There have been few Marvel films more anticipated—and more delayed—than Ant-Man: The movie, which stars the always-excellent Paul Rudd as a man with the technology to become extremely small and extremely strong, has been plagued with production issues, including the departure of initial director Edgar Wright. But we finally have a substantive glimpse of the film, and it looks like a promising blend of self-deprecating comedy and superhero bombast.
The plot: Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the scientist who originally discovered the size-altering technology, chooses petty burglar Scott Lang (Rudd) to continue the Ant-Man legacy. As usual, the world is at stake and there are evil men in suits running everywhere, but the real revelation here is the film’s sentimental strain—the story’s emotional heft seems strongly rooted in the relationship Lang has with his daughter, with Pym’s pitch to Lang emphasizing the opportunity to be “the hero that she already thinks you are.” Who can resist a good father-daughter movie? Ant-Man is out July 17.
