Ant-Man and the Wasp isn’t just the 20th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s the 20th to receive a fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes. It’s been a remarkable run for Marvel Studios since launching the MCU with Iron Man in 2008, consistently taking over the box office and producing films ranging from solidly entertaining to borderline transcendent. Avengers: Infinity War just set a new standard for the mega-franchise, grossing over $2 billion worldwide to pair with a fine 83 percent score on the review aggregate website.

However, Infinity War’s shocking downer of an ending leaves fans awaiting the fate of many of the MCU’s most iconic characters. In the meantime, Ant-Man and the Wasp comes along with a chance to continue the MCU’s incredible run of success with a thrilling sequel, with the benefit of Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang not appearing on-screen in Infinity War. Based on its aggregate score on Rotten Tomatoes, it looks like the sequel is already off to a strong start.

Ant-Man and the Wasp reviews went up this morning, and now Rotten Tomatoes has given the film a certified fresh rating, based on a 90 percent score from 63 reviews. So in turn, the MCU is now 20 for 20 earning fresh scores on the popular review aggregator. As of this writing, its score is currently the eighth-highest in the MCU on the Tomatometer, behind Captain America: Civil War’s 91 percent and ahead of Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s 89 percent.

Praising the “effortless charisma” of stars Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, the Rotten Tomatoes consensus for Ant-Man and the Wasp describes the sequel as “a lighter, brighter superhero movie” that delivers “a much-needed MCU palate cleanser.” The implication here is obvious. Avengers: Infinity War certainly had plenty of thrills and laughs, but after the emotional gut-punch of the ending and Thanos’ dark, sinister character arc, the MCU needed Ant-Man and the Wasp to bring pure fun.

Based on the majority of Ant-Man 2’s early reviews, the sequel offers just that. For all the weighty grandeur and impossibly high stakes that made Infinity War one of the most epic and unforgettable MCU entries, fans needed a breath of fresh air and a chance to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Rudd can surely be counted on to put a smile on people’s faces, a much happier one than the one Thanos got from the Infinity Stones.

Despite sitting at 90 percent right now, there are only 63 reviews counted toward the score. There’s likely to be over 300 reviews on the Tomatometer when it’s all said and done, which could ultimately drop the score into the 80’s. But it seems Ant-Man and The Wasp will end up staying certified fresh, regardless. Either way, the MCU continues to go on a remarkable run of avoiding even a mediocre reaction, let alone rotten.

Next: Ant-Man & The Wasp Review: Marvel’s Smallest Heroes Steal The Spotlight

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

  • Ant-Man 2 Release Date: 2018-07-06 captain marvel Release Date: 2019-03-08 The Avengers 4 Release Date: 2019-04-26 spider-man homecoming 2 Release Date: 2019-07-02