not a bad version of the hero, rather they are a reflection of the frailty within the heroes themselves. It’s never about Ultron, it would always be about Iron Man. Who truly cares about the Abomination, when The Hulk is engaging in an inner-conflict far more intriguing than bashing someone’s head in? Critics also tend to neglect Magneto and Professor Xavier. They do not share the same powers, yet their complicated history and enemy status has made for some compelling drama. The Marvel universe does not need villains, particularly when the heroes can sometimes be their own worst enemy.
Perhaps that’s why the film Ant-Man is so relevant to the current Marvel canon. After all in the comics Hank Pym, alongside Janet Van Dyne are two of the founding members of The Avengers. As a result of the “Pym Particles,†Hank becomes abusive and his behavior on several occasions has endangered his fellow Avengers. It is because of Hank’s sometimes erratic actions which caused Janet to miscarry their child (which Janet happened to mention to the Scarlet Witch, who then eradicated 98% of mutant powers, after remembering the children she created out of her figment of her imagination because of her love for the android Vision.) Inadvertently this made Hank a catalyst for one of the many major turning points in Avengers history. Essentially, without Ant-Man this team’s history would not be complete.
Which brings us back to the necessity of the Ant-Man film. Yes, Yellowjacket is the major baddie. And Hydra is also thrown in, showing one of the several subtle moments leading into the Captain America Civil War film. More importantly Michael Douglas as Hank Pym fills in some major blanks that could not be filled in within either of The Avengers’ movies. Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, the man who inherits the suit is the best casting choice for this generation’s telling of this iconic team. And the film is funny. It has the levity that is only touched on by the other titles.
What’s most pertinent in this version of Ant-Man is the relationship between father and daughter. The scenes between Hank and his daughter Hope and Scott and his young daughter are at the core of this story. It is like the other tales in that the only way to defeat your foe is by facing your own inner demons. Ant-Man is not about the fight scenes or the special effects, which are awesome. Nor is it the witty monologues, which will have you laughing out loud even when you’re alone, given by Luis. Instead it’s about overcoming something within and getting out of your own way.
Ants work together. As a colony they can build empires or destroy ecosystems. The world needs an Ant-Man and so does the Marvel Universe.
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