Review: ANT-MAN AND THE WASP Is Both Fun Size and King Size At The Same Time
After the incredible cinematic experience that was Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel left all of us on a major downer with the simple snap of a finger. But for the 20th installment of Marvel's cinematic universe, Ant-Man and The Wasp serves as a bit of a palate cleanser, a reminder of happier times before Thanos changed everything.
Almost the entire cast from Ant-Man returns along with director Peyton Reed in this sequel that takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Scott Lang finds himself under house arrest for his role in the destructive superhero battle at the German airport. Like the first Ant-Man movie, he is striving to get his life back in order so that he can be a better father to his young daughter. With only days remaining on his sentence, Lang is pulled into another adventure by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). Together they face off against a mysterious enemy that can walk through walls called Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen).
One of the best elements of the original Ant-Man was the use of humor, and where that film succeeded, this one takes it to the next level. Paul Rudd took on writing duties once again, which means this movie is packed full of witty dialogue and more hilarious situations. Is the movie funnier than the first Ant-Man? That is up for debate, but it has undeniably great laughs and we even get another one of Michael Peña's hilarious story montages.
There are so many clever action set pieces, the use of Ant-Man and Wasp's size-changing abilities makes for some incredibly choreographed fight sequences and action sequences. Ant-Man truly comes in all sizes this time around, we're talking small, medium, large and even X-Large. The stakes are a lot higher in this Ant-Man sequel, but they still seem like small potatoes in comparison to what we experienced in Infinity War.
I will say the movie does have its problems. Some of the CGI, especially when super-sized Ant-Man is on screen doesn't seem up to par. There are a couple characters that are so goofy and don't seem like real people, but they are clearly there to serve as the comic relief. And for all the hype surrounding Michelle Pfeiffer joining the cast, don't get your hopes up for seeing her for more than just a few minutes.
Overall, Ant-Man and the Wasp is another fantastic addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that won't disappoint. I'll admit that I was concerned that Ant-Man and the Wasp would suffer merely because it's the first to follow Infinity War, which many Marvel fans are calling the best of the bunch. But instead, the movie is a breath of fresh air before what will inevitably be a deep dive into the darkness of Avengers 4.
Just like all the other Marvel movies before it, keep your eyes peeled for another classic Stan Lee cameo, I have to say one of my all-time favorites. And you will be treated to not one, but two post-credit scenes. The latter is EXTREMELY satisfying.
If you loved Ant-Man I have no doubt that you will enjoy this movie just as much, if not more.
