Now Showing: Ant-Man and the Wasp
July 28, 2018
“Ant-Man and The Wasp” stands as one of the top superhero movies of the year. The movie’s unique storyline and impressive actors make the movie a memorable sequel to “Ant-Man.” The film has familiar elements of humor and action, while emphasizing the importance of family.
The film begins with Scott Lang/ Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) caring for his daughter, Cassie Lang (Abby Ryder Fortson), while under house arrest for the destruction of a city. However, he is brought to an unknown building against his will by Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) in order to rescue the original Wasp/Janet van Dyne/Hope’s mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the subatomic world.
Back in his size-shifting suit, Ant-Man focuses on getting Janet out of her molecular prison before it is too late. He continues to find himself in sticky situations, especially when encountering his newfound antagonist, Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen).
Transformed by an explosion from early childhood, Ghost has the ability to phase through anything and everything. Constantly in pain in a deteriorating body, she fights against Ant-Man and the Wasp for her own survival. Unlike other supervillains like Thanos or Red Skull, Ghost isn’t fighting to kill, but rather to live. During scenes of Ghost alone, John-Kamen masterfully portrays the anguish that Ghost endures, while also showing her strong fighting ability.
The story is engaging, although parts of the plot felt cliché , with the Ant-Man facing one obstacle after another that keep him from a normal life with his daughter. Also predictable is the relationship that develops with The Wasp. Despite cliche rescues, the plot still keep me engaged and the characters were relatable.
While most Marvel characters are either sarcastic or brooding, Ant-Man’s main trait is that he’s a good dad. The movie depicts the strong bond between Scott and his daughter very well. He is constantly learning new things with her, and she is constantly learning new things from him. Fortson is able to successfully portray Cassie as a troublemaker, but one that supports her dad.
Marvel introduces comic relief through one of Scott’s coworkers, Luis (Michael Peña). During very serious moments, Luis arrives at the scene with his ex-con security crew, and Peña is able to bring the character to life. In a world full of Marvel superheroes, Luis gives the movie a splash of humor.
Marvel also utilizes its impressive visual design through the film’s subatomic universe The filmmakers capture all the details in every scene, through effects such as adding large bacteria as unusual monsters floating in a different realm. This scene was eye-catching and beautifully depicted, and probably one of the most artistic scenes in a Marvel Studios movie.
Overall, this is a great movie, highly recommended for those who are keeping up with the “Avengers” series and who are fans of the first “Ant-Man.” Although the ending and predictable relationship are clichés, the film’s father-daughter connection is inspirational. Though many say sequels are never as good, I believe that “Ant-Man and the Wasp” equals, if not exceeds, its predecessor.
