Ant Man and the Wasp movie talk

[Tien Long]

Great to see that twenty films in, the MCU knows how to do stories that are fresh and different. Having three different sides, four if you count the FBI (Maggie's reaction to seeing them at Scott's house implies Woo and his team are regular visitors), working against each other makes the plot more complex and the three-way car chase for the Lab is a nice variation on the car-chase fights that have become Marvel's new Blue Sky Beam.

This improves heavily on the first Ant-Man, in part because there's no need to do the origin stories. Even Wasp's origin story isn't covered. Ghost is an incredibly well realised antagonist, not a generic or destroy the world villain. If she can control her abilities without having an expiry date, she'd be great for a heist, and a possible big sister figure to Cassie. Hank gets a meatier role, no longer being just Mr Exposition. The techno-babble from the first film is also lampshaded, where Scott asks if they put the word quantum in front of everything.

The humour is well-balanced, expect for the final post-credits scene (Captain America's message on patience from the end of Civil War is still my favorite). If you've listened to Google Translate Sings Taylor Swift's Bad Blood, one part in particular comes to mind. It's not OTT comedic like Thor Ragnarok but still funny. The use of size shifting is very creative, and some of Scott's suit malfunctions are quite funny. Stan Lee's cameo is low key and also great. The brick joke of the online magic course is another noteworthy gag.

Yeah, that's what I liked as well. There were all of these groups, but none of them seemed to confused or complicated one another. There was just enough character work on all sides, whether through humor or drama, that made them likable and fun.

[jbmasta]

Yeah, that's what I liked as well. There were all of these groups, but none of them seemed to confused or complicated one another. There was just enough character work on all sides, whether through humor or drama, that made them likable and fun.

And they all represent something different. Team Pym, with Scott in tow, is about finding and retrieving Janet from the Quantum Realm. Foster and Ghost seek a cure for Ghost's condition. Burch just wants to make money, and sees Hank's research into quantum technology through dollar sign shaped glasses. The FBI are following the law. Straight forward motives that cause conflict, which is all resolved by the end of the film with only body dropping dead in the whole movie (Burch's FBI contact, killed by Ghost over the Lab that the FBI have just confiscated). Even Hank and Hope's intentions, regardless of the other groups, conflict with Scott's, since Scott just wants to finish his house arrest without incident and is days away when the events of the movie interfere.

The MCU has come a long way since the generic doomsday villain who dies at the end of the movie. Phases 1 and 2 just had Loki avoid this (not including the cameo of another villain in Infinity War), while Phase 3 has, as least for me, only had one disappointing central antagonist, which was in Doctor Strange.

[Kusanagi]

And they all represent something different. Team Pym, with Scott in tow, is about finding and retrieving Janet from the Quantum Realm. Foster and Ghost seek a cure for Ghost's condition. Burch just wants to make money, and sees Hank's research into quantum technology through dollar sign shaped glasses. The FBI are following the law. Straight forward motives that cause conflict, which is all resolved by the end of the film with only body dropping dead in the whole movie (Burch's FBI contact, killed by Ghost over the Lab that the FBI have just confiscated). Even Hank and Hope's intentions, regardless of the other groups, conflict with Scott's, since Scott just wants to finish his house arrest without incident and is days away when the events of the movie interfere.

The MCU has come a long way since the generic doomsday villain who dies at the end of the movie. Phases 1 and 2 just had Loki avoid this (not including the cameo of another villain in Infinity War), while Phase 3 has, as least for me, only had one disappointing central antagonist, which was in Doctor Strange.

Was he even dead? I remember they said 'Man down' but given the FBI didn't act like one of their own had been killed, I assumed he was just knocked out.

[jbmasta]

Was he even dead? I remember they said 'Man down' but given the FBI didn't act like one of their own had been killed, I assumed he was just knocked out.

Ghost did have her arm phased through Hank at one point, and it's it's possible one of Ghost's techniques would be to phase into someone's body to stop their heart functioning. We don't see the guy again though, so I guess it's all up in the air.

Peyton Reed did a video with Screen Junkies where they watched the Ant-Man Honest Trailer, and he said there's a chance Yellow-Jacket may be in the Quantum Realm. So that's open for writers who want to use it.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Just saw it. An improvemt on the original and Ant Man is becoming a more consistent sole character than Hulk, Thor and Iron Man. Real fun and a breath of fresh air. This film knew how to balance comedy and seriousness without crossing lines. This was also a masterclass in balancing plotting. This had a very strong ensemble cast and everyone from Scott all the way to the Fed Agent was great. No weak links.

[HowitzerJoe]

If Ghost is having trouble with her phasing, why doesn't she phase through the ground?

Also, Scott and Hope's "relationship" is glossed over real quick. We only find out there was even a degree to it because of Luis. So it seems the narrative was retconned so that they did have something going on in the first movie. Whatever it was, they broke up over it quick.

[Sammael]

If Ghost is having trouble with her phasing, why doesn't she phase through the ground?

...

Dude, you gotta let this detail go, if ghost phased into the center of the earth and materialized in magma, that kind of takes her out of the story too fast. You have to learn to just enjoy the ride.

[Largo161]

The MCU bounces back after the lumbering letdown that was Infinity War.

[jbmasta]

Dude, you gotta let this detail go, if ghost phased into the center of the earth and materialized in magma, that kind of takes her out of the story too fast. You have to learn to just enjoy the ride.

That's a necessary thing to do when you've got an intangible character. Kitty from X-Men for example. It was lampshaded in Stargate SG-1. Batman Beyond had a TV reporter who used an invisibility and intangibility suit to get the hot scoop, like the identity of Batman (why are TV personalities usually the ones who use fly on the wall technology in this way?). He lost control when fully intangible and, as would actually happen, fell through the floor and no doubt down, down, down.

Maybe Ghost had enough of a handle on the physical plane to at least somewhat be able to not fall through the Earth. She's seen interacting with physical things (the Lab for example) and people and goes intangible when it suits her.

[Kusanagi]

She clearly had some control, demonstrated when she put her fist through Hank's neck as a threat. I think one of the implications of she may die or 'worse', was the 'or worse' could have been pulling a Batman Beyond and sliding into the earth without control.

[Immortal Weapon]

I didn't think she had problems controlling her powers. Her problem is that her powers were always active and it caused her pain. There was never really a moment where her powers screwed up anything she tried to do like Scott with his prototype suit.

[Fast]

I didn't think she had problems controlling her powers. Her problem is that her powers were always active and it caused her pain. There was never really a moment where her powers screwed up anything she tried to do like Scott with his prototype suit.

I think she had some hiccups as to when she accidentally phased when touching Scott's face and I believe that's why she ever got hit as she was accidentally fully solid at times. I think since she can be tangible a good explanation is that she subconsciously devotes the majority of her control to not slipping into the earth or something like that.

[HowitzerJoe]

Dude, you gotta let this detail go, if ghost phased into the center of the earth and materialized in magma, that kind of takes her out of the story too fast. You have to learn to just enjoy the ride.

I know. I just wish they would have had some techno babble throw away line that addressed that.

[Coal Tiger]

I know. I just wish they would have had some techno babble throw away line that addressed that.

Honestly, all it would have taken was a throwaway line about how it takes a lot of her concentration just to stay on the ground or that her form is anchored by a state that doesn't phase.

[Gorthon616]

I know. I just wish they would have had some techno babble throw away line that addressed that.

IIRC I don't think her powers work in the way you are thinking. I.e. I don't think she walks through things. I believe the line was that she is phasing between different dimensions/realities (or some such nonsense). So it's more like shifts to an adjacent dimension which I suppose has a floor but no other random stuff. Her powers are related to the Quantum Realm, not Pym Particles.

Of course, this creates other problems. But frankly I much prefer when they don't bother with technobabble explanations.