There’s still a week to go before Ant-Man and the Wasp lands in US theaters, but it’s already been called the best MCU sequel since Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In addition, its rating on Rotten Tomatoes is currently a more than comfortable 90 percent, which makes it the twentieth MCU flick to be rated Fresh.
As initial reviews roll in, what are the critics saying about Ant-Man and the Wasp? Let's start with some relatively negative reactions:
The Hollywood Reporter: The result is an effects-laden goofball comedy in which anything goes and nothing matters. Not that this is an entirely plot-free extravaganza or just an excuse for comic riffs. But the filmmakers are so cavalier about the idea that any of this is supposed to make any sense that there’s a certain liberation in not burdening two human-brained insects with the fate of the entire universe. If the filmmakers don’t pretend to take the proceedings too seriously, you don’t have to either.
The Playlist: Ant-Man and the Wasp somehow manages to organize laughs, action, theme, small MCU connections – and even fairly touching ideas about family, responsibility, and what it means to be a hero – all housed inside of an under-sized blockbuster. It never reinvents the wheel, and it might even be a little slight, but for what it is and based on its own merits, Ant-Man and The Wasp proves size is relative and always in the tiny eye of the beholder.
Entertainment Weekly: This is one of those Marvel products peddling self-aware detachment as a defining narrative strategy…It feels less like a feature film than a meme somebody made about an Ant-Man trailer.
Empire: But as massive as Scott grows – or as wibbly as things get in the mercurial jellybean hurricane that is the Quantum Realm – the film still feels comparatively minor and light-hitting. There's no getting away from the fact that Ant-Man And the Wasp, as fun as it is, lacks the sheer, mind-blowing heft of Infinity War. Or, for that matter, the scope and thematic muscle of Black Panther. Or the all-the-way-out-there, inventive deliriousness of Thor: Ragnarok. In this new era of Marvel over-achievement, it really does feel like a lesser work.
And here are some positive reviews:
IGN: Boasting some of the most creative action scenes and finely-calibrated comedy in the Marvel Universe so far, Ant-Man and the Wasp doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it certainly knows how to make the ride even more fun. After the doom and gloom of Infinity War, this savvy sequel is a welcome change of pace and a reminder that the MCU is malleable enough to tackle just about any genre and tone without losing its sense of identity.
Comic Book Resources: Above all else, Ant-Man and the Wasp is yet another [film] in the MCU's winning streak. It's not quite a heist movie, not completely a rom-com, and not totally an action-adventure, but instead delights in dancing between genres. Its comedy is wonderfully offbeat, its heart is huge and emblazoned on its sleeve, and its intentions are wildly optimistic and bright. It's so bright, in fact, that it may help to soothe that Infinity War ache, if only for a little while.
USA Today: While Ant-Man’s technically “the star”, this is most definitely the Wasp’s movie to own, and the smirking, enjoyably no-nonsense role fits Lilly well.
Collider: The movie takes nothing, including itself, seriously, and just runs on as a nice caper with relatively low stakes and goofball humor.
