Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Director: Peyton Reed
Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Pena
Runtime: 118 minutes

Synopsis: Hank Pym, with the help of his daughter Hope (Wasp) and con artist Scott Lang (Ant-Man), tries to find a way to bring his wife back home thirty years after an accident saw her trapped in the quantum realm. But more than one obstacle is standing in the trio's way.

Performances: 7/10
Screenplay: 5/10
Special Effects: 8/10
Costumes/Makeup: 8/10
Editing: 6/10
Cinematography: 5/10 
Score/Soundtrack: 4/10

Verdict: "Ant-Man and the Wasp" had a lot riding on its shoulder. First of all, it had to follow "Infinity War", which is still Marvel's biggest cinematic event to date. Then, it had to properly introduce the first female superhero who's the lead of her own movie (well, shared with Ant-Man). And finally, it had to prove to the audience that Marvel could still produce fresh and entertaining sequels (like "Ragnarok" or "Winter Soldier"). Unfortunately, I felt that only one of these goals was met. Yes, the 20th installment in the MCU had some funny moments. Yes, our main heroes were likable and well portrayed. Yes, the film knew how ridiculous it was and didn't take itself too seriously. But that's about it. Those three points were the only aspects of it that made it kind of enjoyable, but also very forgettable. Add to that two mediocre villains, an unoriginal plot that follows the exact same formula as every other Marvel movie, and a boring cinematography that didn't take any risks whatsoever, as well as a lazy score that got repetitive and cliché really fast, and you get one of the most disappointing sequels in the shared universe. I didn't hate "Ant-Man and the Wasp", and I do think that there is some enjoyment to be had if you completely turn off your brain and don't think about it too much (otherwise nothing would make sense), but this sequel ultimately was a disappointment to me, and maybe one of Marvel's most bland entries to date.

Final Grade: 6/10