Ant-Man and the Wasp

For us Marvel fans still reeling from the pain in our hearts and the bitter feeling left in our stomachs by the emotional roller coaster that was Avengers: Infinity War, "Ant-Man and the Wasp" is a welcome respite. I walked into the theatre hoping to see our fun-loving superhero's antics and wondering what Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter had done with the unfinished Wasp Suit from the first instalment.

Honestly, I got much more than I was expecting. Full of good vibes and jokes, the movie featuring our favourite shrinking superheroes and their mentor keeps it light-hearted and quite engaging.

Set after Captain America: Civil War, the movie leads up to the events of Avengers: Infinity War. We see Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) dealing with the repercussions of his actions in Germany where he fought alongside Captain America. Meanwhile, new enemies loop up. The quantum realm is delved into more than ever before and what follows is interesting to say the least.

What I found commendable about this particular movie is that unlike many Marvel movies where key villains threaten entire planets or the universe, antagonists in Ant-Man and the Wasp keep it pretty focused and close to home. No, they are not going after universal detonation or any cosmic calamity. Instead, the problem arises primarily due to conflicts of interest between the main parties. The antagonists have their own history that make us see from their perspective, which leads to us somewhat sympathising with them at times. No character is completely black or white, but grey, which makes it a refreshing watch.

They emphasise on the humour in this movie and we see Ant-Man's goofy side – not taking himself very seriously and making us laugh our hearts out.

The emotional touch given to the story really is one of the best things about the movie. We see several relationships being explored deeply throughout the movie. Be it Hope Pym's (Evangeline Lilly) quest to find her long-lost mother, Hank's determination to rescue his wife or the father-daughter equation of Lang-Cassie and Hank-Hope, the heartfelt story arcs built around these relationships give the movie a touch of emotion and seriousness that is "just right."

Like any Marvel movie, the action hits fast and creates chaos on screen. Although it does seem to drag at times and the action sequences leave room for improvement, it's a definite upgrade from the first Ant-Man movie. The Wasp, who we always knew to be stronger and more experienced than Ant-Man, is a delight to watch and undoubtedly establishes her ground as a major character within the MCU.

Ant-Man movies have never shared the same ambition or intensity of other MCU flicks such as Infinity War or Black Panther, but its modest and simple storytelling with stories that run smoothly on screen seems to work for them perfectly, and this sequel is no exception. With all its simplicity and mostly "down-to-earth" setting, the movie provides just what the audience needs from Marvel right now.

All in all, Kevin Feige has done it again. Is this movie a must watch? I would say "yes". Also, for those who are wondering exactly where Ant-Man is and what his role in the war against the mad Titan will be, stick to your seats for the post-credit scenes. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

Kazi Sabita Ehsan, a bibliophile with a penchant for overthinking about life. Find her at sabitaehsan@gmail.com