How does Marvel do it? 20 movies into their franchise and they simply deliver one incredible movie after another. Tonight I attended the opening showing of Ant-Man And The Wasp. While it does not have the grandeur and global destruction of Avengers: Infinity War or the cultural relevance of Black Panther, it is incredibly funny and entertaining.
Taking place after Civil War and simultaneous to Infinity War, Scott Lang, played by Paul Rudd, is on house arrest due to his violations of the Sykovia Accords. Because they provided him the technology for the German airport fight, Dr. Hank Pym and Hope Van Dyne, played by Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly, are in hiding.
The movie centers around Pym and Van Dyne trying to get their wife/mother Janet Van Dyne back from the Quantum Realm. Simultaneously, a young woman named Ava (Ghost) is just as passionate about recovering Janet as she holds the secret to healing her from the molecular issues she is experiencing.
The movie is great for the entire family but contains one needless GD from Michael Douglas, one BS, and a brief romantic scene. I do not know why they put this in there.
The following are 22 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Ant-Man And The Wasp:
- Change Is Good – The movie always got a surge of momentum when people and objects changed in size. You should never change for change-sake but change done at the proper time often generates momentum.
- Smart Is Attractive – What makes the Ant-Man movies memorable is the incredible dialogue between the characters, especially Luis played by Michael Pena. Priceless!
- Diversity Is Good – The film should have actually been entitled The Wasp And Ant-Man. Hope was a more interesting character, more determined, better skilled, and a much better fighter than Scott.
- Leaders Do Not Function In Isolation. Their Decisions Affect Others. – Hope said to Scott after seeing him for the first time in months, “Thanks to you, we had to run. We’re still running.”
- Bad Company Corrupts Good Morals – In an effort to construct the machine which would allow travel to the Quantum Realm, Dr. Pym forms a strategic partnership with a group of black market technology dealers much to everyone’s chagrin.
- All Leaders Sit Down To A Banquet Of Consequences – Ava’s dad was fired decades prior by Pym. In an attempt to restore his good name, he was killed in a science experiment along with his wife. His daughter, Ava, survived but her basic molecular structure was changed and Ghost was born.
- Smart Leaders Understand The Capabilities Of Those On Their Team And Only Give Them Responsibilities They Can Handle – As he was witnessing the opening fight scene with Hope and the dealers, Lang admired Wasp’s advanced weaponry. He asked Pym, “Hold on, you gave her wings?” Pym added, “And Blasters.” Lang responded, “So I take it you didn’t have that tech available for me?” Pym said, “No, I did.”
- Do Not Be Fooled. Leaders Always Keep Score. – Dr. Bill Foster, played by Laurence Fishburne, said to Lang, “I was partners with Hank on a project called Goliath.” Lang asked, “How big did you get?” Foster responded, “My record – 21 feet. You?” Lang ended the conversation by proclaiming, “65 feet.”
- Smart Leaders Are Never Reduced To A Level Of Mediocrity – Foster said of Pym, “He pushed everyone away.” To which Pym responded, “Just the mediocres.”
- Lasting Leaders Would Rather Be Super-Parents Than Super-Heroes – Throughout the movie Lang kept communicating he would rather be a super-dad than a super-hero. Smart man.
- Leaders Embrace The Process – When Pym looked at a new Ant-Man suit, he said, “He’s still a work in progress.”
- When Leaders Make Decisions You Are Forced To See How It Plays Out – “You put in a dime and you have to listen to the whole song.”
- All Leaders Get Better With A Partner – Lang said to his daughter Cassie, played by Abby Ryder Fortson, “I seem to mess it up every time.” She replied, “Maybe you just need someone watching your back, like a partner.”
- Under Great Leaders The People Are Blessed. Under Poor Leaders The People Are Cursed. – Lang said, “I do some dumb things, and the people I love the most – they pay the price.”
- A Man’s Performance Is In Direct Proportion To His Family’s Confidence In Him/Her – Cassie told her father, “You can do it. You can do anything. You’re the world’s greatest grandma!”
- Hard Decisions Are Part Of The Leadership Journey – Lang told Cassie, “I don’t know how to help her without hurting you.”
- Great Leaders Know How To Prioritize – Lang said, “To do something right you have to create a list.”
- Leaders Cannot Be Prepared For Everything But They Can Plan For Anything – Ava said, “Nothing can prepare you for what’s coming.”
- Play Now And Pay Later – In the traditional Stan Lee scene, he said after seeing his car shrink, “Well, the 60’s were fun but now I’m paying for it.”
- “You got Pezzed!”
- Leaders Do Not Reproduce What They Want. Leaders Reproduce Who They Are. – Cassie said, “I just want to help people like my dad.”
- Last Impressions Last – The post-credit scene is best one yet in all the Marvel films.
Once again, there is not the full-scale destruction of Avengers: Infinity War or the cultural phenomenon that was Black Panther. However, Ant-Man And The Wasp is another Marvel masterpiece. Go see it and have a great time! And wait for the post-credit scene.
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