Ant-Man and the Wasp

Rewind to the beginning of 2015 and I think most Marvel fans were likely seeing Marvel's first disappointment on the horizon with the original Ant-Man. Edgar Wright had left the project after some troubled behind-the-scenes issues -- not all that different than the growing pains Disney + Star Wars are going through right now -- and fans weren't super eager to see Ant-Man, of all heroes, despite having everyman, Paul Rudd, in the role. 

The original Ant-Man is a perfect example of why Marvel has so much goodwill with fans these days. Despite behind-the-scenes issues and obscure characters, they end up making enjoyable flicks nearly every time. This "predicted failure" was no different as the first film, while small stakes, had a lot of fun elements in it. 

Looking back now though, it understandably lacked confidence. Something about it felt unsure of itself and a little more concentrated on just making sure it wasn't an outright failure. Ant-Man and the Wasp represents the evolution of the first film, into a character and movie that are fully sure of themselves and how they fit into the larger Marvel picture. Everything that fans loved about the first film is dialed up here, including and especially Evangeline Lilly and the result is one of the most purely enjoyable films of the year. 

And a great remedy for those of us that are still reeling from Infinity War. 

Would have done much better on the island if Kate had this suit...

Competing with Nebula for best
villain design in the MCU

Speaking of Infinity War, many fans were wondering where Ant-Man and even the Wasp were in that film. Ant-Man and the Wasp is set after the events of Captain America: Civil War (in which he was a hilarious key player) and finds that Scott Lang has been put on house arrest for nearly 2 years for violating the Sokovia Accords. This film isn't shy about referencing previous Marvel events so it's best to be up to speed, but also delivers us some nifty interactions where Hope tells Scott he would have never been caught if he would have invited her to Germany. Probably true! So instead of helping the Avengers vs. Thanos, Scott is helping Hope and Hank find their mother who has been trapped in the Quantum Realm for 30 years. Obviously, this film is much lower stakes than the incredibly heavy Infinity War, but in this case, it's perfect timing. And Ant-Man takes full advantage of its smaller scale by just having a ton of fun with everything. 

Most of this starts with our lead, Paul Rudd. You can tell he adores playing this character and is having fun. As a result, we are too. A few scenes had me in stitches and my audience in tears, but to explain them would ruin the jokes, but they're examples that Rudd is fully on board to indulge in some of the goofier aspects of this role. The supporting cast all gets more to do here with the highlights being Evangeline Lilly (of course), Michael Pena again being one of the most value-added side characters in the MCU, and Scott's daughter offering some laughs and heartfelt moments. Only Walter Goggins feels wasted here, but that's mainly because I've seen him do so excellent as the villain elsewhere. While no Thanos, this film's villain, Ghost, is an intriguing character who I really hope we'll see again. She has a Winter-Soldier-esque background and, coupled with her badass character design, could grow into a complex character we want to follow.

I mean...that would have been a pretty gruesome film if the knife would have hit her...

Mentioned earlier, Ant-Man and the Wasp truly feels just like what the doctor ordered. It's yet another testament to how smart Marvel is as they plan these films out and this group of characters was the best [available] choice to just have a romping adventure with. The film rarely slows down on either laughs -- this is probably up there with Guardians and Ragnarok for funniest Marvel film -- or inventive action. You all know that I love my inventive action and while it may not rival Marvel's high points in action (Winter Soldier and Civil War), it's still got some impressive scenes. It's film's like these that I deeply appreciate the attempts to try something new, humorous, and inventive with their action and continues to make me downright shocked that Ant-Man and the Wasp has better action than Justice League, Suicide Squad, and Batman v. Superman...combined. Shouldn't be that way, but alas...here we are.  

It's interesting to see how a little confidence can result in a sequel that's better than the already very enjoyable original in nearly every way. Ant-Man and the Wasp is funnier, has a better villain, gives Hope/Wasp her deserved time to shine, continues to make Scott one of the most endearing MCU characters, and also has a handful of fantastically fun/inventive action scenes. It's some great escapism and is so purely enjoyable and light that it'll have you forgetting all about that purple-chinned monster and the Snap Heard Round the World. 

Or will it...? 

CONS

• Walter Goggins feels wasted
• Some shaky CGI. Never abysmal, just noticeable
• Some plot objectives seem to get dragged out
• Odd that there's almost no mention of Infinity War events despite leading right up to it

PROS

• One hell of a mid-credits scene
• A cast that's having a ton of fun with their roles. Rudd continues to establish himself as the perfect choice for this hero
• Finds enjoyment in its low stakes. Good timing too after Infinity War
• TONS more to do for Evangeline Lilly who kills it as Wasp
• Michael Pena is the definition of value-add. His character is hilarious
• Awesome villain design and provides us a character that could grow into a larger MCU role
• Consistently hilarious. Two scenes in specific had me nearly in tears
• Innovative action that takes full advantage of the size-changing technology at their disposal. Awesome to see the filmmakers challenged themselves here
• One of the most purely enjoyable films of the year. 

   Rath's Review Score | 8.5/10