Directed by Peyton Reed
Written by Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers and Paul Rudd & Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari
Starring:
Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man
Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne/Wasp
Michael Peña as Luis
Walton Goggins as Sonny Burch
Bobby Cannavale as Paxton
Rated PG-13 for some sci-fi action violence
Another chapter in the Marvel Universe is here with Ant-Man and the Wasp, and like many of its predecessors, it does not disappoint. It has many of the same elements of the original Ant-Man film, though it tries to pack on so much more – but that’s okay. The abundant laughs are there, as well as the action. It is well worth the two-plus hours in the theater seat.
Paul Rudd is back as Scott Lang, an on-call superhero. However, he is under house arrest after the events of Captain America: Civil War, when he fled to Germany and saved the Cap, but there was a lot of personal collateral damage. He inadvertently destroyed the airport where that film’s best scene occurred. He also stole the Ant-Man suit from his mentor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), in addition to betraying his trust. And now, Lang must play the house arrest game for the law. Lang longs to do more in his life, like starting a security business with his loud-mouthed buddy Luis (Michael Peña), and being a better father to his daughter (Abby Ryder Fortson), who has to come to him every time to visit.
However, Lang’s routine gets thrown off by a visit (more like abduction) by his partner and hopeful romantic partner, Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). Van Dyne needs Lang’s help to save her long-lost mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the Quantum Realm. Since Lang has been in said Realm before, he is the only option both Hope and Hank have. However, many forces are trying to throw a monkey wrench in their plan: a seedy arms dealer (Walton Goggins), the mysterious Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and the desperate-for-action FBI agent (Randall Park).
The plot gets a little too complex with all these supporting acts, but the film still succeeds in unfolding the new adventure for Lang. His troubled relationship with Pym is still fun to watch. Douglas still has the laughable exasperated emotions. The Goggins character doesn’t add anything very exciting to the film. He is just another antagonist who needs Pym’s lab for his own personal gain. He doesn’t present a real threat, even when he is surrounded by the complete San Francisco underbelly wielding fancy pistols. The Ghost character seems too forced into the plot, but she is the only true antagonist who can be a worthy match to the heroes as she is the only one that also has superpowers.
Overall, Ant-Man and the Wasp provides great summer fun and creates better anticipation for the new Avengers film. The comedic situations are still fun to watch and laugh at. I was trying not to be the loudest in the theater when Scott has to break into his daughter’s school. His malfunctioning suit left him the size of the smallest kid in school. Part of the reason why the film had a somewhat muddled composition may be attributed to the fact that there were five writers, including Rudd. But oh well, it still delivers.
3/4 stars
