What are your thoughts and feelings on Ant-Man? Let me know below! Please remember to not spoil anything about the future MCU movies and shows coming up for me. 🐜 If you would like to help support the channel and join a wonderful community, check out my Patreon: patreon.com/kaiielle - We are having a Patron Movie Night this Friday evening! If you'd like to try out Patreon reactions before signing up, you can find those here: kaiielle.com/free Thanks so much for watching! ❤ KL
I will only say that I am here to watch your reactions. There are some of these films that actually get better upon rewatch. This is one of them. Picking Scott wasn't random, it was based on Scott's ability in being able to get past the tech of Vista Corp. After that, he used his resources to find out and surveil Scott's life. I think Scott started as a curiousity for Hank, but when he learned that Darren Cross was so close he made the decision to recruit Scott. I just know this film is a little weird for me because my name is Darren, spelling and all. And having them say it over and over, especially to a villian was just . . . . weird, Lol!
@@fullmoonprepping4024 I agree about the rewatchability of Ant-Man. It's an easy watch, with some great comedic and heartfelt moments, even interspersed between the action sequences.
I don't know if many people think so much of Corey Stoll in this role, but I do think similarly as you. I've felt since I first saw the movie that he portrayed a solid villain. Someone who was out right villainous, but still had an emotional resonance and depth in his performance.
I mean, he didn't just pick Scott at random... He was a very smart guy with an advanced degree who had proven abilities when it came to defeating supposedly unbreakable security, a good moral compass (he did the VistaCorp job because they were intentionally overcharging clients), and a willingness to take on big corporations. It was also a high profile event, so it's not like he would have been a complete unknown.
At the same time, Pym derides Scott for turning back to crime when he's unable to find employment, and after working to get Scott to do just that. That's always bothered me about the movie.
@@mechanomics2649 Yeah, especially considering that by any sort of traditional definition Pym himself would 100% be considered a "criminal". I think MAYBE the only way to interpret it is that Pym was agressive towards Scott because he saw himself in him and it reminded him of his own "failures". I feel like that is maybe the direction they were going but didn't really flesh it out leaving him to seem unlikeable instead.
The MCU films tend to "shorthand" many character traits and Pym being a bit of an ass is a reference to his much more troubled comics personality (or should I say personalitIES). The "brain chemistry being altered in a negative way" problem (and thus the need for an enclosed helmet) is something he learned through trial and error. It's why he can't wear the suit any more and it's why he's psychotic at times in the comics.
Fun fact: the black gentleman in the car that Scott lands on is Garrett Morris. Him being in this movie isn't a coincidence. He played Ant-Man in a sketch on Saturday Night Live back in the 70's.🐜
🐜🐜🐜🐜 My favorite part of this is the step-dad and the bio-dad getting along. That's not something you see in fiction very often at all, and both accepting each other's presence in the child's life just makes it about perfect. Too much fiction still focuses on either the bio-dad not mattering at all, or the step-dad being a twit and/or a jerk. Sometimes biological parents don't stay together, and that isn't a bad thing. That's an important message to get across, and I'm glad this movie does it.
I'm happy Paul Rudd ended up being Ant-Man. This was definitely another example of good casting. I've never thought about which MCU movies would be in my top 10, but I think Ant-Man would be a top contender.
Michael Pena is in a movie with Mark Wahlberg called The Shooter, that hasn't gotten a lot of reaction attention, but it's a good watch, especially if you want to see more of Pena. Also with Kate Mara and Danny Glover.
Scott wasn’t really a random pick to Hank. He wanted Scott, not just because he found out he was a great thief, but because of his family situation. He knew that he had a daughter, and was in a tough spot with his family. Hank mentioned to him multiple times about “Second Chances” and that’s what he wanted to give him. A chance to use his skills to potentially save the world and (by extension) his daughter. To be a real hero. As Hank said, about Scott’s daughter and his own: “It’s not about saving our world, it’s about saving their’s.” Hank could’ve picked just a random guy, but when he found out about Scott and his situation, he knew he was perfect for this, and not just in interns of being a good thief, but in terms of motivation.
Such a fun one! It’s smaller in scale (no pun intended) but I think it works so well for this movie. Cant wait for you to see where these characters go in future MCU projects. 🐜🐝
I honestly love this movie so much, when you think about how long it is between each film of the series, it had been a while since we got an origin film, and this one was well done and kinda slowed up the pacing of what was to come.
This is a underrated gem in my opinion. While the villain may be bland and one noted, Paul Rudd and the overall story carry’s the movie. Love Antman + these reactions! (Also Luis has the best jokes/one liners in the whole MCU. The way he tells his story with lip syncing is hilarious to me).
Another good reaction and thanks for the shout-out! FYI, I think Corey Stoll is a SUPER underrated actor... Id highly recommend a show he was in called The Strain. Jump scares galore 😂
Great reaction. Ant-Man was awesome. Nobody ever thought this movies would be so good. So much action and comedy. All the shrinking scenes were incredible. Can't wait to see your reaction to the rest of the movies.
Ant-Man is basically in my top three Marvel movies, because it breaks the seriousness and the constant high stakes situations of other movies which I had started getting tired of. It's fun seeing Scott and the "three wombats" doing their thing, and it's just great seeing an everyman with some flaws and bad history become a heroic figure, not just for his little girl, but especially for his little girl. I also loved Paxton's change of heart and the understanding that he developed for Scott and the bizarre situation Scott found himself in. Cassie was adorable. The humor and the everyman hero were the main reasons why I love this movie, but also the family aspects shown in it. Scott cares about stopping Darren Cross, sure, but he most wants to reconnect with his daughter and rebuild that relationship more than anything else. I loved the humanity of that in contrast to the somewhat repetitive super superhero stories of everything goes boom if they fail that have been the standard from Iron Man on up. There are some noticeable exceptions here and there, but since some of those might be upcoming I shan't mention them.
@@testfire3000 Agreed! And I like the way Paxton and Maggie were portrayed too. When Cassie asks her mom if daddy is bad, Maggie gives her a great answer that doesn't involve throwing her ex under the bus. And Paxton genuinely cares about Cassie too and doesn't treat her as the burden he has to deal with to get the woman he wants. Such great characterizations of how real decent people should act, though I know it can be difficult at times.
YES! another Michael Pena lover! *clears throat* I mean, cool, I'm super excited when my favorites get that appreciation. Oh! and yes, the Ant Man movies are the only ones that make ants cute to me XD
First time I saw this I thought it was a solid action superhero movie. Not my favorite but not bad. But when I rewatched it when it came out on dvd/streaming I liked it even more. The story is formulaic but the characters and acting are great. Also I appreciate how it wasn’t about Scott trying to win back the love of his life he was focused on his daughter and at the end his ex and her new husband became good friends with him in support of their daughter. That was very wholesome.
We had an ant problem in our house this past summer. And even though I hadn't seen this movie in years, whenever I had to squish one, in my head (even though I was the one doing the squishing), I kept thinking "Antony! Nooooo!" I do agree with most of your thoughts about this movie though. I also can't help but to compare similar concepts to Iron Man, and that really is a high bar to meet.
If you want to see more of Hank Pym I highly recommend The Avengers Earth's Mightiest Hero's one of Marvels best cartoons. I guess it's like the original Comics but set in the 2010s so similar to how the MCU modernized these hero's but the cartoon Avengers line up and story lines is closer to that of the original comics along with how characters. It's 2 Seasons long and could make for a fun future reaction, no worries for spoilers as it's very much it's own thing outside of the MCU and benefits from having no limits on what hero's they can use.
That show is like the Definitive version of the Avengers. Pretty sure The Spectacular Spider-Man, Wolverine and X-men, and Earths Mightiest Hero's are all connected or we're going to be connected in season 3 before it was cancelled.
This movie is really high up on my marvel list. It made me like ants (cute little things), it represented broken up couples in a more positive light (aka not the 'my partner was an asshole' or 'the step parent is the spawn of satan'. It's very important and very underrepresented in movies), it is very interesting and very funny. Visually its also just a treat for the eyes. By now it should also be obvious that marvel movies arent just typical 'superhero' movies. They all have their own genre on top of that (compare Captain America to Ant Man to Avengers and it becomes obvious how different they actually are) and i think that kinda contributes to why so many people like them. There's atleast one movie you'll end up liking.
I do appreciate that not all the movies are the same. It makes ranking them a lot easier too. There will always be a movie for someone. And with that, there will also be movies that people don't like as much.
@@kaiielle oh yeah definetly. I've found surprisingly that i'm not that much a fan of captain america movies. Just not my type of movie. (Though you're very close to some of my other favourites and i'm very hyped to see you react to them). Have a good day/night!
Hey, I’m caught up with your MCU releases. During the Ant Man/Falcon fight when you said, “Can’t we just be allies, please!” All I could think was, “just wait “. Then the end credits scene with Steve, Sam and Bucky came on and your eyes lit up… Voila!
🐜 This is one of my favorite MCU movies. Paul Rudd was perfectly cast and I am glad to see they show a healthy family dynamic at the end without resorting to the well worn trope of "evil step-parent" who tries to break up the child from the bio-parent.
🐜 Something the movie doesn't explain but should is that the Pym particles can alter mass as well as size. Otherwise Hank wouldn't be able to carry a tank in his pocket.
It's interesting to me how different viewers takes on the main themes of this film are so varied. Many see it as principally a heist movie (understandable, though I disagree) while, by her association of the film with 'Iron Man', Kaiielle seems to view it as a redemption tale. My opinion is that the movie is first and foremost a family dynamics story, especially with respect to fathers and daughters. The other stuff is there but it seems like the father daughter bond is the core thread of the movie.
Totally! I can see the heist aspect being what people think first, but you're right I definitely saw this more as a focus on Scott and him going from a prisoner/criminal to a superhero and being the dad his daughter sees him as.
Yeah, wasn't sure if you'd like this one after you didn't like Guardians too much. This is another movie with a lot of heart, but is also pretty comedic in almost all aspects. But I hope you enjoyed the ride anyways! One thing that doesn't get enough love IMO is how great the effects look on Michael Douglas to make him look young again. Really good stuff and doesn't come off as uncanny valley or anything
There’s a few frames when Scott is in the quantum realm, there’s something that looks like the silhouette of a person. I love how many Easter eggs they hide in these movies.
One of my favorite superhero movies. I love the fact they tell you right off the bat how things work then proceed to completely ignore it lol. Your size changes but not your weight so ants couldn't carry things that had shrunk and Hank couldn't carry a tank in his pocket. And on and on and I don't care I just ignore it and enjoy the movie. So many good actors in this one.
This one was a pleasant surprise. I was aware of the character and what his powers were from following other Marvel comics, but that was pretty much it. I still haven't read any of his comics to this day, but I've very much enjoyed his movies. I recall that many fans were clamouring for a Luis recap of the entire MCU story to date as part of the build-up to the finalé of phase three - it didn't happen, but I daresay that it would have been a fun piece of bonus content. ^_^ 🐜
Honestly, I love Ant Man's story... and a lot of that is because I am a father to a wonderful girl. Even if that relationship is rocky these days, these movies dealing with challenging family dynamics will always hit home _so_ strongly for me from the MCU. 10/10 for me, would 🐜 again.
Darren is what happens when rejection and obsession take over your life. Hank said he was once a good man, but his obsession with recreating the Pym Particle and rejection from Hank drove him to make deals with Hydra and let the untested particles drive him insane
Great reaction again. With this movie it feels like most people at first think its going to be stupid....only to find it fun and pretty good. You on the other hand appeared to go into it as a pretty blank slate that was open to it. However .... - You liked the villain (Darin) and thought he looked hot. Minus one point for you. - You liked his yellow jacket suit. Another minus point for you. (Ok ... it was kinda cool looking so ... minus 1 point for me too.) - You were the first I've seen to catch onto the tie-in at the end credit when Falcon tells Cap, "I know a guy." Plus 1. - Your after talks are really good. Plus a bazillion. Looking forward to your next reaction.
The man in the car he landed on was Garrett Morris, who was part of the original Saturday Night Live cast. He did a skit where he was Ant-Man. That was an homage to the skit.
Ant-Man was in development for quite awhile at Marvel. It was going to be directed by Edgar Wright, the filmmaker behind the Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End, as well as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, although I saw on your Letterboxd you weren't a fan of that one). At the time, I was a *huge* Wright fan, and as such Ant-Man was one of my most anticipated MCU movies. In 2013, Wright had not completed the aforementioned Cornetto Trilogy, and the third chapter was highly anticipated, so he asked Marvel to wait for him while he went and directed The World's End. They did, but by the time he was finished, he was unhappy with the script changes they had asked for, and ultimately left the project. Wright had already cast the film by that point, and they stuck around, with Peyton Reed coming on to take over in his place. On first viewing, I didn't like the movie, because I had wanted to see the Wright version, but I came around on it a bit on a second watch. When Scott returns to regular size after his first shrinking experience, he is on top of a man's car. The man in question, Garrett Morris, was on "Saturday Night Live" in the 1970s and famously starred in a sketch about Marvel superheroes, in which he played Ant-Man, hence the little cameo. Also, Scott's boss at Baskin-Robbins is played by Gregg Turkington, a comedian famous for the offbeat online comedy show "On Cinema," co-starring Tim Heidecker of the duo Tim and Eric. When I started I wondered if this one was going to be a whiff for you just because it sort of operates along the same comic principle as Guardians of the Galaxy, and of course that came out at the end, especially with the Letterboxd review, but I'm glad you had a good time. 🐜
🐜 Antman was fun, if a little bit underwhelming when I first saw it, but I enjoy it more now. It's not as much action as other Marvel movies and the stakes don't really seem very high, but the light-hearted wholesome feel of it is nice once in a while.
Interesting note Hope Pym was created in the comics set in an alternate future where she is a villain called Red Queen. Even with the success of the movies there is no Hope in the main comic timeline.
@@CaptainFrost32 check out the A Next series by Tom DeFalco & Ron Frenz that introduced Hope. Nadia took the name Van Dyne and the writers tried to create synergy between movie and comic portraying her like movie Hope but she is a Black Widow initiate and daughter of Hank & Maria Pym
Kaiielle when i 1st heard about this movie i was like who in the f is ant-man since i only really knew about the all of the avengers and black panther but this movie is 1 of my favorite marvel movies and just like Gofthegalaxy i enjoyed it as soon as i started watching it
Good to see you enjoying this, as always. And yet again, great to see a different perspective of a film I really enjoyed. Looking forward to your next one. Catch you next time 🦟
This was the first Marvel movie I missed out on initial release and saw it later. The bonus scene is so cool! But the whole movie is a really unique experience. Paul Rudd is just perfect casting especially with “Marvel Humor”. I enjoyed this sort of “low stakes heist film” vibe thanks to Peña. I also like seeing kind of the mentions of SHIELD and Stark’s involvement. It makes sense that Big Tech is connected somehow. Anyway. Fun origin story!
It's ironic that they started with trying to make soldiers bigger and now they're trying to make them smaller😂 "a shield around the world" is concerning no matter who's idea it is
I love this movie! Top 5 MCU for me. No matter how bad my day can be going, this movie always cheers me up. It is just so wholesome & charming, while at the same time, gruesome and a little horrifying. The idea of shrinking forever or getting zapped into a tiny pile of goo and flushed down a toilet, 😱🤢😱 One minute, “Cassie is so adorable, I love her 😍”… A few moments later, tiny pile of lamb goo 😱🤢😱 I very much enjoy that “Ant-man” the movie & the character don’t take themselves too seriously and doesn’t try to be something they’re not. There is a meta self awareness to it that I appreciate. It keeps things simple, yet well executed. Ant-Man is a fun, lighthearted, breath of fresh air after the heaviness of Age of Ultron and a brighter note to end phase 2 on and introduce some awesome new characters and concepts. RIP Ant-thony 😔🐜😔 Phase 3…Here we come!
Kaiielle, you should watch 'Billions' if you like Corey Stoll, the actor playing Darren Cross. He's always wearing expensive suits in that series. I think he shows up in season 2 or 3.
Since you're a fan of Corey Stoll I'd throw out a suggestion, not necessarily for a reaction series, for the show The Strain. It's a Guillermo del Toro project about vampires as more biological creatures than mythological.
Always enjoy your reactions and your take on things. I did like this movie especially in the rhythm of the MCU thus far. It was a low-stakes, on the ground movie following such a BIG movie (Age of Ultron) so I appreciate that the MCU (thus far) has this rhythm of high stakes and lower stakes while still tying it all together and making you feel connected to the larger narrative happening. Just my two c-ants.? 🐜🐜 (no? i'll show myslf out)
🐜🐜🐜 how did you edit out the scene with Paul Rudd without a shirt on? I figured that might’ve been one of your favorites. This is one of my favorite MCU movies. It showed that you could have a superhero movie with a similar plot line to the Iron Man one but feel very different.
Ants are cute, yeah, but the ones that are more likely to bite you, the fire ants... stay way from them. Though they are small, their bites are REALLY painful. I speak from personal experience.
🐜I thought this was a very good MCU movie. The only real problem is that it suffers from the standard supervillain problem that happens in so many of these movies (and the comic books as well). I call it the "Bigger, Badder, Bad-guy" problem. Where the villain has the exact same power set as the hero, but is bigger and stronger (and somehow instantly knows how to expertly use his powers without any training). Iron Monger was bigger/badder than Iron Man, Abomination was bigger/badder than Hulk, Red Skull was bigger/badder than Captain America, etc. And Yellowjacket was bigger/badder than Ant-Man. There'll be more of these coming. I think the whole shrinking powers thing is the greatest violation of the laws of physics of any of the superheroes so far. But you just have to buy into the whole comic-book physics thing to enjoy these movies at all. So it really doesn't bother me. If he retains his full mass, no ant would be able to carry him, and no one would be able to carry a tank in their pocket, etc. And it the tech works by reducing the space between atoms, then how can you go "subatomic"?
The movie touches on it just enough, but there's more going on to the prison trap that takes place IRL. Prisons in the US are run with punishment in mind, not rehabilitation. Between that and societal perception of criminals being unredeemable, and the workforce following suit, recidivism is all but guaranteed. As per Harvard around 76% of prisoners are re-arrested within five years, some of the highest in the world. According to that same source, the US imprisons more people per capita than any other nation in the world. This is by design, as private, *for-profit* prisons are contracted by the US government and lobby for policy to ensure high population ad are able to sue the state per empty bed. That's not getting into the conditions of these prisons which, as per Correctional Services Corporation v. Malesko (2001) and Minneci v. Pollard (2011), inmates of these private prisons cannot sue either the prison or the guards on a Constitutional basis.
I'd say what he does to the man in the toilet is both symbolism. & experimentation. He probably realises that although he can't shrink matter yet, the technology can be used as a weapon instead, & so he does. where as the Ants don't hinder the plot, they could have done the film without insects, they might have done enough, just with the human shrinking, the Ants werent as much of the story as they were in the sequel I noticed (also Payton Reed Directed)
Interesting comparison of Paul Rudd and Chris Pratt movies in the MCU. (I would put Guardians above Ant-Man if forced to on content and subject matter, but I don't think that way in general.) I think moving on to phase 5 and beyond they don't have to keep trying to make every production appeal to everyone, and, like the comics, have something for everyone individually. Of course, they will keep tying together in the overarching narrative, where all of them have information to flesh out the plot, but you don't have to watch them all, and just watch what interests you, movies and/or TV shows. And that's the great thing about the Marvel Universe - to each their own. Of course, I am watching every last second of everything, and while I am not supergeeked about all of them, I am appreciating them all on their own merits, not forcing them to appeal to my "perfect" type like a lot of the supercritical fanbois do. Sometimes, fun is just that.
I'll definitely be watching all the movies so that I know what each one is like, but for rewatching I will definitely stick to the ones I have enjoyed the most, like anyone would! I agree, I like that MCU has something for everyone.
🐜 (Per your request :) This movie's okay. It's my least favorite of the MCU franchises. It's okay... and I enjoy watching it. I always remember Michael Pena telling the stories when I think about this. I also enjoyed the next one. I won't say any more. I haven't seen the newest one yet, so there's nothing that I can tell you... if I were to tell you anything. But, I Maruša Bogataj 🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜............. (because you never get just one.)
Ant man is a perfect chill movie with a hero that shouldn't work at all but it is. It is very easy to do a crap movie with that kind of hero , but they did an an excellent job and made a movie a can watch again again with ease . ,🐜🐜🐜
Hey KL, Here we go lol I'm a little late, gonna rewind. Curious to see how u like it since u didn't like the last movie (Guardians) that was sort of comical like this one.
Really excited for the next one. Fun fact: Paul Rudd had a strong hand in writing this movie, too. Hank choosing to recruit Scott was pretty contrived. Sadly, some writers depend on the audience to have tunnel vision, thinking the character we've seen so far getting sucked into something strange will prevent us from looking back with questions.
I don't see the similarity to the first Ironman. I know the villain builds a suit based off the hero's suit. And of course they are man high-tech man made suits. I think the similarities end there. Besides that, there is a different back story behind the Ironman and Antman suits and how they came to be. The lead character in each movie is also pretty different, along with the supporting characters in each movie. They both have pretty good comedic moments. Subjective in terms of which is better in that respect. Overall, I like the first Ironman more, but Antman has points in its favor as well.
As good as IRON MAN is, it has some serious competition as a Super hero film. both from the more serious hero films & the more humorous i.e- BAT MAN BEGINS, the 1978 SUPERMAN (if looking a bit dated know) & DEFINATELY from ROBOCOP which re wrote how you do an action Science Fiction type film, & so obviously IRON MAN steals from it, especially for the plot. ANT MAN is fun and has a great energy to it, there is also an originality to it that I liked.
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What are your thoughts and feelings on Ant-Man? Let me know below! Please remember to not spoil anything about the future MCU movies and shows coming up for me. 🐜 If you would like to help support the channel and join a wonderful community, check out my Patreon: patreon.com/kaiielle - We are having a Patron Movie Night this Friday evening! If you'd like to try out Patreon reactions before signing up, you can find those here: kaiielle.com/free Thanks so much for watching! ❤ KL
I will only say that I am here to watch your reactions. There are some of these films that actually get better upon rewatch. This is one of them. Picking Scott wasn't random, it was based on Scott's ability in being able to get past the tech of Vista Corp. After that, he used his resources to find out and surveil Scott's life. I think Scott started as a curiousity for Hank, but when he learned that Darren Cross was so close he made the decision to recruit Scott. I just know this film is a little weird for me because my name is Darren, spelling and all. And having them say it over and over, especially to a villian was just . . . . weird, Lol!
@@fullmoonprepping4024 I agree about the rewatchability of Ant-Man. It's an easy watch, with some great comedic and heartfelt moments, even interspersed between the action sequences.
@@TheChiraagG I'm a big fan of Michael Douglas so having him in here was a surprise and a bonus. He can do drama and comedy better than most.
I don't know if many people think so much of Corey Stoll in this role, but I do think similarly as you. I've felt since I first saw the movie that he portrayed a solid villain. Someone who was out right villainous, but still had an emotional resonance and depth in his performance.
I mean, he didn't just pick Scott at random... He was a very smart guy with an advanced degree who had proven abilities when it came to defeating supposedly unbreakable security, a good moral compass (he did the VistaCorp job because they were intentionally overcharging clients), and a willingness to take on big corporations. It was also a high profile event, so it's not like he would have been a complete unknown.
At the same time, Pym derides Scott for turning back to crime when he's unable to find employment, and after working to get Scott to do just that. That's always bothered me about the movie.
@@mechanomics2649 Yeah, especially considering that by any sort of traditional definition Pym himself would 100% be considered a "criminal". I think MAYBE the only way to interpret it is that Pym was agressive towards Scott because he saw himself in him and it reminded him of his own "failures". I feel like that is maybe the direction they were going but didn't really flesh it out leaving him to seem unlikeable instead.
The MCU films tend to "shorthand" many character traits and Pym being a bit of an ass is a reference to his much more troubled comics personality (or should I say personalitIES). The "brain chemistry being altered in a negative way" problem (and thus the need for an enclosed helmet) is something he learned through trial and error. It's why he can't wear the suit any more and it's why he's psychotic at times in the comics.
Fun fact: the black gentleman in the car that Scott lands on is Garrett Morris. Him being in this movie isn't a coincidence. He played Ant-Man in a sketch on Saturday Night Live back in the 70's.🐜
Which was the first time Ant-Man was ever portrayed in live action.
That's neat! I didn't know that.
I watched SNL religiously in those days and I had forgotten all about that. Good Easter egg.
🐜🐜🐜🐜
My favorite part of this is the step-dad and the bio-dad getting along. That's not something you see in fiction very often at all, and both accepting each other's presence in the child's life just makes it about perfect. Too much fiction still focuses on either the bio-dad not mattering at all, or the step-dad being a twit and/or a jerk. Sometimes biological parents don't stay together, and that isn't a bad thing. That's an important message to get across, and I'm glad this movie does it.
I completely agree with you, it's really nice to see that.
I loved that the main plot behind this was basically a heist movie. Plus the casting for the main characters was great.
I love how the MCU didn't just do the superhero thing but they made each film a theme or genre. Ant-man being a heist film is fantastic. 🐜🐜🐜
I'm happy Paul Rudd ended up being Ant-Man. This was definitely another example of good casting. I've never thought about which MCU movies would be in my top 10, but I think Ant-Man would be a top contender.
Michael Pena is in a movie with Mark Wahlberg called The Shooter, that hasn't gotten a lot of reaction attention, but it's a good watch, especially if you want to see more of Pena. Also with Kate Mara and Danny Glover.
Scott wasn’t really a random pick to Hank.
He wanted Scott, not just because he found out he was a great thief, but because of his family situation. He knew that he had a daughter, and was in a tough spot with his family.
Hank mentioned to him multiple times about “Second Chances” and that’s what he wanted to give him.
A chance to use his skills to potentially save the world and (by extension) his daughter. To be a real hero.
As Hank said, about Scott’s daughter and his own:
“It’s not about saving our world, it’s about saving their’s.”
Hank could’ve picked just a random guy, but when he found out about Scott and his situation, he knew he was perfect for this, and not just in interns of being a good thief, but in terms of motivation.
Only in the MCU can a film end with a climactic fight on top of a Thomas the Tank engine and it somehow makes sense
Such a fun one! It’s smaller in scale (no pun intended) but I think it works so well for this movie. Cant wait for you to see where these characters go in future MCU projects. 🐜🐝
I honestly love this movie so much, when you think about how long it is between each film of the series, it had been a while since we got an origin film, and this one was well done and kinda slowed up the pacing of what was to come.
This is a underrated gem in my opinion. While the villain may be bland and one noted, Paul Rudd and the overall story carry’s the movie. Love Antman + these reactions! (Also Luis has the best jokes/one liners in the whole MCU. The way he tells his story with lip syncing is hilarious to me).
Another good reaction and thanks for the shout-out! FYI, I think Corey Stoll is a SUPER underrated actor... Id highly recommend a show he was in called The Strain. Jump scares galore 😂
Great reaction. Ant-Man was awesome. Nobody ever thought this movies would be so good. So much action and comedy. All the shrinking scenes were incredible.
Can't wait to see your reaction to the rest of the movies.
Fun fact- When Scott landed on top of that car, the taxi man inside was actually the original actor who portrayed Antman, Garret Morris
Ant-Man is basically in my top three Marvel movies, because it breaks the seriousness and the constant high stakes situations of other movies which I had started getting tired of. It's fun seeing Scott and the "three wombats" doing their thing, and it's just great seeing an everyman with some flaws and bad history become a heroic figure, not just for his little girl, but especially for his little girl. I also loved Paxton's change of heart and the understanding that he developed for Scott and the bizarre situation Scott found himself in. Cassie was adorable.
The humor and the everyman hero were the main reasons why I love this movie, but also the family aspects shown in it. Scott cares about stopping Darren Cross, sure, but he most wants to reconnect with his daughter and rebuild that relationship more than anything else. I loved the humanity of that in contrast to the somewhat repetitive super superhero stories of everything goes boom if they fail that have been the standard from Iron Man on up. There are some noticeable exceptions here and there, but since some of those might be upcoming I shan't mention them.
Yes, the fact that Scott and Paxton were able to come to friendly terms by the end. Very refreshing!
@@testfire3000 Agreed! And I like the way Paxton and Maggie were portrayed too. When Cassie asks her mom if daddy is bad, Maggie gives her a great answer that doesn't involve throwing her ex under the bus. And Paxton genuinely cares about Cassie too and doesn't treat her as the burden he has to deal with to get the woman he wants. Such great characterizations of how real decent people should act, though I know it can be difficult at times.
YES! another Michael Pena lover! *clears throat* I mean, cool, I'm super excited when my favorites get that appreciation. Oh! and yes, the Ant Man movies are the only ones that make ants cute to me XD
First time I saw this I thought it was a solid action superhero movie. Not my favorite but not bad. But when I rewatched it when it came out on dvd/streaming I liked it even more. The story is formulaic but the characters and acting are great. Also I appreciate how it wasn’t about Scott trying to win back the love of his life he was focused on his daughter and at the end his ex and her new husband became good friends with him in support of their daughter. That was very wholesome.
We had an ant problem in our house this past summer. And even though I hadn't seen this movie in years, whenever I had to squish one, in my head (even though I was the one doing the squishing), I kept thinking "Antony! Nooooo!"
I do agree with most of your thoughts about this movie though. I also can't help but to compare similar concepts to Iron Man, and that really is a high bar to meet.
When Darren Cross said, "Tales to astonish", he was referring to the comic book Ant-Man first appeared in, Tales to Astonish.
I came to see if it was mentioned already.
If you want to see more of Hank Pym I highly recommend The Avengers Earth's Mightiest Hero's one of Marvels best cartoons. I guess it's like the original Comics but set in the 2010s so similar to how the MCU modernized these hero's but the cartoon Avengers line up and story lines is closer to that of the original comics along with how characters. It's 2 Seasons long and could make for a fun future reaction, no worries for spoilers as it's very much it's own thing outside of the MCU and benefits from having no limits on what hero's they can use.
That show is like the Definitive version of the Avengers. Pretty sure The Spectacular Spider-Man, Wolverine and X-men, and Earths Mightiest Hero's are all connected or we're going to be connected in season 3 before it was cancelled.
This movie is really high up on my marvel list.
It made me like ants (cute little things), it represented broken up couples in a more positive light (aka not the 'my partner was an asshole' or 'the step parent is the spawn of satan'. It's very important and very underrepresented in movies), it is very interesting and very funny. Visually its also just a treat for the eyes.
By now it should also be obvious that marvel movies arent just typical 'superhero' movies. They all have their own genre on top of that (compare Captain America to Ant Man to Avengers and it becomes obvious how different they actually are) and i think that kinda contributes to why so many people like them. There's atleast one movie you'll end up liking.
I do appreciate that not all the movies are the same. It makes ranking them a lot easier too. There will always be a movie for someone. And with that, there will also be movies that people don't like as much.
@@kaiielle oh yeah definetly. I've found surprisingly that i'm not that much a fan of captain america movies. Just not my type of movie.
(Though you're very close to some of my other favourites and i'm very hyped to see you react to them).
Have a good day/night!
Hey, I’m caught up with your MCU releases.
During the Ant Man/Falcon fight when you said, “Can’t we just be allies, please!” All I could think was, “just wait “. Then the end credits scene with Steve, Sam and Bucky came on and your eyes lit up… Voila!
🐜 This is one of my favorite MCU movies. Paul Rudd was perfectly cast and I am glad to see they show a healthy family dynamic at the end without resorting to the well worn trope of "evil step-parent" who tries to break up the child from the bio-parent.
Me too! A wonderful part of the film.
🐜 Something the movie doesn't explain but should is that the Pym particles can alter mass as well as size. Otherwise Hank wouldn't be able to carry a tank in his pocket.
It's interesting to me how different viewers takes on the main themes of this film are so varied. Many see it as principally a heist movie (understandable, though I disagree) while, by her association of the film with 'Iron Man', Kaiielle seems to view it as a redemption tale.
My opinion is that the movie is first and foremost a family dynamics story, especially with respect to fathers and daughters. The other stuff is there but it seems like the father daughter bond is the core thread of the movie.
Totally! I can see the heist aspect being what people think first, but you're right I definitely saw this more as a focus on Scott and him going from a prisoner/criminal to a superhero and being the dad his daughter sees him as.
Yeah, wasn't sure if you'd like this one after you didn't like Guardians too much. This is another movie with a lot of heart, but is also pretty comedic in almost all aspects. But I hope you enjoyed the ride anyways!
One thing that doesn't get enough love IMO is how great the effects look on Michael Douglas to make him look young again. Really good stuff and doesn't come off as uncanny valley or anything
There’s a few frames when Scott is in the quantum realm, there’s something that looks like the silhouette of a person. I love how many Easter eggs they hide in these movies.
One of my favorite superhero movies. I love the fact they tell you right off the bat how things work then proceed to completely ignore it lol. Your size changes but not your weight so ants couldn't carry things that had shrunk and Hank couldn't carry a tank in his pocket. And on and on and I don't care I just ignore it and enjoy the movie. So many good actors in this one.
This one was a pleasant surprise. I was aware of the character and what his powers were from following other Marvel comics, but that was pretty much it. I still haven't read any of his comics to this day, but I've very much enjoyed his movies. I recall that many fans were clamouring for a Luis recap of the entire MCU story to date as part of the build-up to the finalé of phase three - it didn't happen, but I daresay that it would have been a fun piece of bonus content. ^_^ 🐜
I would love to see Luis doing that LOL
Baskin-Robbins always finds out.
The schmohoyo ref killed me. Well done.
The Gregory Brothers made up like 75% of my TH-cam watching back in the day. 😅
Honestly, I love Ant Man's story... and a lot of that is because I am a father to a wonderful girl. Even if that relationship is rocky these days, these movies dealing with challenging family dynamics will always hit home _so_ strongly for me from the MCU. 10/10 for me, would 🐜 again.
Darren is what happens when rejection and obsession take over your life. Hank said he was once a good man, but his obsession with recreating the Pym Particle and rejection from Hank drove him to make deals with Hydra and let the untested particles drive him insane
Great reaction again. With this movie it feels like most people at first think its going to be stupid....only to find it fun and pretty good. You on the other hand appeared to go into it as a pretty blank slate that was open to it. However ....
- You liked the villain (Darin) and thought he looked hot. Minus one point for you.
- You liked his yellow jacket suit. Another minus point for you. (Ok ... it was kinda cool looking so ... minus 1 point for me too.)
- You were the first I've seen to catch onto the tie-in at the end credit when Falcon tells Cap, "I know a guy." Plus 1.
- Your after talks are really good. Plus a bazillion.
Looking forward to your next reaction.
I don't mind the -1 for thinking Corey Stoll is attractive.
If you fly high in the sky like a bird of prey, you have to have REALLY good vision for seeing things on the ground. . .
Yep, totally makes sense in hindsight!
The man in the car he landed on was Garrett Morris, who was part of the original Saturday Night Live cast. He did a skit where he was Ant-Man. That was an homage to the skit.
That formula that involves facing the hero against an evil version of himself is because Stan Lee used to say that we could be our worst enemies.
Ant-Man was in development for quite awhile at Marvel. It was going to be directed by Edgar Wright, the filmmaker behind the Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End, as well as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, although I saw on your Letterboxd you weren't a fan of that one). At the time, I was a *huge* Wright fan, and as such Ant-Man was one of my most anticipated MCU movies. In 2013, Wright had not completed the aforementioned Cornetto Trilogy, and the third chapter was highly anticipated, so he asked Marvel to wait for him while he went and directed The World's End. They did, but by the time he was finished, he was unhappy with the script changes they had asked for, and ultimately left the project. Wright had already cast the film by that point, and they stuck around, with Peyton Reed coming on to take over in his place. On first viewing, I didn't like the movie, because I had wanted to see the Wright version, but I came around on it a bit on a second watch.
When Scott returns to regular size after his first shrinking experience, he is on top of a man's car. The man in question, Garrett Morris, was on "Saturday Night Live" in the 1970s and famously starred in a sketch about Marvel superheroes, in which he played Ant-Man, hence the little cameo. Also, Scott's boss at Baskin-Robbins is played by Gregg Turkington, a comedian famous for the offbeat online comedy show "On Cinema," co-starring Tim Heidecker of the duo Tim and Eric.
When I started I wondered if this one was going to be a whiff for you just because it sort of operates along the same comic principle as Guardians of the Galaxy, and of course that came out at the end, especially with the Letterboxd review, but I'm glad you had a good time. 🐜
🐜 Antman was fun, if a little bit underwhelming when I first saw it, but I enjoy it more now. It's not as much action as other Marvel movies and the stakes don't really seem very high, but the light-hearted wholesome feel of it is nice once in a while.
You were like "the Avengers aren't in this mo....", Sam: 'On your left!"
Literally though. 🤣 Had a good chuckle at that while I was editing.
another phase in the books love your reaction to this
Thanks! Excited for Phase 3!
Interesting note Hope Pym was created in the comics set in an alternate future where she is a villain called Red Queen.
Even with the success of the movies there is no Hope in the main comic timeline.
Nadya Van Dyne, the Unstoppable Wasp.
@@CaptainFrost32 check out the A Next series by Tom DeFalco & Ron Frenz that introduced Hope.
Nadia took the name Van Dyne and the writers tried to create synergy between movie and comic portraying her like movie Hope but she is a Black Widow initiate and daughter of Hank & Maria Pym
Kaiielle when i 1st heard about this movie i was like who in the f is ant-man since i only really knew about the all of the avengers and black panther but this movie is 1 of my favorite marvel movies and just like Gofthegalaxy i enjoyed it as soon as i started watching it
Good to see you enjoying this, as always. And yet again, great to see a different perspective of a film I really enjoyed.
Looking forward to your next one. Catch you next time 🦟
This was the first Marvel movie I missed out on initial release and saw it later. The bonus scene is so cool! But the whole movie is a really unique experience. Paul Rudd is just perfect casting especially with “Marvel Humor”. I enjoyed this sort of “low stakes heist film” vibe thanks to Peña. I also like seeing kind of the mentions of SHIELD and Stark’s involvement. It makes sense that Big Tech is connected somehow. Anyway. Fun origin story!
Definitely!!
"No! Not Antony!" 😱
Well, it´s always an ANTony... 😄
Awesome reaction and commentary! Love taking this journey with you! ❤🎉
Thank you!
Definitely one of my favorites 🐜🐝
It's ironic that they started with trying to make soldiers bigger and now they're trying to make them smaller😂 "a shield around the world" is concerning no matter who's idea it is
one of the og Avengers in the comics, enjoy the reaction
I love this movie! Top 5 MCU for me. No matter how bad my day can be going, this movie always cheers me up.
It is just so wholesome & charming, while at the same time, gruesome and a little horrifying. The idea of shrinking forever or getting zapped into a tiny pile of goo and flushed down a toilet,
😱🤢😱
One minute, “Cassie is so adorable, I love her 😍”… A few moments later, tiny pile of lamb goo 😱🤢😱
I very much enjoy that “Ant-man” the movie & the character don’t take themselves too seriously and doesn’t try to be something they’re not. There is a meta self awareness to it that I appreciate. It keeps things simple, yet well executed. Ant-Man is a fun, lighthearted, breath of fresh air after the heaviness of Age of Ultron and a brighter note to end phase 2 on and introduce some awesome new characters and concepts.
RIP Ant-thony 😔🐜😔
Phase 3…Here we come!
Honey I shrunk the kids movie made me think that ants are cute.
Kaiielle, you should watch 'Billions' if you like Corey Stoll, the actor playing Darren Cross. He's always wearing expensive suits in that series. I think he shows up in season 2 or 3.
I'll say this as a six-year-old Pixar girl character who saw Mr. Incredible lift a locomotive over his head.
LUIS IS THE BEST CHARACTER EVER! 😊
That's because ants are cute. Most people just don't have the time to look down and find out.
Since you're a fan of Corey Stoll I'd throw out a suggestion, not necessarily for a reaction series, for the show The Strain. It's a Guillermo del Toro project about vampires as more biological creatures than mythological.
Yes! The Strain is excellent!
I didn't think I would like this movie, but it surprised me.
2:05 Hank Pym going all “Keep my wife’s name out your…)
As much as I love Iron Mam, Ant-Man was my favorite Origin. I love your comparison of the two though. 🐜👨
For as tense as the Hank/Hope dynamic is in this movie, I've heard that Hank is both physically and mentally abusive in the comics
Always enjoy your reactions and your take on things. I did like this movie especially in the rhythm of the MCU thus far. It was a low-stakes, on the ground movie following such a BIG movie (Age of Ultron) so I appreciate that the MCU (thus far) has this rhythm of high stakes and lower stakes while still tying it all together and making you feel connected to the larger narrative happening. Just my two c-ants.? 🐜🐜 (no? i'll show myslf out)
Great MCU heist movie. For me it was more of Bugs Life meets Oceans 11. 🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜
Haven't seen Oceans 11 so couldn't make that comparison! Hope to see it one day.
🐜🐜🐜 how did you edit out the scene with Paul Rudd without a shirt on? I figured that might’ve been one of your favorites.
This is one of my favorite MCU movies. It showed that you could have a superhero movie with a similar plot line to the Iron Man one but feel very different.
If you like movies with different perspectives, then I highly recommend you react to 1966 Fantastic Voyage. It's a movie ahead of it's time.
If you want a fun comedy that also tries to show the world from a super small point of view, give “Honey I Shrunk The Kids” a watch.
That movie was the first thing I mentioned in my review as soon as this reaction was over.
Thanks for the reaction and premiere again ❤🐜
Thanks for being there!
Your reactions continue to be on point! Not gonna lie, I cannot wait for the next one (Captain America Civil War). Game changer! 🐜
I had a blast with this movie. All of these movies are meant to be fun.
Ants are cute, yeah, but the ones that are more likely to bite you, the fire ants... stay way from them. Though they are small, their bites are REALLY painful. I speak from personal experience.
I am so enjoying your journey through the MCU. Your comments are humorous and knowledgeable. It's great to get another person's take on a movie.
🐜I thought this was a very good MCU movie. The only real problem is that it suffers from the standard supervillain problem that happens in so many of these movies (and the comic books as well). I call it the "Bigger, Badder, Bad-guy" problem. Where the villain has the exact same power set as the hero, but is bigger and stronger (and somehow instantly knows how to expertly use his powers without any training). Iron Monger was bigger/badder than Iron Man, Abomination was bigger/badder than Hulk, Red Skull was bigger/badder than Captain America, etc. And Yellowjacket was bigger/badder than Ant-Man. There'll be more of these coming.
I think the whole shrinking powers thing is the greatest violation of the laws of physics of any of the superheroes so far. But you just have to buy into the whole comic-book physics thing to enjoy these movies at all. So it really doesn't bother me. If he retains his full mass, no ant would be able to carry him, and no one would be able to carry a tank in their pocket, etc. And it the tech works by reducing the space between atoms, then how can you go "subatomic"?
🐜 i just think Mcu movies are so well made with comedy an action I love Ant-man just to be honest I’m a huge fan Paul Rudd ✌🏼
28:50 YES! Good eye :D
Watching an ant-man reaction and youtube plays a bunch of ant killer exterminator ads, go figure.
The movie touches on it just enough, but there's more going on to the prison trap that takes place IRL. Prisons in the US are run with punishment in mind, not rehabilitation. Between that and societal perception of criminals being unredeemable, and the workforce following suit, recidivism is all but guaranteed.
As per Harvard around 76% of prisoners are re-arrested within five years, some of the highest in the world. According to that same source, the US imprisons more people per capita than any other nation in the world. This is by design, as private, *for-profit* prisons are contracted by the US government and lobby for policy to ensure high population ad are able to sue the state per empty bed.
That's not getting into the conditions of these prisons which, as per Correctional Services Corporation v. Malesko (2001) and Minneci v. Pollard (2011), inmates of these private prisons cannot sue either the prison or the guards on a Constitutional basis.
I'd say what he does to the man in the toilet is both symbolism. & experimentation.
He probably realises that although he can't shrink matter yet, the technology can be used as a weapon instead, & so he does.
where as the Ants don't hinder the plot, they could have done the film without insects, they might have done enough, just with the human shrinking,
the Ants werent as much of the story as they were in the sequel I noticed (also Payton Reed Directed)
This movie was a pretty cool piece of work huh :)
Ant-Man is in San Francisco Avengers are in New York
Great reaction! 🐜🐜🐜
The next one you'll enjoy! Cheers!✌️❤️❤️
This is where the MCU spices up 🔥
Interesting comparison of Paul Rudd and Chris Pratt movies in the MCU. (I would put Guardians above Ant-Man if forced to on content and subject matter, but I don't think that way in general.) I think moving on to phase 5 and beyond they don't have to keep trying to make every production appeal to everyone, and, like the comics, have something for everyone individually. Of course, they will keep tying together in the overarching narrative, where all of them have information to flesh out the plot, but you don't have to watch them all, and just watch what interests you, movies and/or TV shows. And that's the great thing about the Marvel Universe - to each their own. Of course, I am watching every last second of everything, and while I am not supergeeked about all of them, I am appreciating them all on their own merits, not forcing them to appeal to my "perfect" type like a lot of the supercritical fanbois do. Sometimes, fun is just that.
I'll definitely be watching all the movies so that I know what each one is like, but for rewatching I will definitely stick to the ones I have enjoyed the most, like anyone would! I agree, I like that MCU has something for everyone.
🐜 (Per your request :)
This movie's okay. It's my least favorite of the MCU franchises. It's okay... and I enjoy watching it. I always remember Michael Pena telling the stories when I think about this. I also enjoyed the next one. I won't say any more. I haven't seen the newest one yet, so there's nothing that I can tell you... if I were to tell you anything. But, I Maruša Bogataj
🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜............. (because you never get just one.)
Ant man is a perfect chill movie with a hero that shouldn't work at all but it is. It is very easy to do a crap movie with that kind of hero , but they did an an excellent job and made a movie a can watch again again with ease . ,🐜🐜🐜
🐜 I liked Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy too. Greetings from Germany
🐜
Hey KL, Here we go lol I'm a little late, gonna rewind. Curious to see how u like it since u didn't like the last movie (Guardians) that was sort of comical like this one.
🐜 🐜 🐜
Really excited for the next one.
Fun fact: Paul Rudd had a strong hand in writing this movie, too.
Hank choosing to recruit Scott was pretty contrived. Sadly, some writers depend on the audience to have tunnel vision, thinking the character we've seen so far getting sucked into something strange will prevent us from looking back with questions.
Can't wait for Civil War😁
if you love the visuals, and you think the visuals are mind-fuck great..you haven't seen anything yet..hehehe
great reaction.
I don't see the similarity to the first Ironman.
I know the villain builds a suit based off the hero's suit. And of course they are man high-tech man made suits. I think the similarities end there.
Besides that, there is a different back story behind the Ironman and Antman suits and how they came to be. The lead character in each movie is also pretty different, along with the supporting characters in each movie.
They both have pretty good comedic moments. Subjective in terms of which is better in that respect.
Overall, I like the first Ironman more, but Antman has points in its favor as well.
Get it? Sam is a Falcon and Scott is an Ant? Birds usually eat Ants
I get it!
Hello again!
As good as IRON MAN is, it has some serious competition as a Super hero film. both from the more serious hero films & the more humorous i.e- BAT MAN BEGINS, the 1978 SUPERMAN (if looking a bit dated know) & DEFINATELY from ROBOCOP which re wrote how you do an action Science Fiction type film, & so obviously IRON MAN steals from it, especially for the plot. ANT MAN is fun and has a great energy to it, there is also an originality to it that I liked.
It may not be a favorite or a great MCU movie but it introduced a new character, it was fun and had a few surprises so it gets a pass from me. 🐜
11:30 stealing from billionaires is good.
Fine movie ❤