Ant-Man and the Wasp

Reviews from the Dark Side

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Released 7/6/18

We're at a point in history when Marvel Studios releases a new movie, the question isn't whether or not it's good.  The question is how much will it make?  Marvel tries to continue its year of supreme dominance with the sequel to 2015's surprise success Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp.  

Peyton Reed returns to direct the second installment and brings back most of the original cast.  That's reason enough to get the masses excited.  If you were a fan of the first, that is.  Reason enough for Marvel Studios to be excited, too.  The two previous releases in 2018, Black Panther and Infinity War, have grossed over three billion combined.  Whatever the new Ant-Man makes is gravy.  But, there are elements in the world awaiting the Marvel Cinematic Universe's eventual collapse.  Could those said elements be prophetic this time around?  In my opinion, I think those factions are going to have to wait a little longer.  

Ant-Man and the Wasp picks up about two years after the events of Captain America:  Civil War.  Our resident Ant-Man, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), is waiting out the final days of his negotiated house arrest for violating the infamous Sokovia Accords.  In addition to turning his residence into a funhouse to entertain his young daughter during visitations, he's also co-owner of a new security business with his three "reformed" criminal friends Luis (Michael Pena), Dave (T.I. Harris), and Kurt (David Dastmalchian).  Well, an absentee owner for the moment due to his house arrest.  Scott also hasn't spoken to his two allies from the first film, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hank's daughter/potential love interest, Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), since running off to Germany to assist Captain America two years ago either.  And, maybe it's for the best since his actions not only lost Pym's Ant-Man suit, but also put Hank and Hope on the run from authorities in a type of guilt-by-association scenario for providing him the suit in the first place.  

But, the inevitable reunion isn't far behind when a strange dream haunts Scott one evening.  During his brief time traveling in the Quantum Realm in the first film, he seems to have made a connection to...something.  Something that's very near and dear to both Hank and Hope.  So, the motley trio must once again come together to investigate and possibly extract something from the subatomic dimension, all while trying to avoid the authorities and attempting to stay one step ahead of an unscrupulous black market dealer (Walton Goggins) who wants Hank's tech for its monetary value.  And, throwing an extra monkeywrench into the mix is a mysterious new combatant (Hannah John-Kamen) with a connection to the Quantum Realm herself, assisted/guided by an old associate of Hank's (Laurence Fishburne).  Oh, and lest I forget, Hope goes into action as the Wasp alongside Scott's Ant-Man complete with her own specialized shrink suit.  But, you already knew that, right?

There was much to like in Ant-Man and the Wasp.  For me, the dynamic between Scott, Hope, and Hank was improved from the first film.  And, I think it's due to Hope's character changing slightly.  She's still all business while on the job, but, she's different from the kind of "angry at the world" character she was through much of the first film.  She's mad at Scott for what he did in Germany, but, I got the feeling she was more angry that he didn't take her along more than anything else.  Hank is still pretty much the same curmudgeon he's always been which is amusing juxtaposed against Scott's along-for-the-ride good-natured persona.  The three personalities mesh extremely well when they're onscreen together.

I guess this next point sort of ties into the first.  Paul Rudd has such an easygoing goofy persona you can't help but like him even if he's in a bad movie (which this is not).   In a way, his Scott Lang is a bit like how I would envision the onscreen Peter Parker to be.  The lovable loser type who's usually well-meaning, but, seems to screw up as much has he triumphs.  It's kind of the dilemma Hank and Hope find themselves in.  They have reason to be angry with him, but, they just can't maintain it because he is such an overall good guy.  The great thing about Scott is there isn't anything innately heroic about him.  He's a normal person thrust into an extraordinary world.  

One thing this film expands on very nicely from the first are the fight sequences.  Again, I shake my head in amazement that Peyton Reed and company were able to turn shrinking into a viable combat style.  And there's double the fun this time around with both Scott and Hope using the same techniques.  Combine that with one of the new characters' phasing abilities and you have some pretty trippy battle sequences.  The fight choreography combined with the CGI is very well done here.

Speaking of CGI, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the "aging" technology that is used on some of the actors in this film.  This tech has come a long way since even Rogue One a couple of years ago.  It's so good that you really do believe you're looking at the 90s versions of Michael Douglas, Laurence Fishburne, and Michelle Pfeiffer in the flashback sequences.  I'll leave you all to discover the reason Pfeiffer is in the movie.

Much like Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp is an action-comedy caper, maybe even more so.  Instead of money or other valuables in the common sense exchanging hands several times, it's a portable shrinking laboratory that's the object of desire.  The visual gags of people running around literally holding a shrunken building in their hands is madcap amusement in and of itself.  Add in several vehicles shrunken to fit a Matchbox-car type of carrying case and several ants performing menial tasks for Pym like it's business as usual and there's plenty of sight lunacy to go around.

That brings me to my first point of contention with the film.  The comedy itself.  Aside from the aforementioned sight gags and Paul Rudd's laid back comedic talents, you have this franchise's updated version of the Three Stooges (or Marx Brothers, whichever you prefer), Luis, Dave, and Kurt.  Their goofiness added on to a movie with silly concepts to begin with felt a little forced and too heavy handed at times.  This trio's only true purpose is to provide comic relief.  And some of it lands well, such as the heated discussion over Scott's desk in the office.  In other situations, it fell a little flat.  Although this is a comedy primarily, it's a superhero movie as well.  Some scenes that should have some dramatic heft to them were broken up by a gag.  The comedic stylings weren't as cloying or obnoxious as they were in Thor:  Ragnarok, but, all of them weren't as funny this time around.  In that sense, it reminds me of this year's Deadpool 2.  

We also have the seemingly neverending issue of the MCU's use of disposable villains.  While I believe that narrative among the public and critics has been blown a little out of proportion, Ant-Man and the Wasp doesn't do much to discourage that idea.  You never get a sense the heroes are in any true danger.  The main antagonist, Ghost, acts more out of desperation than malicious intent.  The black market dealer is pretty much a smarmy businessman who you don't get the sense is a true threat.  No offense meant to Walton Goggins here who I think is a very good actor, but, he didn't get much meat on this bone.  And, there's the hapless Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), the FBI agent assigned to babysit Scott during his house arrest.  It's very obvious early on that Scott will outwit him at every turn.

On a side note, what is going on with the Pyms at the end of this film?  Are they still on the run?  Did they make a deal with the authorities?  Scott is pretty much free and clear by the end.  You get the sense that Hank and Hope are still running, but, it's not really explained when you consider how no one seems to have a care in the world.

Like most recent MCU movies there are two end credit scenes, one meaty, and one completely throwaway.  The meaty one (mid-credit) I'll come to in a minute.  The throwaway, I'm just going to spoil here and now because there's no reason you need to sit through to the end for this.  It's a giant ant playing the drums.  The drums are a running gag throughout the film so that's the significance there.

The mid-credit scene is the one to pay attention to.  Ant-Man missed the festivities of Avengers:  Infinity War.  By the end of this scene, he'll be elbow deep in the mix in Avengers 4.  Because of this sequence, I would have preferred Ant-Man and the Wasp to have been released prior to Infinity War just for the subversive factor it would have brought on.  Now, we've been witness in recent memory to how subversion doesn't work in the wrong hands, but, I believe it would have really created a good "What the Hell?" type of quality in this instance.  

Ant-Man and the Wasp is not a great movie, but, it's a fun one.  I would place it on the fringe of the upper echelon of MCU releases.  There's the top tier that I dub "The Six" (Civil War, Winter Soldier, Infinity War, first Avengers, first Guardians, first Iron Man).  Then there's the very good (Dr. Strange, first Ant-Man).  Then there's the fringe of that group where I would place this film ( along with first Cap, Guardians 2).  The teamwork and bond between Scott, Hope, and Hank is this film's strength.  I don't know if this will have the juice to touch a billion, but, I could see it approaching Wonder Woman numbers when it's all said and done.  So, for a character of this nature?  It's another triumph for the MCU.

On to Captain Marvel.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***1/2 stars

Ratings Legend

0*= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good