Special thanks to Marvel Studios and Disney for inviting us to attend a film screening of “Ant-Man and the Wasp”! Though the tickets were provided to us all opinions are our own. Thank you for reading our Ant-Man and the Wasp review.
Ant-Man and the Wasp, the latest film from Marvel Studios, delivers in all the right ways. It has all the action and adventure you expect from a Marvel Superhero film, but with a charm, wit and heart that is rarely included. My 8-year old, Connor, and I both walked out of the screening in agreement that this is the best movie we have seen this year (well, tied with Incredibles 2). Additionally, I love that Ant-Man is an Avengers franchise that I feel comfortable sharing with him.
The sequel to both 2015’s Ant-Man and Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp takes place prior to the events of Avengers: Infinity War. The family dynamic is immediately important to the film, but there is plenty of action in the film as well. With substantial plotlines, strong characters and important new relationships there is a great deal of complexity to the overall movie. Ant-Man and the Wasp is a beautiful blend of sci-fi action and drama with comedy and heart. Family, both biological and self-made, takes center-stage in this exploration of what is right not always being what is easy. Scott is a Super Hero Everyman who is thrust into circumstances that he needs to make the best of – finding himself along the way and discovering what is most important.
The Story
In Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scott is thrown back into the world of Supers a bit against his will. In the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War we find Scott dealing with his responsibilities as a father and as a Super Hero, trying to balance the two along with his role in his security company. He finds himself unwittingly thrust back in with Hank Pym (Michael Douglass) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) forcing him to make choices he isn’t sure he’s ready for and teaming up with Hope who is now Wasp.
We are quickly introduced to two new characters: Sonny Burch, a wealthy businessman with friends in all the wrong places, and Ghost, a being who can move in and out of sight, walk through walls and generally kick some butt. Enter Wasp (Hope) and Ant-Man who have to work together to try to save the day, or in this case their investment. Sonny and Ghost are both instrumental, but unrelated, foes to our heroes in this film. Adversaries themselves the plot of Ant-Man and the Wasp is about control of important technology with three parties desperate to be in control. It makes for a fun sort of “cops and robbers” game between the sets of characters.
We also meet Hank’s former partner Bill Foster, and spend some more time with Scott’s buddies from the first film: Luis, Kurt and Dave, as well as Scott’s family: daughter Cassie, ex-wife Maggie and Maggie’s husband Jim, plus a handful of FBI agents. I was pleasantly surprised that Luis, Kurt and Dave were given more screentime in this film. I have developed a love of their off-beat humor, and the way they all take care of each other. They are a prime example of family being what you make it – even if you aren’t related.
Personally, I enjoyed the strength the film’s writers and director gave to Hope. She is a no-nonsense, take-charge woman who can hold her own. She doesn’t take it from anyone and can fend for herself both in a fight and in an argument – but she also recognizes and values the importance of being a team player and taking care of your crew. There aren’t enough female Super Heroes and it’s great to see her fill that void.
Throughout the movie, you see characters overcome personal feelings to ultimately come together as needed to gain control and accomplish their ultimate goals. There are enough twists and turns throughout to keep you guessing as to who the biggest threat is, and you are always hoping that no matter what Scott is able to come out on top of the situation.
Marvel Studios Ant-Man and the Wasp opens nationwide on Friday, July 6th. Catch it in a theatre near you!
That mid-credit scene though…whoa!
Disney Mamas Rating
Overall, Connor and agree that Ant-Man and the Wasp is a solid 5 out of 5 for us.
Length of Production – 5/5
Clocking in at 2 hours and 5 minutes long, Ant-Man and the Wasp is substantially shorter than Avengers: Infinity War and slightly shorter than Black Panther. Plus, the film never drags so it didn’t even feel like 2 hours to us. A sure sign of a good film.
Child Friendliness – 4.5/5
The film is rated PG-13 citing “some sci-fi action and violence”. The violence in the film is not at all bloody, and we don’t see anything gory or unnatural. There are bullet shots but we never see them hit anyone, and there is no death in the film. Profanity is all but non-existent. I honestly can’t remember a single cringe-worthy word or phrase and I’m pretty conservative when it comes to language. There are no recreational drugs or alcohol, save one character having a glass of wine on the table. There is some minimal kissing, one flashback scene and a couple of additional kisses at the end, none are inappropriate and in true Luis fashion the flashback kiss is pretty comical.
Parent Friendliness – 4.5/5
For us, this film hit the mark in all the right ways: heartwarming, witty, funny and full of action. However, If you are expecting the intensity of Avengers: Infinity War, or even Black Panther you may be a bit disappointed. It is clear that that isn’t what the Ant-Man franchise is about, and I appreciate and respect that.
Quality of Production – 5/5
Great acting, amazing CGI and special effects, fantastic script, beautifully crafted costumes and production design. It’s got the whole package.
We hope you enjoyed our Ant-Man and the Wasp review! If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear them!
