For Marvel fans as well as the studio itself, 2018 has proven to be both a groundbreaking and defining year for the MCU as the universe has reached it's full ten years of functioning. With it's tenth year currently two thirds finished, the results have been nothing short of phenomenal with Marvel's Black Panther scoring both critical and box office success and Infinity War becoming the most successful Avengers film to date while also marking a massive improvement over Age Of Ultron. With Last years Spiderman Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarock proving to be giant hits along with Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, the expectation is there for Ant- Man And The Wasp to deliver a similar splash with audiences both in terms of box office success while living up to the standards set by Marvel's recent phase of movies quality wise. Having seen Ant-Man And The Wasp, one can safely say that the sequel to the 2015 smash hit doesn't disappoint but it also doesn't reach the cinematic heights of the previous Marvel films released earlier this year.
Ant-Man And The Wasp is a solid sequel to the first film that feels like it carries much more freedom with it in regards to creativity and also serves to be a lighter and more colorful Marvel film that what was dished out to audiences earlier this year with Black Panther despite being awesome, dives into important social themes and Infinity War carrying an Empire Strikes Back feel to it with an insane climax. For those who were still recovering from the latter films closing sequence, Ant- Man And The Wasp was the appropriate antidote needed to help recover from the shock of that film's revelation. The plot for Ant-Man And The Wasp centers around the character of Scott Lang played by Paul Rudd, find himself balancing two different lives with the first being a Super Hero with the other being a father figure. He soon finds himself being presented with an urgent new mission by Hope Van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym, that places the Ant-Man teaming up with the Wasp to uncover secrets from their past. Much like the first Ant-Man which was enjoyable though not thought-provoking nor deep in regards to carrying social themes, the sequel retains the same kind of lightheartedness the previous film had while carrying with it a Honey I Shrunk The Kids feel to it. Both films are hands down a joy to watch on the big screen with them both being solid yet light entries in the expanding Marvel universe with the films mainly working thanks to the strong writing which also includes Paul Rudd's input as a screenwriter much like Ryan Reynolds with Deadpool, and the easygoing chemistry that the films main cast shares.
As far as the casting goes, Ant-Man thrives off the performances of it's main leads with Paul Rudd once again proving to be the perfect choice for the title role with him blending both comedy and heart with his performance with perfect comedic timing. Evangeline Levy does a solid job playing Hope Van Dyne with Michael Douglas turning in a strong performance as her father Hank. Michael Pena once again shines in his supporting role as well as Michelle Pfeiffer as Hopes long lost mother and Hanks wife. What makes the cast work so well in this film is the fact that they all share charisma together. Rudd and Lily make a perfect superhero duo and love interests with Hannah John-Kamen shining in her supporting role along with Walton Goggins as the films antagonists. It also helps that the films source material allows for the actors and actresses to have fun playing their parts as the audience can clearly see and feel the energy that is poured onto the screen from the performances.
The scriptwriting by Gabriel Ferrari, Andrew Barrer, and Erik Sommer works effectively in regards to the films main plot being fun-spirited and never taking itself too seriously. Given the emotional investment that audiences had with Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, perhaps its refreshing that the MCU has a film that is all heart and is made with the intention of just being playful for the fans with no emotional ties required. The film mainly consists of laughs and impressive action sequences requiring impressive CGI surrounded by the effects of Paul Rudd's characters suit that allows him to both shrink and double in size. As far as the films technical aspects go, the visuals once again dazzle which is the expected norm when dealing with an MCU film with the Cinematography giving it the look of a comic book movie brought to life. The makeup effects are often quite impressive particularly when Michael Douglas character is shown to look much younger for key flashback sequences.
Perhaps the fact that both this film and Ant-Man are too lighthearted for the MCU given their recent movies have delved into deeper themes, is ultimately a factor that works against them as these films while being a great deal of fun as well as harmless, don't have the same kind of impact the recent Marvel films have on audiences. Despite that shortcoming, the first Ant-Man as well as Ant-Man And The Wasp work great together as their own story within the MCU. Perhaps alittle fun for the fans was needed after being taken on an emotional journey with the previous films that stayed with the audience long after the credits finish rolling. If one was to look at Ant-Man And The Wasp through those lens, it could very well be described as being the sweetest dessert for the audience after enduring Infinity War. It was the palate cleanser the MCU needed to make it's fans laugh and be hopeful again after what they experienced with the previous two films. Perhaps with the scope of the MCU universe, Ant-Man And The Wasp being just a simple superhero movie with funny laughs and solid action sequences may seem like a step back given how much more mature and serious the universe has come with incorporating serious themes into it's stories, but given the wild ride that Marvel has put it's fanbase through as well as the general moviegoing audience, one cannot help but feel Ant-Man And The Wasp was necessary in order to change up the current flavor. As a sequel to the original, it's solid and holds it's own as being just as good as the original, however much like that film, it doesn't go beyond both movies amounting to just being fun experiences with the occasional nod to the rest of the MCU.
Final Verdict: See IT
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