By Nadia Ranaputri
Director: Peyton Reed
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Hannah John-Kamen, Laurence Fishbourne, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip "T.I." Harris, David Dastmalchian, Abby Ryder Fortson, Randall Park.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on a roll lately, laying out their universe and expanding it to new heights. In 2018, the MCU has brought us the gem that is Black Panther, and the culmination of their whole universe in Avengers: Infinity War. That leaves us one question: where were Ant-Man and the Wasp during Infinity War? Okay, maybe that isn't the most vital question that we're desperate for Marvel to answer (there are more dire questions at hand such as where the victims of the snap went off to or how the hell the remaining Avengers are going to undo the snap that wiped out half the universe), but at some point, we're left thinking where our tiny heroes were during the epic battle against the Mad Titan. Ant-Man and the Wasp, of course, answers that question.
Ant-Man and the Wasp opens to a more fleshed-out exposition of the flashback to Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne's tragic mission that we first saw in the predecessor, further explaining Janet's sacrifice by going subatomic and in the process, entering the Quantum Realm. Fast forward to present day, and we're introduced once again to Scott Lang, who is only days away from finishing his house arrest sentencing, a consequence he had to take for going against the Accords back in Captain America: Civil War. Eventually, he's dragged back into action by Hope and Hank Pym, who require something from him as they realize that he had discovered something regarding Janet. As he finds out, Pym has a portable lab that could shrink and enlarge at will in which they have been building a portal to the Quantum Realm. They're not alone, however, as they too are being hunted down by a mysterious figure who could phase through solid objects as well as a group of black market mercenaries who are out to get Pym's portable lab for their own personal gains.
Paul Rudd returns as our tiny hero Scott Lang/Ant-Man, ever charming in the lead; has some spectacular comedic timing here as always. When under house arrest, there's only so much you can do, but if you're Paul Rudd, there's a lot you can do when you're one of the most genuinely funny actors out there, and here, he delivers. Once we're introduced to the situation that Scott has gotten himself into, he makes the most of it, by playing drums, building a tunnel for him and Cassie to play with; as well as the best part of it all: Scott singing karaoke. That's right, that happens. But once he's unwillingly pulled out of house arrest to help Hope and Hank, his streak of charm continues to brighten the screen, one particular scene being an awkwardly hilarious but intimate scene with Michael Douglas' Hank Pym and Evangelline Lilly's Hope Van Dyne that is so unbelievably funny, but the love and charm that he's brought to the film is still there. And when it comes to the more serious stuff, he still nails it without losing his charm.
The standout however, is his partner in crime Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, aka The Wasp. This time around, she's gets plenty of fun action scenes as she takes the mantle of the Wasp alongside Ant-Man. Though she begins as a one-woman-show type of person, she eventually teams up with Ant-Man, and what do you know, their chemistry together was a joy to see. Lilly knows how to hold her own in sharing the spotlight with Rudd, and they manage to create some spectacular back and forth banter together. Hope's perseverince is one of her biggest strengths, and an intriguing aspect of her character, further establishing her place and making her mark among other MCU heroines that came before her. She grounds the film with her fierce yet vulnerable atittude whilst also bringing a different kind of charm into the mix, and when it's time for her to shine, she makes damn sure that she's using it to her advantage.
Ant-Man and The Wasp is guaranteed to be a good time, with giant salt shakers and a Hello Kitty pez dispenser thrown around in battle. It's slightly different from your usual Marvel action sequences, perhaps since it has something to do with the shrinking and enlarging, but it still remains to be a heck of a fun time. The shrinking science mumbo jumbo is delved into a lot further here, and it is a delight. Just when you think you've seen everything there is to do with all the shrinking in the first Ant-Man, this one reassures that there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. We've seen the shrinking and enlarging of Thomas the Train and the enlargement of one of Scott's ants; this time around, there's an on-the-go lab that could shrink and enlarge at will, as well as an array of fully functional tiny cars that are very helpful in dire car chases (which actually paves way for a very creative car chase sequence).
But even then, it even has some heart and soul into it. Our heroes have people back home that are their primary motivation for saving the day, like how Cassie becomes Scott's motivation to become the Ant-Man. In the first Ant-Man, Scott was struggling to raise money in order to pay child support and see his daughter. After his heroic action in the predecessor, he earned his wish to spend some time with his daughter, but his actions during Civil War puts him back in a tight spot since he's under house arrest. During his house arrest sentencing, Scott is making sure that he is able to make the most of his time with his daughter Cassie whenever she visits him for the weekend (there's a very cute sequence of them playing around the house), whilst Hope and Hank are trying to hold on to the possibility that Janet is still alive, though they're also placed in a difficult position. Ant-Man and The Wasp carries this theme of family well throughout the film, giving a lot of space for some well-earned emotional scenes and plenty of heart into these characters.
Then there's the antagonists, and there's a couple of them here. For one, they have Ghost, an enemy who can phase through objects and proves to be a real challenge for both Scott and Hope. But Ghost isn't necessarily a villain, she is more of someone who has different a goal than our heroes which could be said as an act of desperation rather than an act of true evil, though her main target of reaching said goal is the exact same with our heroes: through Pym's portable lab. Ghost is clearly the most interesting one out of the other antagonist that this film has under its belt, and it's a good thing since she is the main antagonist after all. The other group of antagonists, led by Walton Goggins' Sonny Burch; isn't all that interesting unfortunately, as they're merely placed on the sidelines of the film's cat-and-mouse game-like story, save for a great comedic scene with Michael Peña's Luis that involves a "truth serum" and Luis' storytelling tactic that has become an icon of the Ant-Man franchise.
Does Ant-Man and the Wasp feel like a filler? At some point, it does, due to the slightly overstuffed narrative that could have been bogged down a little bit. There are narrative elements here and there that could have been fleshed out more, such as some things that are resolved a little too quickly (one of them being a technical flaw with the Ant-Man suit) and cast aside for other arcs that really didn't need to be there, particularly the arc with Goggins and his gang. They really could have just gotten rid of Walton Goggins' Sonny Burch and his gang of black market criminals (they don't serve any real purpose to the story) and it wouldn't make much of a difference. If they had however, stuck with one antagonist (aka Ghost), that probably would have made it much better. Flaws aside, Ant-Man and the Wasp still has a lot of good moments going here and there, and the more genuinely heartfelt and fun moments definitely outweigh most of its flaws. It's not a perfect sequel, and for me, it doesn't have the same zing to the overall narrative as its predecessor, but it does pack in more variation into its story and its humor; reminding us what we loved about the first Ant-Man whilst also creating something new in the process without fully relying on repetition.
Overall verdict: Ant-Man and the Wasp is a definite fun time, especially if seen with friends and family. The comedic timing is still as brilliant as its predecessor, with iconic scenes such as Luis' babbling that become the predecessor's most memorable scene, and a very funny reference regarding Baba Yaga. The film's two leads, Rudd and Lilly are excellent and have great chemistry throughout the film. There's a lot of heart going on in this film, with family being the primary theme of the film, and it touches upon that beautifully. It does however, have a slightly overstuffed narrative with arcs and characters that really didn't need to be there in the first place, particularly Walton Goggins' Sonny Burch. Regardless, Ant-Man and the Wasp is still a good time and while it can feel like filler, it has plenty of great moments to keep the audiences along for the ride.
Stars: 3/5
Trailer
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| Image source: Popsugar |
Director: Peyton Reed
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Hannah John-Kamen, Laurence Fishbourne, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip "T.I." Harris, David Dastmalchian, Abby Ryder Fortson, Randall Park.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on a roll lately, laying out their universe and expanding it to new heights. In 2018, the MCU has brought us the gem that is Black Panther, and the culmination of their whole universe in Avengers: Infinity War. That leaves us one question: where were Ant-Man and the Wasp during Infinity War? Okay, maybe that isn't the most vital question that we're desperate for Marvel to answer (there are more dire questions at hand such as where the victims of the snap went off to or how the hell the remaining Avengers are going to undo the snap that wiped out half the universe), but at some point, we're left thinking where our tiny heroes were during the epic battle against the Mad Titan. Ant-Man and the Wasp, of course, answers that question.
Ant-Man and the Wasp opens to a more fleshed-out exposition of the flashback to Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne's tragic mission that we first saw in the predecessor, further explaining Janet's sacrifice by going subatomic and in the process, entering the Quantum Realm. Fast forward to present day, and we're introduced once again to Scott Lang, who is only days away from finishing his house arrest sentencing, a consequence he had to take for going against the Accords back in Captain America: Civil War. Eventually, he's dragged back into action by Hope and Hank Pym, who require something from him as they realize that he had discovered something regarding Janet. As he finds out, Pym has a portable lab that could shrink and enlarge at will in which they have been building a portal to the Quantum Realm. They're not alone, however, as they too are being hunted down by a mysterious figure who could phase through solid objects as well as a group of black market mercenaries who are out to get Pym's portable lab for their own personal gains.
Paul Rudd returns as our tiny hero Scott Lang/Ant-Man, ever charming in the lead; has some spectacular comedic timing here as always. When under house arrest, there's only so much you can do, but if you're Paul Rudd, there's a lot you can do when you're one of the most genuinely funny actors out there, and here, he delivers. Once we're introduced to the situation that Scott has gotten himself into, he makes the most of it, by playing drums, building a tunnel for him and Cassie to play with; as well as the best part of it all: Scott singing karaoke. That's right, that happens. But once he's unwillingly pulled out of house arrest to help Hope and Hank, his streak of charm continues to brighten the screen, one particular scene being an awkwardly hilarious but intimate scene with Michael Douglas' Hank Pym and Evangelline Lilly's Hope Van Dyne that is so unbelievably funny, but the love and charm that he's brought to the film is still there. And when it comes to the more serious stuff, he still nails it without losing his charm.
 |
| Image source: Digital Spy |
The standout however, is his partner in crime Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, aka The Wasp. This time around, she's gets plenty of fun action scenes as she takes the mantle of the Wasp alongside Ant-Man. Though she begins as a one-woman-show type of person, she eventually teams up with Ant-Man, and what do you know, their chemistry together was a joy to see. Lilly knows how to hold her own in sharing the spotlight with Rudd, and they manage to create some spectacular back and forth banter together. Hope's perseverince is one of her biggest strengths, and an intriguing aspect of her character, further establishing her place and making her mark among other MCU heroines that came before her. She grounds the film with her fierce yet vulnerable atittude whilst also bringing a different kind of charm into the mix, and when it's time for her to shine, she makes damn sure that she's using it to her advantage.
Ant-Man and The Wasp is guaranteed to be a good time, with giant salt shakers and a Hello Kitty pez dispenser thrown around in battle. It's slightly different from your usual Marvel action sequences, perhaps since it has something to do with the shrinking and enlarging, but it still remains to be a heck of a fun time. The shrinking science mumbo jumbo is delved into a lot further here, and it is a delight. Just when you think you've seen everything there is to do with all the shrinking in the first Ant-Man, this one reassures that there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. We've seen the shrinking and enlarging of Thomas the Train and the enlargement of one of Scott's ants; this time around, there's an on-the-go lab that could shrink and enlarge at will, as well as an array of fully functional tiny cars that are very helpful in dire car chases (which actually paves way for a very creative car chase sequence).
But even then, it even has some heart and soul into it. Our heroes have people back home that are their primary motivation for saving the day, like how Cassie becomes Scott's motivation to become the Ant-Man. In the first Ant-Man, Scott was struggling to raise money in order to pay child support and see his daughter. After his heroic action in the predecessor, he earned his wish to spend some time with his daughter, but his actions during Civil War puts him back in a tight spot since he's under house arrest. During his house arrest sentencing, Scott is making sure that he is able to make the most of his time with his daughter Cassie whenever she visits him for the weekend (there's a very cute sequence of them playing around the house), whilst Hope and Hank are trying to hold on to the possibility that Janet is still alive, though they're also placed in a difficult position. Ant-Man and The Wasp carries this theme of family well throughout the film, giving a lot of space for some well-earned emotional scenes and plenty of heart into these characters.
 |
| Image source: Nerdist |
Then there's the antagonists, and there's a couple of them here. For one, they have Ghost, an enemy who can phase through objects and proves to be a real challenge for both Scott and Hope. But Ghost isn't necessarily a villain, she is more of someone who has different a goal than our heroes which could be said as an act of desperation rather than an act of true evil, though her main target of reaching said goal is the exact same with our heroes: through Pym's portable lab. Ghost is clearly the most interesting one out of the other antagonist that this film has under its belt, and it's a good thing since she is the main antagonist after all. The other group of antagonists, led by Walton Goggins' Sonny Burch; isn't all that interesting unfortunately, as they're merely placed on the sidelines of the film's cat-and-mouse game-like story, save for a great comedic scene with Michael Peña's Luis that involves a "truth serum" and Luis' storytelling tactic that has become an icon of the Ant-Man franchise.
Does Ant-Man and the Wasp feel like a filler? At some point, it does, due to the slightly overstuffed narrative that could have been bogged down a little bit. There are narrative elements here and there that could have been fleshed out more, such as some things that are resolved a little too quickly (one of them being a technical flaw with the Ant-Man suit) and cast aside for other arcs that really didn't need to be there, particularly the arc with Goggins and his gang. They really could have just gotten rid of Walton Goggins' Sonny Burch and his gang of black market criminals (they don't serve any real purpose to the story) and it wouldn't make much of a difference. If they had however, stuck with one antagonist (aka Ghost), that probably would have made it much better. Flaws aside, Ant-Man and the Wasp still has a lot of good moments going here and there, and the more genuinely heartfelt and fun moments definitely outweigh most of its flaws. It's not a perfect sequel, and for me, it doesn't have the same zing to the overall narrative as its predecessor, but it does pack in more variation into its story and its humor; reminding us what we loved about the first Ant-Man whilst also creating something new in the process without fully relying on repetition.
 |
| Image source: Entertainment Weekly |
Overall verdict: Ant-Man and the Wasp is a definite fun time, especially if seen with friends and family. The comedic timing is still as brilliant as its predecessor, with iconic scenes such as Luis' babbling that become the predecessor's most memorable scene, and a very funny reference regarding Baba Yaga. The film's two leads, Rudd and Lilly are excellent and have great chemistry throughout the film. There's a lot of heart going on in this film, with family being the primary theme of the film, and it touches upon that beautifully. It does however, have a slightly overstuffed narrative with arcs and characters that really didn't need to be there in the first place, particularly Walton Goggins' Sonny Burch. Regardless, Ant-Man and the Wasp is still a good time and while it can feel like filler, it has plenty of great moments to keep the audiences along for the ride.
Stars: 3/5
Trailer
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