2018 | Dir. Peyton Reed | 118 Minutes
"Maybe you just need someone watching your back, like a partner."
After violating the Sokovia Accords, Scott Lang is under house arrest while his allies Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne are forced into hiding. During the final days of his two-year sentence, Scott is begrudgingly recruited by Pym and Hope to embark on a rescue mission. Standing in their way are the FBI, a ruthless illegal tech dealer and his thugs, and a mysterious wraith-like combatant.
Director Peyton Reed delivers a brisk superhero comedy that improves on nearly every aspect of his initial Ant-Man film. Plenty of fun and laughs are to be had from Scott's scale-shifting antics courtesy of a malfunctioning "work-in-progress" suit and Paul Rudd's natural charisma. Hope suits up as the Wasp and is clearly a more capable fighter than Scott, allowing Evangeline Lilly to really shine as the de facto action star of the picture. Together with Michael Douglas' perpetually grumpy Hank Pym, their excellent chemistry carries the wholesome narrative centered on the value of family topped with several layers of humor and semi-nonsensical sci-fi jargon.
Michael Peña, Tip "T.I." Harris, and David Dastmalchian return respectively as chatterbox Luis and his associates Dave and Kurt who've since started a security company perhaps inadvisably named X-Con. While Peña is granted additional screen-time, his comedic stylings are somewhat more tiresome this time around with the notable exception of an extended truth-serum-induced rant. Also returning are Judy Greer and Bobby Cannavale as Maggie and Paxton in much smaller roles. Conversely, Abby Ryder Fortson's Cassie plays a much bigger role, sharing some of the film's most funny and touching scenes with Paul Rudd's Scott.
Though her character is slightly underdeveloped, Hannah John-Kamen does an admirable job as Ava Starr, the tormented Ghost on a desperate mission. As Bill Foster, Laurence Fishburne is underutilized as Ava's surrogate father and voice of reason. Randall Park is perfectly cast as the slightly dopey FBI Agent Jimmy Woo as is character actor Walton Goggins as the slimy Sonny Burch. Michelle Pfeiffer is absolutely radiant in her brief appearance as Janet van Dyne.
All-around, the visual effects are excellent. Ghost has a unique and inspired look as the surrounding translucent images of her waver between the immediate past and present. The prologue of the film and several flashback scenes feature Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, and Laurence Fishburne convincingly de-aged digitally. The scale-changing action is taken to an entertaining new level during the climatic chase sequence through the streets of San Francisco as Pym's modified cars shrink and grow to dodge and disable enemy vehicles in addition to the titular heroes' constant size shifts. Though brief, the deep-dive into the Quantum Realm is appropriately trippy.
Ant-Man and the Wasp is a light zippy visually-exciting adventure with real heart. Its loose, fast-paced plot is elevated by a fantastic cast and inspired action. Fans of the first Ant-Man movie, and followers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, should find this sequel to be more than a worthy continuation of the smaller and larger narrative.
MID-CREDITS STINGER
The Pyms send Scott into the Quantum Realm to collect energy particles but leave him stranded when they unexpectedly...
POST-CREDITS STINGER
Arthropod drum solo during a state of emergency.
STAN LEE CAMEO
Stan the Man's car is destroyed as he reflects on the 60s.
FRAGMENTS
- Bill Foster mentions working on a project called "Goliath" with Hank Pym, a reference to Foster's superhero alter ego in the original Marvel Comics
- Ghost and Sonny Burch are Iron Man foes in the original Marvel Comics
SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF
- Video: Christophe Beck "It Ain't Over Till the Wasp Lady Stings"
