Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp is Anything But Little

After that shocking ending of Avengers: Infinity War, it was hard to imagine what to expect in Marvel’s newest film, Ant-Man and the Wasp. When was it going to take place? Was it going to have a darker theme than the past Ant – Man movie? The questions were endless. But after seeing the film, it was hard to even think that this movie was part of the same universe as something so gut wrenching as Infinity War. And that’s not a bad thing.

Ant – Man and the Wasp is a thrill ride of humor, action, and heart that will leave you smiling for days. Taking place after the events of Captain America: Civil War, we see Scott Lang forced into house arrest, awaiting his imminent release back into the real world. While his time indoors might have been confining, it placed no limits on his particular brand of goofy humor. And Ant – Man and the Wasp has no shortage of humor.

Along with the side splitting laughs there are car chases, mind bending visuals, and intrigue. Of course, true to Ant – Man fashion, cars will shrink, buildings will grow, and our heroes will be anything but little. Ant – Man and the Wasp is a fantastic movie that is sure to please even the most hardcore Marvel fan.

Evangeline Lily Shines as the Titular Heroine

As Marvel’s first female character to be listed in the main title, Evangeline Lily is beyond fantastic. She is downright show stopping. Her character, Hope Van Dyne, is harder and rougher around the edges than the sleek, professional woman we saw in Ant-Man. She is desperate and coarse. Hope does not put up with any of Scott’s shenanigans or her father’s massive ego. Her debut fight sequence as the Wasp is fast paced and thrilling as she punches and kicks her way through the bad guys, growing and shrinking at the drop of a hat.

But her character is not all about the action. She is driven and fighting a tight deadline to bring someone from her past back to the present. And through all of this, Lily is able to bring such raw emotion to her character. It will leave you breathless. She is forgiving yet strong in her convictions; she is soft and kind but fierce when she needs to be. Wasp is the perfect character to join the ranks of role models for young girls like Black Widow, Scarlett Witch, and Captain Marvel.

Paul Rudd is a Comedic Superhero

It is not a big secret or a little known fact that Paul Rudd is a great actor and a well gifted comedian. This has been proven time and time again. But his performance as Scott Lang is so charmingly goofy and adorably sweet that I would have to wager that this is his best role to date. His performance is as if a dad joke came to life and decided one day to become a superhero. He is funny, kind, and undeniably heartwarming.

The interactions between Rudd’s character and Abby Ryder Fortson’s (A.K.A Cassie Lang, Scott’s daughter) are so touching and sweet that you can’t help but smile. Their relationship is so strong and so similar to the one they share in the comics. There is also some subtle possible foreshadowing held within one of their conversations that will open the doors to a vast new set of Marvel characters if they decide to go down that path. But only time will tell.

And of course, it wouldn’t be Ant-Man without Scott’s loveable bunch of ex-cons tagging along for the ride. Michael Pena, Tip “T.I.” Harris, and David Dastmalchain are hilarious as Lang’s criminal buddies. They try to help Scott out while keeping their new business up and running – and yes, they still have the van. Joined by Randall Park’s character, Special Agent Jimmy Woo, the four of them are sure to have you in stitches more times than you can count.

Empathetic Anti – Heroes bring Depth to the Typical Fight of Good vs. Evil

The villains of Ant-Man and the Wasp are not so much villains as they are anti – heroes. Ghost, portrayed by Marvel newcomer Hannah John – Kamen, and Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) are empathetic characters that are not driven by evil intentions but rather, desperation – much like our leading lady Wasp. Their combined back story is that of heartbreak and a stranger’s desire to give help in an unlikely situation.

They are not strictly evil. You could even argue that they are not evil nor “bad guys” at all but rather the product of their circumstance. Their performances bring out a wave of empathy that almost has you cheering for them to succeed. Following on the heels of Black Panther’s own empathetic villain, Ant – Man and the Wasp delves deeper into what it is like to explore this grey area of right and wrong.

It’s new and refreshing to have for these types of anti – heroes. It’s more true to life, seeing as most things in the real world are not simply good vs. evil or black and white, no matter how badly we want it to be. These characters show that life is complicated and not nearly as clean cut as movies like to portray it.

However, the real villain is Walton Groggins’ character Sonny Burch, a slimy black market dealer. He is your typical money grabbing, power hungry fiend who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Groggins’ southern charm lends to the character’s polished look and builds a disarmingly polite but none the less ruthless villain.

Light Humor and Heartfelt Moments Set Ant-Man and the Wasp Apart

In a cinematic universe often plagued by devastation and explosive action, it is a reprieve to come across a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously like Ant – Man and the Wasp. While there are humorous movies in the MCU like Thor: Ragnarok and the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the Ant – Man franchise is a host onto its own. Its brand of humor is almost familiar in a sense and leaves you feeling genuinely happy. Both Ant – Man movies have such touching and heartfelt moments that they are perhaps the most relatable, if a tad bit ridiculous, movies in the MCU.

Sure there is action and bad guys but these characters bring such lightness to the story that you don’t often find in big block buster films. Ant – Man and the Wasp is a wonderful movie with plenty of action and giggles that is sure to please just about everyone.

And if you are wondering how such a happy movie ties into the disastrous events of Avengers: Infinity War…be sure you stay and watch both end credit scenes.

Be sure to catch Ant – Man and the Wasp in theaters July 6^th!