Sound Off! Ant-Man and the Wasp

Welcome back to Sound Off!, a semi-regular column where members of Speculative Chic gather together to chat about the latest BIG THING in entertainment. This time, shrink down with us to discuss Ant-Man and the Wasp, which premiered in the United States on Friday, July 6, 2018.

Sound Off! is meant to be a reaction, but not necessarily a review. After all, while we are all individuals, even mutual love of something (or hate) can come from different places: you may find everything from critique to fangirling to maybe even hate-watching.

Now, join J.L. Gribble, Nancy O’Toole Meservier, and Merrin as they talk about Ant-Man and the Wasp. [Note: Spoiler-free!]

J.L.: Even though Avengers: Infinity War wasn’t my favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film by a long shot, I was looking forward to seeing our favorite superheroes operating against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic landscape. I was a bit disappointed, then, when I heard that Ant-Man and the Wasp would take place chronologically before Infinity War.

I take it back. Ant-Man and the Wasp was exactly what I needed to recover from the intensity and drama of Infinity War. It was a genuinely laugh out loud film that included just enough callbacks to the first Ant-Man without becoming boring or redundant — fun instead of annoying. The most difficult obstacle is getting over the absurd hand-wavy physics, in which the details serve the plot rather than the plot following established rules.

But it wasn’t just all action and comedy. At it’s heart, this was a movie about fathers and daughters, and how various trials can strain and define relationships. Scott Lang/Ant-Man might have his name first on the title card, but Hope Van Dyne/Wasp was the true hero of this story. Scott served as a supporting character for Hope’s plot to rescue her mother, and his own narrative arc was merely another obstacle in the story. At the same time, Ava/Ghost was the true complicated “villain” of this story, and Walton Goggins’ Sonny was just another distraction in both Ghost and Wasp’s way.

The mid-credits stinger is a must-watch that reminds you not everything is so happy in the current state of the MCU. I’m not looking forward to the 10-month-long wait for Captain Marvel, but I hope having TWO female-centered films in a row shows the powers that be that audiences are willing to accept and enjoy superhero movies not focused on white guys named Chris.

Nancy: 2018 has been a fabulous year for Marvel movies. Black Panther broke new ground by telling the story of an African hero, and Avengers: Infinity War delivered the biggest and boldest Avengers movie yet. And now with Ant Man and the Wasp, Marvel has given us everything you could want from a fun summer blockbuster.

Some people have criticized this movie for failing to reinvent the wheel, like many Marvel movies tend to do in their second or third act, but I found the film to be stronger for not trying to be something it’s not. Ant Man and the Wasp, much like its predecessor, has its roots in comedy, and there are just as many (if not more) laughs as there are superhero moments. I found myself smiling pretty much from the beginning to end.

Once again Paul Rudd does a wonderful job playing Scott Lang, who, unlike Tony Stark is not a super genius bad ass, but a regular guy who just wants to spend time with his kid. The more driven Hope Van Dyne (played by Evangeline Lily) serves as a wonderful foil to him. After being sidelined in the first film, it’s really exciting to get to see her step up and take on the mantle of Wasp, which the film celebrates by giving her some of the best action moments.

Praise must also be given to the supporting cast members, from Scott Lang’s colorful cadre co-workers, to Hannah John-Camen’s sympathetic antagonist Ghost, and Abby Ryder Fortson’s turn as Scott’s ridiculously adorable daughter Cassie. Once again, Michael Douglas is a wonderful choice for the cantankerous Hank Pym, and Michelle Pfeiffer (although woefully underused) provides a real sense of warmth to the original Wasp. There is a beautiful scene between Hank and Janet which, in just a matter of seconds, really shows the value of hiring talented A-list actors for these secondary roles.

While I found the story and the characterization of Ant Man and the Wasp to be a lot stronger than its predecessor, it’s not without faults. As I mentioned with the original Wasp, some characters end up feeling underused. And while director Peyton Reed manages to get some wonderful performances out of his cast, he’s not particularly gifted when it comes to directing action scenes which, while fun, lack the energy that a lot of the other Marvel movies have.

Ant Man and the Wasp is a Marvel movie worth watching. I completely fell in love with its cast of characters and found myself laughing again and again. And while it may not change the Marvel landscape like Black Panther or Infinity War, there are certain aspects of the plot that have the possibility to greatly effect the future of this cinematic universe. Do yourself a favor and check out Ant Man and the Wasp.

Merrin: I don’t like the term “superhero fatigue” but I left the theater after Avengers: Infinity War feeling like I’d been beaten with sticks (emotionally, I guess) for three hours. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it, I liked it a lot, but it was all just so MUCH. Which is why Ant-Man and the Wasp was basically the absolute perfect palate cleanser of a movie after Infinity War.

I mean yes, they’re still dealing in life or death, and yes, they’re trying to rescue [spoilers redacted] from the quantum level, but like, at most we’re talking about the life or death of about five or six people. Not counting anyone who might have been crushed by the building as it popped up, or smashed by a car flipping in the car chase scene. I guess there might have been some collateral damage I’m not taking into account.

But that’s not literally half the world, is it?

With monumentally lower stakes at play, it was easy to just sit back and have fun. Paul Rudd is a great Ant-Man, a not terribly qualified dude who happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. Michael Peña stole a lot of his scenes; the truth serum scene especially was his time to shine. They both had me crying with laughter on multiple occasions.

I read recently that Evangeline Lilly retired from acting a the end of Lost and that my pal Peter Jackson brought her back into acting with The Hobbit and I just want to take this opportunity to thank P.J. for that because she is just so great. She and Paul Rudd have great chemistry, she keeps up with his antics on screen, and she just makes every single scene better when she’s in it.

I liked Ant-Man so I was pretty sure I was going to like this, and I did, and it was a super fun way to spend a really remarkably hot Sunday afternoon. Also, I’m so glad I saw this in theaters because I wouldn’t give up the gasps from my fellow audience members during the post-credits scene for anything in this entire world.