2018 Summer Movie Season - Marvel Studios' Ant-Man and the Wasp : Review & Analysis

Bigger and Better!!!! Sequel To MCU Caper is Ideal Example on How To Make a Second Chapter!!!!

Review By: Brandon Porter

It Takes Two!!!

Story Description

 Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is in trouble...again. After aiding in the escape of Steve Rodgers and known fugitive Bucky Barnes, Lang's actions have very much affected the people around him specifically Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hope (Evangeline Lilly). Forced to go off the grid, Lang and the others soon come across a mysterious new adversary named Ghost (Hannah John Kamen) who looks to bring chaos to the world at large. With her power growing stronger by the day, Hope and Scott must team up to stop her and also unlock the secrets of a long-buried past.

Scott and Hope Debate Their Next Move

Critical and Finacial Analysis

Ant-Man and the Wasp is in an interesting position in the MCU and the summer season. It is obviously an anticipated film for July. But it is also tasked with being the palette cleanser for the earth-shattering events of Infinity War. With Peyton Reed returning and an incredibly strong cast, Ant-Man and the Wasp has the ingredients to be a great sequel. Critically, the film improves upon the original. The filmed earned an impressive 86% fresh rating from critics via Rotten Tomatoes with an equally solid 80% fresh rating from the general public. The highlights included its lighter and more fun tone in contrast to Black Panther and Infinity War while still maintaining the memorable elements of its predecessor. Financially, the film started off its box office run with a solid Friday total of $34 million in addition to $11.5 million on Thursday showings. With the film potentially earning $85 million by the end of the box office weekend. With all that in mind, Ant-Man and the Wasp is looking like another solid addition to the MCU portfolio. It may not have the high stakes of a Black Panther or and Infinity War, but it's definitely a small-scale entertainment with effectively big impact. 

Such A Deadly Arsenal!!!

Film Review

No film surprised me more in 2015  than Ant-Man. A funny and entertaining "small" stakes heist film that brought a new element to the MCU. With Ant-Man and the Wasp, the film has a tall task of delivering a worthy sequel and being a refreshing and positive alternative to the emotionally devastating and larger scale Avengers Infinity War. After seeing the movie, I am impressed by the film's incredible commitment to building upon its predecessor. Rarely do you get a sequel that manages to do all the right things without falling into the typical sequel traps. To start, the cast is fun to watch. Paul Rudd continues to impress as Scott Lang bringing even bigger heart and humor to the character. Evangeline Lilly steals the show as Hope this time around as she makes her anticipated debut in the Wasp suit. She plays off of Rudd very well and the two of them have great banter and chemistry throughout the film. Michael Pena also manages to deliver another hilarious performance as Luis and Michael Douglas, Michelle Pheifer, and Laurence Fishburne brings their veteran pedigree to round out an entertaining and deep cast. As for the antagonist, Hannah John-Kamen is really good as Ghost offering a sympathetic character with understandable resolve and some cool visual aesthetic. One of my biggest praises of this movie is how it manages to take all of the great elements of the first film and build on them. The movie is more fast-paced, funnier, heartfelt, and all around better than the impressive first film. The film hits all the right beats to be a worthy follow up to the surprise hit of 2015. Overall, Ant-Man and the Wasp is an almost perfect sequel as it takes the best elements of its predecessor and improves on them in all the right ways. Rarely do films manages to do this well at creating a second installment that recaptures the magic of the first while making the second go around an even better ride.       

Rating and Final Thoughts

With more action, heart, and hilarity, Ant-Man and the Wasp goes big and stands tall as a
worthy sequel to one of the MCU's unlikely hits.

Nothing to worry about. Someone will come for me right?....RIGHT?!!!