Peyton Reed is back to direct Ant-Man and the Wasp, the sequel to his 2015 surprise hit, Ant-Man. The film takes place roughly two years after the events of Captain America: Civil War, which saw Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) get arrested for helping Captain America during the airport battle in Germany. Lang, who has been under house arrest since Civil War, now finds himself focusing on being a better father instead of being a superhero. When Hank (Michael Douglas) and Hope (Evangeline Lily) come to Scott with an urgent new mission, however, Scott must once again work outside the law and risk losing everything.
In a year that has already seen two heavy and dramatic films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and the Waspprovides a much-needed breath of fresh air. One of the things I really appreciate about the Ant-Manfilms is how small they are in scale. They are a reminder that not every superhero film needs to have serious global stakes. What Ant-Man and the Waspis able to do is offer some levity to a cinematic universe that was reduced to dust by the end of Avengers: Infinity War. The film uses comedy excellently, and perfectly balances comedic moments with big action pieces. Although there are a lot of laughs to be had with this, it never feels like a straight-up comedy.
As great as the comedy is, however, the film would not be nearly as good if it weren’t for the outstanding family relationships that drive the story forward. One of the best things about the original Ant-Manwas Scott’s relationship with his daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson), and that continues in this film. Scott now finds himself trying to balance being a father and being a hero. What I love about his relationship with Cassie is that she is able to anchor him and push him to do the right thing. Then, there is Hope Van Dyne, who spends the entire film doing everything she possibly can to reunite with her mother, Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer). In many ways, this film is more about Hope than it is about Scott, and that is in huge part due to her fierce desire to make her family whole again. The action and comedy are very effective, but what really makes this film shine is these wonderful family dynamics that are put on display here.
For the most part, the cast works very well together. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily are great in every scene they are together, and it is wonderful to see Lily have an even bigger role in this film. Hope Van Dyme is by far the best character in this film and has now established herself as one of the very best superheroes in the MCU. Hope isn’t just an intelligent woman and a great fighter. She is so fully developed and feels more real than almost any other superhero in the MCU. As for the villain, Ava/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), she isn’t your typical Marvel villain. She’s a villain by necessity, and doesn’t crave world domination like most villains do. This makes her one of the more interesting villains in the MCU, though not necessarily the best one. As good as these characters all are, there are others who don’t land quite as well. Walton Goggins’ Sonny Burch is kind of just there to conveniently advance the story, but we never really understand what his motives actually are. Randall Park gives a very over-the-top performance that, sadly, makes his character feel very unbelievable.
On the technical side, Ant-Man and the Waspdoes quite well. The de-aging technology used on Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer and Laurence Fishburne is seamless. The characters’ ability to play with their size continues to be a ton of fun to witness and it makes for a very creative action sequences. The Quantum Realm is gorgeously designed and it is a shame that they didn’t spend more time in it because it is extremely eye-pleasing. The film falters a little at the end. I think that Ava’s storyline was wrapped up very rapidly and without much explanation. Had the film taken just a few minutes to expand on why her issues are able to be resolved as quickly as they did, it would have helped the ending land better. However, Ant-Man and the Waspis by all means another great addition to the powerhouse that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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