Marvel’s Ant-Man and The Wasp
Directed by: Peyton Reed
Marvel’s Ant-Man and The Wasp, the second installment in the Ant-Man franchise and the third appearance of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was directed by Peyton Reed and features a star studded cast including Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Evangeline Lilly as the Wasp and Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.
The film picks up with Scott Lang, two years after the events of Civil War but before the events of Infinity War, under house arrest when circumstances emerge for Scott to take on the mantel of Ant-Man once again!
This film is an overall good time. In the realm of the 20 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and The Wasp is solid. Marvel has often been criticized for having poor villains, yet Marvel did something very unique with the film in that we are made to sympathize with the villain and thus the viewer is taken on an unexpected emotional journey.
The first Ant-Man film was a definitive heist film. Ant-Man and The Wasp is built around a MacGuffin. In film and storytelling, a MacGuffin is a plot device in the form of a goal, desired object or another motivator the protagonist or main characters pursue. The entire movie is built around the pursuit of that MacGuffin, making for an exhilarating and hilarious ride from start to finish.
The acting in solid throughout the film. I was very impressed by Hannah John-Kamen who played Ghost. She gave a convincing portrayal of a tortured soul looking for revenge but finding something else entirely. I was also impressed by Michael Peña as Luis, who never ceases to amaze me. The chemistry between Rudd and Lilly gives the film a certain cute charm we have yet to see in an Marvel film.
Regarding special effects, there was not a whole lot to write home about, at least in the grand scheme of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The special effects were solid overall. The most impressive aspect was the “de-aging effect” featured in flashback scenes.
I will say that if you have not seen the first Ant-Man film and Captain America: Civil War, you may want to rent those before heading to the theater, but it’s still very enjoyable if you have not.
Overall Ant-Man and The Wasp is a great addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that you don’t want to miss. Also, like always, be sure to stay throughout the entire credits to catch the mid and end credit scenes. They do not disappoint.
Overall: 89%
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Andy Herndon is a husband, dad, film geek, Disney nerd, video editor, YouTuber, Podcaster and film student at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, OR. You can follow him on all the various social media networks at @andyherndon, listen to him on http://www.thedcast.com or see him on YouTube at youtube.com/andyherndon