Avengers Infinity War was the 19th film in the Marvel
Cinematic Universe (MCU) which was a culmination of 10 years of storytelling exploding
on the big screen in an epic that would forever change the MCU series going
forward. For their 20th film, Marvel gives us Ant-Man and The Wasp and they have one mission…save Janet Van Dyne.
That’s right, audiences on the edge of their seat wondering what their heroes
will do will just have to wait a little longer. Ant-Man and The Wasp takes place before the events of Infinity War and our size changing
quantum realm travelling heroes have a more personal and self-contained
adventure.
Two years after the events of Captain America Civil War, Scott Lang
(Paul Rudd returning to the role) is now out on probation from his stunt at the
airport in Germany. Learning his lesson and having a strong support system,
Scott is really starting to get his life on track.
He creates elaborate mazes
to play with his daughter Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson who again steals every
scene she is in just like in the first film).
He and his ex-con buddies Luis,
Kurt, and Dave (Michael Pena, David Dastmalchian, and Tip “T.I.” Harris
respectively) have started up a security company and are getting ready to book
a major client.
He even has a good relationship with his ex-wife Maggie and her
husband Paxton (Judy Greer and Bobby Cannavale).
Sure, he is under house arrest
and gets pestered by FBI Agent Woo (new comer Randall Park from Fresh off the Boat), but he takes it
like a champ because he has just a few more days until that bracelet comes off
and he is free to take on his second-chance at life. Well I guess it’s really
his second second-chance with the his first second-chance from the first film being
blown from his actions in Civil War.
But that’s Scott’s quirk; he is the lovable loser (which Paul Rudd expertly portrays).
Hope and Hank (Evangeline Lilly
and Michael Douglas) are not so fortunate. Because of Scott’s actions, they are
on the run from authorities for refusing to turn over any of the Ant-Man and
shrinking technology.
While they most certainly would be happier and safer
staying as far away from Scott as they can, they are forced to bring him back
into the fold for a very important mission which is the plot of this film:
rescue wife and mother Janet Van Dyne from the Quantum Realm. In this film
Janet Van Dyne is played by film icon Michelle Pfeiffer (Grease 2, Batman Returns,
Dangerous Minds, and What Lies Beneath).
To do this, they
also have built a laboratory (manned by ants and able to change in size from a
giant industrial building to the size of portable luggage) which has the capability
of accessing the Quantum Realm. This tech is sought after by multiple parties.
First is black market tech dealer Sonny Burch (Walter Goggins from FX’s Justified and The Hateful Eight) who wants to the tech to sell to the highest
bidder. And next is the mysterious thief and assassin
Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen
from Game of Thrones and Ready Player One), who can phase through
solid objects. While this ability seems and looks awesome, it’s actually a curse
as we are told this means her molecules are constantly ripping themselves apart
and forming together every second of every day.
The final new edition to the
story is have Dr. Bill Foster (another film icon joining the cast is Laurence
Fishburne from The Matrix Trilogy, Othello, and Boyz n the Hood) who was a scientific colleague of Hank Pym’s from
his time at SHIELD. Foster and Pym butt heads on many subjects, including on
how to use the quantum technology.
Taking place before the events of
Infinity War allows Ant-Man and The Wasp to do the thing
that was done so well in the first Ant-Man
film: tell a self-contained story which still occurs within the Marvel
Universe.
And being a self-contained story allows film to step outside the
intense drama and heavy backstories that lead up to Infinity War. That lightness on backstory allows the focus to be on
the task at hand and allow for more laughs.
With Paul Rudd as the lead, it’s
clear the Ant-Man series is meant to
be fun and comedic adventures which don’t require audiences to know the MCU
backwards and forwards. It’s a fun adventure with laughs and spectacular
special effects, just what a summer movie is supposed to be.
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