Antman and the Wasp Review, Trailer, Plot Synopsis, Poster And More
Scott Lang is grappling with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father. Approached by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym, Lang must once again don the Ant-Man suit and fight alongside the Wasp. The urgent mission soon leads to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic duo finds itself in an epic battle against a powerful new enemy.
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Marvel Studios' Ant-Man and the Wasp - Official Trailer #1
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Marvel Studios' Ant-Man and The Wasp - Official Trailer #2
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Antman and the Wasp Posters And Photos
Antman and the Wasp Review
Reed and Rudd return for the continuing adventures of Scott Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and both establish the character as a hero within the MCU who can truly lead his own franchise alongside Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Black Panther. Ant-Man is, of course, a different kind of hero, one with a sillier sense of humor. The script for Ant-Man and the Wasp - written by Rudd, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (Spider-Man: Homecoming), and Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari (who did uncredited work on the first Ant-Man) - aims to balance that silly humor with the more serious aspects of the movie, particularly the surprisingly jargon-filled scientific moments and the more grounded rescue of Janet. Reed additionally helps to bring that balance, incorporating sight gags at appropriate times, but letting the audience dwell in more dramatic moments when necessary. And Rudd, who's well known for his comedic chops, brings all the charm associated with one of his performances and shines as the film's co-lead.
But of course, Rudd is the co-headliner of Ant-Man and the Wasp, since the film fully introduces Lilly's Hope as a superhero with as much - if not greater - skill as Scott Lang. Marvel Studios creatives emphasized Wasp's status as the first female superhero to co-headline an MCU movie, and Ant-Man and the Wasp doesn't disappoint, with Hope getting (at least) an equal number of action scenes as Scott. The dynamic between the two also helps balance the film's comedy, with them on equal footing and Hope acting as the straight man to Scott's more comical antics. And, with the additional features on her suit - the wings and blasters - Wasp is able to provide more dynamic action than Ant-Man, which helps to elevate the sequel's set pieces above what viewers saw in Ant-Man. Plus, Hope is at the center of the emotional arc of the movie, since it's a rescue mission for her mother, and Lilly is able to carry off that dramatic storyline as well as the action portions of the sequel. Altogether, the film effectively establishes Wasp as another major superhero within the MCU, and the film is all the better for it. Beyond Rudd and Lilly, Ant-Man and the Wasp is rounded out relatively well by the supporting cast and villains. While the film does suffer from some of the same recurring problems in MCU movies - particularly underdeveloped villains and hordes of minions for the heroes to fight with little emotional weight - Ant-Man and the Wasp does try something interesting when developing the character of Ghost. Ultimately, it pays off insofar as John-Kamen's villain is a somewhat well-developed character and has a different arc from many Marvel movie villains. Still, she unfortunately has to share the spotlight with Sonny Birch and the FBI as antagonists to Scott, Hope and Hank - though that's played to great comedic effect in one specific instance that makes it almost worth it. However, with so many villains in the movie and much of the focus going to Ghost, both Sonny Birch and Randall Park's FBI agent Jimmy Woo get the short end of the stick, offering little more than unmemorable forces to battle against the film's heroes or comedic relief. With so much else going on, the film's supporting players don't get much more than a few shining moments in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Of Scott's friends and family, Peña and Forston especially stand out as Luis and Cassie, respectively. Luis has one particular scene that carries on the joke of the character's fast-talking, superfluous nature to great effect, elevating and expanding on the gag from the first Ant-Man. And Forston has a sweet dynamic with her on-screen dad that paves the way for Cassie Lang to become the superhero she's known to be in the Marvel comics. Ant-Man and the Wasp explores a number of father-daughter dynamics throughout the film, and the one between Scott and Cassie works as an emotional anchor for Scott's character - all while showcasing how he can move forward as both a good father and a superhero. Of course, as the supporting characters in a story about Scott and Hope, the rest are largely relegated to the sidelines All in all, Ant-Man and the Wasp represents Marvel Studios at its best. The movie balances exciting action, well-timed humor, and a heartfelt emotional storyline to great effect, letting the heroes shine in their own unique way while also tying the movie into the larger MCU. After the weighty and stuffed team-up that was Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp provides a return to form for Marvel. It operates as a reminder of how well the studio works on a smaller scale, even as fans may be more interested in Marvel's loftier goals of tying together a decade's worth of movies for a grand event. Certainly, no one outside Marvel knows where the franchise will go once Avengers 4 wraps up the first three phases of the MCU, but Ant-Man and the Wasp is another good indicator that the studio nails installments in its solo hero series and there's a great deal of potential for more superheroes to step into the spotlight come Phase 4. Whether that includes Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne (and, maybe, Cassie Lang) remains to be seen, but Ant-Man and the Wasp certainly makes a case for the future viability of this particular Marvel superhero sub-franchise. 7.1/10 |
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