Ant-Man follows Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), a petty thief who's just been released from prison, as he tries to reconnect with his daughter Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson) and ex-wife Maggie (Judy Greer).
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However, he ends up getting involved in a heist scheme involving Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) to steal a super-powered suit from Darren Cross (Corey Stoll). As Scott goes up against the villain Yellowjacket, Scott has to train hard in order to become Ant-Man, a hero with the power to shrink to the size of an ant but still keep his strength. Other actors from previous MCU movies also make appearances, including Anthony Mackie as Falcon, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, and John Slattery as Howard Stark.
Paul Rudd is a national treasure. He's a funny, likable guy who manages to make you feel right at home. Apart from being the main hero, Rudd also has a writing credit for this movie, which explains why there are so many funny beats. And Scott Lang is a unique hero in that he's an everyman; he's not a soldier, he's not a billionaire, and he's not a god. He's a regular guy who just wants to spend time with his family and find redemption for past mistakes. And after all the continent-hopping in Age of Ultron, it's nice to have a conflict that hits closer to home.
The supporting cast is rounded out really well, but the person who really steals the show is Michael Pena as Luis. Luis is Scott's best friend and fellow crook, and like Scott, he's a more "normal" guy (as normal as you can get in the MCU, at least). From his first scene, Luis is instantly likable, and he makes for one of the MCU's best sidekicks. And he manages to have some of the funniest moments in the movie; once you hear one of his "stories," you'll be begging to hear more.
Michael Douglas, meanwhile, turns in a really good performance as Hank Pym, and it's fun to see him take on a mentorship role to Scott while clashing with his daughter Hope. Pym also manages to have some funny moments, particularly one towards the end. Lilly also serves as an entertaining foil to Rudd, and her character is fleshed out pretty well. The big theme in this movie is that of failed father figures. Hank wants redemption for shutting out his daughter after his wife's "death," and Scott wants to redeem himself to earn his daughter's love.
The one element where the movie stumbles a bit is in the villain, Darren Cross/Yellowjacket. Stoll turns in a great performance, but Cross himself isn't particularly nuanced. He's basically "business guy wants big tech to take over the planet." That's about as deep as his character gets. Sure, there is a bit of tragedy to his character as a failed mentor of Hank, but other than that, there's not a whole ton of dimension to Cross. That said, the Yellowjacket and Ant-Man fight scenes are really colorful and entertaining, and the shrinking powers make for some entertaining backgrounds for the action. This movie has some of the more out-there visuals in the MCU. The shrinking scenes were filmed using a form of micro-photography, and it allows us to see everyday objects at a huge size. Vacuum cleaners, mousetraps, running water, even kids' toys are an ever-present danger for Ant-Man. The ants themselves are incredibly detailed, and they allow for really entertaining moments. And when Scott has to go subatomic, it's such a treat for the eyes you'll feel like you're on drugs for a few minutes.
Like all MCU films, there are references to other adventures, such as a mention of Sokovia (a key Age of Ultron location), the Falcon cameo, and the post-credits scenes set up Scott's future adventures in both his own sequel and in the bigger Avengers movies.