Search found 3 matches: Michael Peña

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by Guest
Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:23 pm
Forum: Full Reviews
Topic: Ant-Man (2015)
Replies: 2
Views: 1550

Re: Ant-Man (2015)

VorpalSmiles wrote:That's weird, I actually though Michael Peña was one of the movie's best features - he delivers his goofball sidekick comedy perfectly. They aren't amazing jokes, but that's not really what the goofball sidekick is for, is it?


His monologue sequences were properly laugh-out-loud funny. But I was annoyed by his presence for the rest of the film. I seem to be in the minority on this one, though.

VorpalSmiles wrote:And the stupid "heroic sacrifice that's not really a sacrifice at all and the audience sure as hell knows it" has got to be the most annoying cliche in movies at the moment. Tony Stark should have blown up with the Chitauri and done the entire franchise a huge favor by proving that death is a real thing in the MCU.


Yup, yup, and yup. Though I can understand Marvel's hesitance to do such in The Avengers (as opposed to making a risk in a smaller superhero film like Ant-Man), but then why bother teasing his death at all?
by VorpalKitten
Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:26 am
Forum: Full Reviews
Topic: Ant-Man (2015)
Replies: 2
Views: 1550

Re: Ant-Man (2015)

That's weird, I actually though Michael Peña was one of the movie's best features - he delivers his goofball sidekick comedy perfectly. They aren't amazing jokes, but that's not really what the goofball sidekick is for, is it?

And the stupid "heroic sacrifice that's not really a sacrifice at all and the audience sure as hell knows it" has got to be the most annoying cliche in movies at the moment. Tony Stark should have blown up with the Chitauri and done the entire franchise a huge favor by proving that death is a real thing in the MCU.
by Guest
Sat Jul 18, 2015 6:52 am
Forum: Full Reviews
Topic: Ant-Man (2015)
Replies: 2
Views: 1550

Ant-Man (2015)

Important Note: There is technically a spoiler in the last paragraph, but unless you've never seen a movie before, I wouldn't worry about it.

With Disney's recently announced plans to remake many of their films or put fresh spins on their stories, it's not that surprising that the successful family company would task Marvel with remaking Honey I Shrunk the Kids. In all seriousness, the ants and shrinking aren't the only elements of Ant-Man that feel a little stale. Several shots recall Pacific Rim (robotic character rising out of the water), Interstellar (in an abstract and fascinating third act sequence), and How to Train Your Dragon (a flight scene late in the movie). But predictably, it's the Marvel filmography that gets the heaviest workout, with especially heavy influence from Iron Man 3 and Guardians of the Galaxy. Ant-Man's fleeting moments of quiet innovation and true inspiration are quickly forgotten alongside conventional plot-points, recycled characters, and an almost smug demeanor.

While Scott Lang longs to be with his daughter, he is constantly being carted off to jail for thievery he committed out of desperation. But after stealing a mysterious costume, Lang is given powers that allow him to shrink to a minuscule size. He is quickly found and recruited by Hank Pym, who wants Lang to infiltrate a technology agency to sabotage a potentially deadly experiment.

Any scene where Scott Lang shrinks down to ant-size is generally fun and creative. There's a giddiness in their direction that energizes the picture and gives it real traction and excitement. Unfortunately, this only accounts for 20 or so minutes of a two hour film, leaving 100 minutes up to distractions not supported by visual effects.

And that is exactly what the rest of the film is; a distraction. A time-killer. An airplane movie. Its impressive and creative visuals remain the only reason to see Ant-Man in a theater (if at all). The plot, while a little slow moving at first, eventually gets moving at a decent clip, and there's some chuckles (dispersed between groans). The action isn't particularly memorable (though Ant-Man's unique power lends itself to slightly more interesting possibilities), but it's not as incoherent or sloppy as this year's sluggish Avengers sequel.

The biggest problems are all involved with the script, as is typically the case for Marvel. Originally written by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish (and then re-written/revised by director Peyton Reed and leading actor Paul Rudd), the screenplay is bad. Almost terrible. The dialogue that the characters are forced to say is completely unbelievable. No one talks like the characters in this movie. The humor has successful moments, but it's generally weak. The film tries way too hard to be funny (doing everything short of inserting a laugh track) to make sure the audience laughs at insufficiently humorous material.

On top of that, the characters are so lazily written. Scott Lang is an uneasy combination of Tony Stark and Peter Quill, with Paul Rudd failing to capture the effortless charm of Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Pratt. Darren Cross may be the most forgettable Marvel villain so far (which is flat out impressive as hardly any of the studio's antagonists have remained in public consciousness) and Corey Stoll does nothing to leave a better impression (or really any impression at all).

Hope van Dyne is yet another of Marvel's completely interchangeable female characters, annoyingly performed by Evangeline Lilly. Michael Peña, and his accompanying chums, Tip Harris and David Dastmalchian are the most painfully unbearable elements of the film, portraying somewhat incompetent heist members whom are truly an embarrassment for the actors and writers. Michael Douglas is the only actor who manages to elevate his poorly written character, making the most of what he is given, while putting his own spin on things.

Christophe Beck's score is fresh and fun. His theme for Ant-Man is a surprise; an almost-dance with a Latin-like rhythm that's infectiously delightful and catchy, and a departure from what's often expected from super hero films. While its villain material is weak, and the heist elements are only so-so, the sheer effectiveness of its main theme is enough to carry the score.

I had a conversation with a friend after seeing the movie regarding the ominous Marvel death cheat (which finds its way into the movie, as expected). I expressed disgust towards it (and I came very close to booing when it occurred in film), but my friend defended it, saying "You can't kill off the hero!" And this is where my frustration with Marvel really kicks in. It's bad enough that the stubborn cliches that Marvel is recycling over and over are hurting their own films. But with their films reaching such wide audiences, today's movie goers are becoming brainwashed. It's beginning to affect mainstream cinema as we know it. And while I'm not trying to say Marvel isn't progressing somewhat (indeed, there are some sequences in Ant-Man that appear to be directed by an actual human being as opposed to an army of marketing executives!), but the studio's inability to take risks is hurting both their movies and the industry. In the short-run, Ant-Man is forgettable, poorly written, yet sporadically clever. But in the long-run, it's starting to poison its audiences, and that's just not worth 2 hours of middling entertainment.

Score: 5/10