Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

The first 'Ant-Man' was a welcome breath of fresh air in the Marvel universe: it was a lot lighter in tone and was more a heist film than a superhero story. Maybe that also has to do with the fact that the protagonist isn't a hero in the classic sense of the word, more a bumbling guy who is trying to do the best he can, which instantly makes him a lot more relatable than infallible superhumans. 

This is the sequel and it is even better. 

The story (for those interested or not in the know) takes place after the events of 'Civil War'. Scott Lang received house arrest because of his involvement in the battle in the Germany and he is nearing the end of his term. But he is getting flashes of his time in the quantum realm and this leads to the idea that Hank Pym's wife Janet might still be alive in there. But Scott can't leave the house, or he will go to jail for twenty years. However, Hank and Hope break him out surreptitiously and together they try to find a way to bring Janet back. But there is also Ghost, a young woman who - due to a horrible accident - is constantly phase shifting in and out of solidity. She wants the energy that Janet has in order to become whole, stop the pain and not disappear completely. But how will it all turn out?

So why is this one better than the first one? For starters, it's downright funny practically all the time. And I am not talking about forced comedy, not at all. The situations, dialogue and reactions are just upped to the point where you will be laughing just as hard as enjoying the more action driven scenes. A lot of that is thanks to Paul Rudd, who is primarily a comedic actor and here he gets to display his loveable side the best. The dialogue is snappy and fresh and all the actors involved are really upping their game. 

What also makes this film work, is the villain. Ghost is not a classical clichéd bad girl, who just wants stuff in order to 'rule the world', but she is a tormented woman who is suffering unbelievable pain and who wants to put an end to that, whatever it takes. It doesn't make her evil or completely devoid of humanity, on the contrary. I think most people wo are in constant pain would eventually resort to anything to make it go away and to prevent them from dying, should the opportunity to change their situation arise. Besides, Ghost's look is just cool and scary at the same time. The visual effect they used to make her shifting palpable looks great and makes her in effect like a spectre, observable yet at the same time elusive. 

The action scenes are also on a grander scale than the previous one. The fights look cool and are not too shaky (which is nice). The chase through the streets with Scott constantly flipping between oversized and small is both funny and exhilarating. And that is probably why this one works wo well: the balance between seriousness and lightheartedness is on point. There are some dramatic moments and there is plenty of comedy, but neither one overshadows the other. It's all part of a nice equilibrium and that makes this film never feel dull or longwinded.

Should you have seen both the first one and 'Civil War'? Not necessarily, but it will help with your comprehension of the story early on. Maybe that is something that isn't always the best in the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe, but you can in fact enjoy this one as a standalone film as well. It's a hoot.