Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018, PG-13)

I really enjoyed Infinity War, but after that movie, it’s definitely a good time for this one.  A smaller-scale family story (yeah, yeah, I said, “smaller-scale,”) fast and funny with a strong focus on its core team.  It’s an itty-bitty heist meets a superhero rom-com, and best of all, it debuts the Wasp in all her amazing glory – so much to love here!

Since the events of Civil War, Scott has been on house arrest, on the outs with Hank and Hope since his escapades in that movie got them in trouble too.  However, they make contact with him again (a violation of the terms of his plea deal, by the way) for an important mission:  figuring out how to rescue Janet, Hope’s mother and Hank’s wife, from the Quantum Realm.  They’ve got the tech and the knowhow, and Scott’s past experience in the Quantum Realm gives them the connection they think they need.  Armed with new suits, new technology, and a giant ant to wear Scott’s ankle monitor around the house, they set about on their mission but face an unexpected obstacle in the form of an intangible foe who phases in and out of being.

Where to start?  I feel like this is a movie that uses its “time off” and the events of the intervening films well (though it’s set prior to the events of Infinity War.)  Circumstances have changed for all the characters, relationships have been shaken up, and important things have happened offscreen that we need to get caught up on.  This is a very different thing than the first Ant-Man, even if it’s still clearly in the spirit of the same franchise.  It has the jokes (there’s a hilarious recurring bit involving the faulty regulator on Scott’s new suit, and anything involving Luis is fantastic,) the inventive action scenes centered around the shrinking technology (now with tiny car chases!), and the strong emphasis on family (Scott’s relationship with his daughter Cassie is everything.)  But it’s also a big step forward, in the story as well as with the characters and their relationships.

And the Wasp!  Oh my gosh, the Wasp.  Evangeline Lilly is perfect in this movie, the highly-capable badass she was clearly eager to be in the first film, but somehow in a totally understated way.  She just is, and she seamlessly takes on the co-lead role with Scott – it really does feel like an equal partnership, something that I worried a little bit about, as I didn’t want Marvel’s first female superhero with her name in the title to wind up being an elevated sidekick.  But Hope is her own badass, and Scott fights alongside her without being the least “threatened” by her awesomeness.  He’s a quick-minded pinball, and she’s all grace and smooth practicality, and they work amazingly together.

New cast members of note include Hannah John-Kamen as the antagonist Ghost, who also brings something unique to the fight scenes with her cool powers, the always-great Laurence Fishburne as a former colleague of Hank’s, and my favorite, Randall Park as Agent Jimmy Woo, who’s been put in charge of monitoring Scott; Park is effortlessly hilarious in the role, and every time we see him onscreen, it’s a treat.

Warnings

Comic book violence, swearing, and thematic elements.