Following the grim ending of “Avengers: Infinity War,” Marvel Studios has lightened their cinematic universe considerably with the “Ant-Man” sequel “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” an insanely entertaining sequel to the 2015 hit that’s much different in tone and style to the studio’s early summer blockbuster. Once again starring the always hilarious Paul Rudd as Ant-Man and ass-kicking Evangeline Lilly as the Wasp, the film is fast, funny and has plenty of heart to win fans of the franchise over.
“Ant-Man and the Wasp” begins with Scott Lang (Rudd) under house arrest following his capture under the guise of Ant-Man in the big showdown during “Captain America: Civil War.” Since he went into the battle using Ant-Man’s suit without the knowledge of Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) or Hope van Dyne (Lilly), Scott’s arrest soured his relationship with the duo, which particularly stings because it put the Pym and his daughter on the run from federal agents. Making matters worse, the arrest caused a major rift in the romance between Scott and Hope, and from a professional point-of-view, Hope is miffed because she insists Scott wouldn’t have been busted during the events of “Civil War” had he asked his then-girlfriend – who since assumed the identity of the Wasp – to take part.
AUDIO: Listen to Tim’s review of “Ant-Man and the Wasp” on “The KQ Morning Show.”
The trio reunite, however, when Scott has what he thinks was a dream, but it turns out to be some sort of visual implant Hope’s long-lost mom and Hank’s wife, Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), put into the Scott’s head when he Ant-Man ventured into the Quantum Realm at the end of the last film. Gone for 30 years, the “antenna” Janet has placed in Scott’s mind is essentially providing a road map to where Hank and Hope can find her, but much to the chagrin of Hank, they need the help of one of his old rivals, Dr. Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) to help get there.
But Hank and company aren’t the only ones who have an interest in the Quantum Realm: A shady, high-tech parts dealer, Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins) sees the mysterious inner space dimension as a gigantic business opportunity; while the literally unstable Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) needs the energy that Janet has amassed in the Quantum Realm if she is to avert certain death.
The third release from Marvel Studios this year, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” is much different in tone than “Black Panther” and “Infinity War.” Like the first “Ant-Man,” the sequel plays more like a caper and chase film, and while the stakes are high – Scott, Hank and Hope are essentially trying to save Janet’s life – the narrative doesn’t have world-ending implications like the carnage that consumed several of the Avengers and half the universe in “Infinity War.”
“Ant-Man and the Wasp,” as a result, arrives with a lighter mood, not only thanks to Rudd’s comedic gifts, but the amusing extra dynamic that Scott’s crew – Luis (Michael Pena), Kurt (David Dastmalchian) and Dave (Tip “T.I.” Harris) – bring to the film. Capitalizing on the hilarious dialogue and sight gag in the first film, director Peyton Reed ingeniously finds a way for Luis to spin another tremendous yarn (this time about how he met Scott), while Dastmalchian is given ample opportunity to show his comedy talents when gets to playfully demonstrate the nervous superstitions of his Russian hacker character.
Like “Ant-Man,” Reed once again has an expert handle on the direction of “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” achieving the rare feet of equally if not topping the original film with a perfect blend of action, dazzling special effects and humor. Most importantly, though, it has a relatable narrative that keys in on the importance of family from all aspects, whether through the ties that bind Hank, Janet, Hope and Scott together; as well as Scott and his daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson), and Scott and his fellow ex-con crew members.
Like previous Marvel films, fans need to make an appointment to stay until the very end (after the very inventive cast credits), where the separate narratives of “Infinity War” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp” come together. And while the future is uncertain for all The Avengers from here on out, but hopefully Marvel will find a way to bring back Ant-Man, the Wasp and everybody else in the film for a third solo movie, since “Ant-Man and the Wasp” once again proves that the best presents come in small packages.
Lammometer: 9 (out of 10)
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
David Dastmalchian is one of those rare performers in the film business who can stake claim to something not many of his acting counterparts can: Not only has he been a part of both the Marvel and DC movie universes, he’s effectively been preparing all his life to help bring their stories to life as a lifelong comic book fan.
“As an actor, you try to absorb and feel the tone of the material as best you can, and I’ve always found that always comes from the director and the material itself,” Dastmalchian told me in a call this week from Los Angeles. “So I think knowledge of comic book mythology and the history of it has been helpful to me as an actor. Also, the directors of these films that I’ve worked on have had very strong visions, and have been very good about communicating and setting up the tone.”
Dastmalchian’s first big-screen gig, of course, came in a small but haunting role as Joker thug Thomas Schiff in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 DC blockbuster “The Dark Knight Rises.” On Friday, though, he’s on the side of the good guys helping Paul Rudd save the world in Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man,” the latest installment in the expansive Marvel Universe that’s led to the assemblage of the Avengers.
Dastmalchian stars in “Ant-Man” as Kurt, a Russian computer hacker sporting an Elvis Presley-inspired pompadour who, along with Luis (Michael Pena) and Dave (T.I. Harris), joins forces with Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). Scott is an ex-con who has to resort to what he thinks will be a big score when his past as a burglar limits his options outside prison walls.
As it turns out, the score was actually set up by the mark, legendary scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), as a test to see if Scott would steal a specially designed suit that decreases his size down to that of ant, yet greatly increases his strength and makes him as resilient as a bullet. Dubbed “Ant-Man,” Scott and The Crew need to devise a heist — along with Hank and his estranged daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) — to break into the corporation he’s no longer in control of to steal a similar suit dubbed “Yellow Jacket.” Ant-Man must break into an ultra-secure facility and steal the suit, designed by Hank’s protégé, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), before the technology falls into the hands of the wrong people and puts the world in peril.
The irony for Dastmalchian in “Ant-Man” is that unlike his role in “The Dark Knight,” Kurt is not dark and twisted. It’s probably a good thing, since Dastmalchian has long been split on which comic book company has traditionally provided the best heroes and villains; and in the case of “Ant-Man,” he happens to be on the right side.
“My favorite villains were always the DC ones — I’ve said that to everybody, including Stan Lee,” Dastmalchian said. “But interestingly, my favorite superheroes were always on the Marvel side. The DC villains embody darkness — including the film that I got to be a part of — perfectly. On the other side, here in the Marvel world, Peyton has brought to life is a vibrancy and brightness in a very high-stakes adventure, which happens just the right amount of humor and irreverence. I feel like I’ve gotten the best of both worlds. In the Marvel movie I worked on, I got to be somebody playing for the hero, and in the DC one, I got to be on the side of the villain. It’s a dream.”
Dastmalchian’s involvement in “Ant-Man” has been interesting, since there was a period of time when he didn’t know if he’d be in the film despite being cast in January of 2014. The actor, who’s made indelible impressions in recent years with frightening roles on both film and television, said he was originally cast in “Ant-Man” by writer-director Edgar Wright, yet didn’t know where he stood when the filmmaker left the project and was replaced by Reed.
“My concern was that they were going to let go of me,” Dastmalchian said. “Of course, Paul was on-board, as well as Michael Douglas, and Evangline Lilly, because they’re movie stars. But when you’re an actor like me, there’s very few assurances when a situation like that comes up. When I tested during auditions, I want to say in the original script the crew had eight or nine guys, and they cast all of us.”
The uncertainty came on the heels of what Dastmalchian called a “crazy, awesome time” time for he and his wife, Eve. The couple’s son, Arlo, was born, and the actor/screenwriter’s deeply personal addiction drama, “Animals,” won a Special Jury Award at SXSW. Suddenly, Ant-Man’s Crew began undergoing some changes and Dastmalchian became a bit nervous.
“Originally, I was just going to sit around a month before ‘Ant-Man’ got started, but then I started to see that actors were leaving or being let go from the film — and they were all the guys from ‘The Crew,'” Dastmalchian recalled. “The script was being changed and I knew the crew dynamic was changing, as well as the number of people in it. But ultimately, I was very, very lucky that they kept me and Pena, and then T.I. came on board later, so we ended up with three of us.”
Once Reed started on the project, not only was Dastmalchian thrilled to discover that his new director had the same tastes as when it came to the Marvel Universe, but the sorts of filmmaking sensibilities to properly execute it.
“Peyton was made to make this movie. He’s as big if not bigger a comic book geek than I am, he loves the obscure characters like ‘Ant-Man.’ It’s a character he’s read and been devoted to for a very long time,” said Dastmalchian. “Plus, he has this real flair for bringing a good story to life, while utilizing action and comedic elements. So, as difficult as the starts and stops of the film process was, it ultimately all happened the way it was meant to be.”
One particular thing that Dastmalchian said he loved about working in the Marvel Universe was the involvement of talent on many different levels.
“Marvel is proof positive that the formula that massive kinds of collaboration can lead to effective filmmaking and really great story-telling because this is an all-hands-on-deck kind of process that the company has,” Dastmalchian observed. “The producers who have developed this sprawling cinematic universe have input on the film because they’re connecting the threads to the comic books that Stan Lee oversaw. He oversaw all of the different comic characters, even the ones he wasn’t writing or producing month to month.”
Once Dastmalchian settled into the role and was on-set, he got to experience things only a comic book-lover could dream of: hanging out with Lee, the Marvel icon and “Ant-Man’s” co-creator.
“Me, Rudd and one of our producers, Brad Winderbaum, would hang out in Stan’s trailer and just talk,” Dastmalchian marveled. “It was about 1987 when ‘Avengers’ No. 240 became the first comic book I ever bought. It was a from a spinning rack at a 7 Eleven in Kansas City, Kansas, and ultimately I’ve kept every comic book I’ve ever collected, including that one. It’s all tattered now, but I brought it to work and Stan signed it, ‘To my good friend Arlo,’ who is my son. I almost cried.”
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Another legend Dastmalchian got to encounter, of course, was Douglas, who shares some screen time with The Crew. And while Dastmalchian is a professional who’s shared the screen with some pretty impressive talent, there was something about being on-set with Douglas that made his stomach gurgle.
“We only have a couple scenes together, which are very funny, but I am the least comfortable doing comedy,” Dastmalchian said. “I’m more comfortable with doing dramatic stuff, especially with the likes of Michael Douglas or Paul Rudd, for goodness sakes. It was very nerve-wracking, but Michael and I immediately hit it off. He’s a wonderful guy and the nerves went away pretty quickly. We talked a lot about Karl Malden (Douglas’ co-star on the classic TV drama ‘Streets of San Francisco’), who was a huge mentor to him, and to me, one of my all-time favorite actors. He’s right up there with the kind of actors I aspire to become. He had a reputation for propelling scenes and his scene partners. It was amazing to talk about Karl’s legacy and Michael’s amazing history.”
The bonus for Dastmalchian in “Ant-Man,” though, is that amid all the laughter, cool special effects and engaging action, tucked within is a poignant storyline about family. In two completely different circumstances, Hank and Scott are trying to reconnect with their daughters: Hope, fully-grown and angry at Hank over her childhood; and young Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson), holding out hope for Scott in the hope that he can go the straight and narrow so he can be a good dad to her.
“The thing I love about ‘Ant-Man’ is there’s a theme that runs throughout the whole movie, that even families that have been frayed, or have been through the ringer or have really been tested — ultimately love can win out,” Dastmalchian said. “That’s something that’s really special about ‘Ant-Man’ that I don’t think I’ve seen in other big superhero movies really be as intimate.”
While the fun of his experience of “Ant-Man” will soon end, you get the feeling that the warmth he got from the family angle of the film will always remain with him. After all, he’s living it every single day of his life.
“I don’t know how to properly put it. When you go home at night after being in a film like ‘Ant-Man,’ you can say, ‘It was incredibly satisfying,’ but then you’re just another guy walking down the sidewalk,” Dastmalchian said. “But then you see your wife holding your kid at the end of the block and get to go and be with the people you love. If you have someone that you can love and share the experience with, it’s all that matters, man. It really is.”
Dastmalchian will have many more film experiences to share — and very soon. He just finished filming the James Gunn-penned horror-thriller “The Belko Experiment,” and is prepping “All Creatures Here Below,” another film drama he wrote and will star in. Also coming out soon is the drama “Chronic,” in which Dastmalchian stars opposite Tim Roth.
Dastmalchian’s SXSW award-winning “Animals,” meanwhile, is streaming now and coming out on DVD Aug. 25.
The best things truly do come in small packages in “Ant-Man,” a thrilling and oftentimes funny Marvel superhero adventure that’s much different than its predecessors in tone. More of a heist adventure than anything, “Ant-Man is bolstered by a winning cast including the always affable Paul Rudd and screen legend Michael Douglas, who brings gravitas to the movie in a pivotal role.
Rudd stars as Scott Lang, a convicted burglar who’s trying to straighten out his life after he is sprung from prison. Finding his options are limited because of his criminal past, Scott is lured back into the game with the promise of a big score, only to find out that it’s all a set up by Hank Pym, a legendary scientist who’s been marginalized in his own corporation by his protégé Darren Cross (Corey Stoll).
Turns out that Cross is on the cusp of perfecting a formula to shrink people down to ant size – a process that increases their strength and gives them the resilience of a bullet. It’s a process that Hank perfected years before, and he needs Scott’s brains and physicality to don a special suit to become the new “Ant-Man” to stop Cross before the technology falls into the wrong hands and threatens the world.
“Ant-Man” is a fantastic voyage from beginning to end, thanks to a smart script, spectacular special effects and expert direction by Peyton Reed. The filmmaker makes excellent use of his talented cast, which also includes Evangeline Lilly as Hanks’ estranged daughter, Judy Greer as Scott’s ex-wife and Bobby Cannavale as her husband, and Michael Pena, David Dastmalchian and T.I. Harris as The Crew, which helps Scott plan the big heist of Cross’ invention, dubbed “Yellow Jacket.”
The most surprising aspect of “Ant-Man” is that it’s also a family-themed film, as Hank tries to re-connect with Hope, while Scott desperately tries to be the best father he can be to his young daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Forston). It’s a great film from beginning to end – and we’re talking the very end of the credits, where Marvel has a big reveal for its next adventure.
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“Trainwreck” (R) 3 stars (out of four)
Comedy Central star Amy Schumer finally hits the big-screen with her own comedy in “Trainwreck,” a raunchy but oftentimes funny tale about, well, a trainwreck. Written by Schumer and directed by comedy king Judd Apatow, “Trainwreck” is sure to satisfy Schumer and Bill Hader fans, and surprise others with funny turns by the likes of NBA star LeBron James and professional wrestler John Cena.
Schumer stars as Amy, a big-time journalist who spends most of her nights in one-night stands. Raised by a loving yet philandering father (hilariously played by Colin Quinn), Amy was told early in life that it’s impossible to commit to one person, so she goes to the other extreme, believing she’ll never fall in love. Things change dramatically, though when Amy is assigned to interview big-time sports doctor Aaron (Hader), and experiences feelings beyond their first night together. Before too long, Amy begins to struggle with those warm, fuzzy feelings, hoping her life doesn’t go off the rails once again.
While Schumer wrote and stars in “Trainwreck,” she gives her co-stars plenty of opportunity to shine. Apatow definitely has a keen eye for casting to bring those characters to life, which probably explains why James and Cena fit perfectly in their roles. Hader is terrific, too, as Schumer’s boyfriend, as is Tilda Swinton, who is barely recognizable as Amy’s boss. Apatow also makes great use of her stand-up comedy buddies like Dave Attell and Quinn to round out the film’s impressive cast.
While “Trainwreck” is a bit too long and ultimately predictable, it’s a solid first effort by Schumer in a prominent role. It’ll be interesting to see if she’ll eventually be able to break the mold and do other roles, because raunchy comedy, like any other genres, can be limiting for any performer. For now, though, “Trainwreck” will give Schumer the power to push full-steam ahead.
“Manglehorn” (R) 2 1/2 stars (out of four)
Al Pacino is at the top of his game in “Manglehorn,” a character-driven drama that’s unfortunately more depressing than it is enlightening. It’s one of those movies that’s worth watching if you want to see terrific acting, but mostly it just breaks your heart as the title character (Pacino) leads a lonely existence of his own doing.
An eccentric locksmith, Manglehorn’s only true connection is with his cat, and he locks everybody else out because he’s never been able to get over his one true love several years before. As hard as the people surround him try – including his estranged son (Chris Messina) and a lonesome bank teller (a wonderfully sweet Holly Hunter) – no one can seem to crack the complex mind of the cranky old man, until he has a revelation that may just result in a second chance at life.
The biggest trouble with “Manglehorn” is that it moves along slowly as it bizarrely illustrates different aspects of its title character’s miserable existence. There’s a payoff at the end, thankfully, but even a 97-minute run time can’t make it come soon enough.
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Original Interviews, Reviews & More By Tim Lammers
