Marvel is getting confident in every release of theirs, and in a daring move, they have arranged for early press screenings and preview shows in the US for their latest movie, Ant-Man & The Wasp. Directed by Peyton Reed, the movie brings back Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, who earns the moniker Ant-Man for having miniature size superpowers. But he is not the only superhero for the sequel to the 2015 film. Joining him as the similarly powered The Wasp is Evangeline Lilly. Michael Douglas, Michael Pena, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip "T.I." Harris, David Dastmalchian, and Abby Ryder Fortson also return for the sequel, while the newcomers in the cast are Randall Park, Laurence Fishburne and Michelle Pfeiffer. Hannah John-Kamen and Walton Goggins play the antagonists.

So the embargo of the reviews have been lifted and they are pouring in. Most of them are in praise of them, calling Ant-Man & The Wasp a light-hearted affair with some clever humour and is a fresh breath of air after how things ended on a gloomy note in Marvel's last film, Avengers Infinity War. Check out the excerpts of some of the reviews here -

IGN says, "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. Needless to say, we’re eagerly ant-icipating Ant-Man and the Wasp’s next outing."

Polygon says, "Director Peyton Reed and crew find real joy in the absurd potential of shrinking as a gimmick in their second, less disrupted-in-pre-production outing. Where Ant-Man mostly used shrinking to make the tiny into huge environments, The Wasp does so much more. Suitcase-sized buildings, dog-sized ants, door-sized salt shakers, a garage of real cars kept inside a Hotwheels case and more. One entire scene appears to exist simply for the delight of making funny situations out of Scott accidentally getting stuck at about the size of a toddler."

Variety says, "Ant-Man and the Wasp” is a full two hours, yet even when it’s pulling out all the stops, the movie never gives you that sinking sensation you can get when a comic-book film’s extended climax kicks in, and you feel the visual effects army taking over. That’s because Peyton Reed invests every moment of the movie with personality. That’s not quite the same thing as humanity. But it’s enough to qualify as the miniature version."

Rolling Stone says, "Rudd is a winning combination of sass and sincerity. And it's a kick to watch Lilly break out and let her star shine. She hasn't had a part this juicy since she played Kate Austen on Lost; her smarts and screen presence lift the movie over its rough spots. The story tends to bogged down in family-audience pandering when you most want it to embrace its freaky side. And if you want to know how it connects to Avengers: Infinity War (it does, it really does!), stay for the post-credit sequence that will rock your world."

Looks like Marvel has another winner in hand!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 28, 2018 04:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).