Ant-Man (A Big Deal?)

​Back in 1999, I was a training manager at Universal Studios Florida. When we opened Islands of Adventure, we were all thrilled that it included the Marvel Superhero Island. Since then, the Marvel universe has exploded with movie and TV program after movie and TV program, ad nauseous, infinitum, forever and ever. With so many superheroes on the big screen, is there really room for another one?
 
Move over, Hollywood, just a little bit for the next big thing (sorry, bad pun). One of the most recent Marvel-inspired movies is Ant-man, the bigger-than-life adventures (sorry, bad pun) about burglar, Scott Lang (played by Paul Rudd) who is recruited to become a powerful, if tiny, superhero. The characters seem typical of superhero types:

• a down-on-his-luck father, destined to be a reluctant superhero
• a brilliant scientist
• an evil scientist who wants to use the brilliant scientist’s discovery/creation for (what else?) evil
• a beautiful damsel, somewhat in distress
• an adoring child.

 
I admit I was reluctant to waste my time on this one, even though I really enjoy Paul Rudd, so I waited ‘til it came out as a rental and there was nothing else on TV. It was fun. It was silly. It was predictable. However, I did feel sorry for the ants who selfishly gave their lives so Ant-Man could save the world.
 
You can find all sorts of messages within this movie. Redemption. A father’s love for his daughter and her adoration of her father. Evil people have huge egos. Sometimes the most humble among us must rise to the occasion to save the world.
 
The absolutely best part of the movie is when Michael Douglas plays Dr. Hank Pym (where do they get these names?) 30 years ago. It looked like he stepped right out of "The China Syndrome" (It's a movie, kids. Ask your parents). The CGI is astonishing and just about worth the price of admission.
 
Ant-Man is simply entertainment. That’s about all. But it’s good entertainment. Given the current efforts at entertaining people, that’s a big deal (sorry, bad pun).

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