Paul Rudd’s son had the same reaction to the announcement of Ant-Man as many of us unfamiliar with Marvel’s less popular characters: “I can’t wait to see how stupid that’ll be.” On paper, the sentiment isn’t wrong. Ant-Man controls an army of ants and, at times, can be threatened by ordinary house rats. Fortunately, ‘Ant-Man’ composer Christophe Beck avoided the traditional Marvel trope of overly serious, earnest music. Instead, he embraces Ant-Man’s inherent silliness.
While Ant-Man eventually involves the typical “end of the world” scenario found in most superhero movies, it’s a heist film at heart. As such, Beck’s score doesn’t need the typical bombastic and heroic heraldry. Many tracks involve a bouncy, galloping lead melody that invokes a mischievous mood, of sneaking, suspicion, and ever-present danger. At the same time, these tracks take from scores such as Henry Mancini’s ‘Pink Panther,’ borrowing its levity and playfulness. Beck’s score would be equally fitting music for a less serious Splinter Cell or a more realistic Sly Cooper, anything converging on light-hearted tension.
Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect is the mixture of licensed music from “Commodores” and the blaxploitation film Coffy with original cues to give the film a surprising 70s jazz, funk, and soul feel. Most often these tracks arise during heist-related montages, making clear director Peyton Reed’s inspiration from 70s’ heist films. These tracks, together with the aforementioned orchestral melodies, give it a unique identity among the pantheon of comic book scores, all while giving the audience a wink and a wry grin.
Find out where Ant-Man ranks among the other scores of the Marvel Cinematic Universe HERE.