NON-SPOILER REVIEW
Anyone who sought my opinion on Ant-Man (2015) probably got the same answer - 'It was a cartoon!'. I wasn't a big fan of Ant-Man's debut feature, I found it overly playful, lighthearted and juvenile, plus the idea of miniature heroes hadn't exactly been an exciting prospect for me, not since the Honey I Shrunk The Kids series. I was of the opinion that the MCU were beginning to take a piss at the genre, 'Ant-Man really!? of all the heroes on their roster to make a film about, they choose the one that talks to ants!?' But despite my criticisms, it wasn't as bad as it sounds. Ant-Man had some shiny moments and the sequel confidently consolidates on the major themes of the first film.
Little Ant-ticipation
So as you'd have guessed by now, I wasn't exactly thrilled about an Ant-Man sequel, but inevitably it had to happen and I had to see what they'd come up with, the establishment of Evangeline Lily's Wasp as Ant-Man's partner was a prospect interesting enough to pull me in (Not sure I'd have seen it if they just called it Ant-Man 2); after all, I thought the two had really good chemistry in Ant-Man and it would have been interesting to see that dynamic in a partnership. Ant-Man picks up after the events of Civil War but just before those of Infinity War; Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is under house-arrest while Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lily)and Hank Pym (Scott Douglas) are fugitives on the run from the authorities (because Scott used their tech while breaking the Sokovia accords or something like that). If you thought for some reason this film was going to tone down on the hysterics, and suffer some residual gloom after Infinity War, then you've got another thing coming. Ant-Man stays true to its theme and confidently struts through its 2 hour plus run time with heartwarming slapstick and goofy humour. It was quite refreshing to see though, so as it turned out the one thing I criticized about the first film, was what endeared me to the sequel (Man, was Infinity War that dark?).
The Ant and The Wasp
Similarly, to my review on The Incredibles 2, the main theme in this one is family. After the events of Ant-Man and upon Scott's return from the quantum realm (or microverse, in mainstream Marvel) in that film, Hank Pym and his daughter are convinced (obsessed is the word, really) about the idea that Jane Van Dyne might still be alive. Hope's determination to do whatever they can to find the one person in the world she loves the most (presumably) is only matched by Scott's devotion to Cassie, as he is determined to have her live a relatively normal life and his bromance with Luis and the other self styled 'X-Cons' that forms the true fiber of this movie. Needless to say, this makes for some heartwarming moments. As in the first film, Scott and Hope continue to enjoy great chemistry and I also liked how their romance didn't feel forced or locked in, but rather quite natural. Boy meets girl...again.
The Antmeister?
Scott Lang isn't your typical MCU superhero; he isn't rich, smart, ripped, super powered or trained in martial combat and military tactics. He's just a guy who's made bad decisions and can't seem to not make one every now and then, and annoying as this is, he does have an overriding redeeming quality; His loyalty. Now that I think about it he reminds me a lot of Steve Stifler from the American Pie series, towards the end of the series, Stifler imbibes a very endearing quality - yes, he's a cock up, but he tries to make up for it every time. Despite a series of annoying faux pas Scott Lang seems to come out on top most times.
The Cast
Most of the cast of the first film return, with Michelle Pfeiffer (Janet Van Dyne), Hannah John-Kamen (Ghost), Laurence Fishburne (Perry White Bill Foster), Walton Goggins (Sonny Burch) and Randall Park (the dorky F.B.I Agent Jimmy Woo) joining the roster. Hannah John Kamen's character (and I can't say much about her without spoilers) is almost one dimensional but relatable. Sonny Burch sets up some of the more livelier and funnier parts of the movie, (but I am tired of seeing Walton Goggins play second grade irate villains and generally being underutilized). Abby Ryder Forston (Cassie) is given a whole lot more to do this time around and is impressive, but Micheal Pena pretty much steals the show...again!
Ant The End of It All?
Super hero films are mostly meant to be fun, and Ant-man serves as a shining reminder of that. Yes, the MCU has probably executed that notion from the get go, but Ant-Man seems far removed from the universe, at times feeling more like a 90s family movie than an MCU title. While the first film seems to be walking on egg shells (due to not knowing what the response would be), the second embraces the idea wholeheartedly, while still giving a fun and rounded story. By now you've probably heard every cliche supporting the notion that size doesn't matter; 'It's not the size but how you use it that counts', 'It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog' etc. while there are times when this can be utterly nonsense, it wouldn't be out of place to say that Ant-Man and the Wasp punched above its weight and for that, can be regarded as the poster child for the miniature superhero genre. My only disappointment here would be that the Quantum Realm wasn't delved into further, that aside, Ant-Man and the Wasp supersedes its prequel while being an wholesome and fun movie.
PS: Don't forget to stay back for the after credit scenes, it's more of the ending of the film than bonus content.
RejectRating: 7/10
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