[yasr_overall_rating]
As Scott Lang balances being both a Super Hero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.
The story of “Ant-Man and the Wasp” opens with quite a convoluted backstory, which is constantly being explained in bite-sized nuggets throughout the entirety of the film. However, in present time, Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) is under house arrest and just three days shy of freedom from the constraints of four walls, an electric drum set, and the self-indulgent routine of an adolescent. But how did Ant-Man come to be under house arrest? Quirky FBI lead agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) fills us in with the details, consistently adding the humor of the go-to fall guy for being constantly outwitted and outmaneuvered by our slacker hero.
Meanwhile, Wasp (Michelle Pfeiffer) has been lost to the microcosmic universe for 30 years, with her daughter, Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) taking her place. Hope and her father, Hank (Michael Douglas), are determined to rescue Wasp and are in the process of building a lab that will make this possible. Meanwhile, Hank’s old partner, Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) is trying to steal – or borrow – the lab to save a ghost of a girl, Ava (Hannah John-Kamen). But he’s not the only one trying to steal the lab. Some low-life goons are also after the valuable technology for nothing more than their pocket gain – and evidently, one more gang of bad guys added to an already loaded cast of antagonists – the FBI, Foster and the ghost girl, and these thugs.
Fortunately, for Wasp Jr. (Hope Van Dyne) and Ant-Man, they have a few friendly sidekicks too, although they might arguably be as intellectually impotent as the FBI. Ant-Man has a “real job,” running a security business with his goofy, but affable partner, Luis (Michael Peña). Luis and his even dumber crew, my favorites out of the entire cast, somehow manage to help save the day without sabotaging the hero collaboration of fumbling idiocy. Luis’ character, in particular, keeps the storyline rooted in the humanity of the dilemma and adventure, even as superpowers and superegos are malfunctioning everywhere.
The film concludes pretty much as expected with most conflicts satisfactorily resolved. The thugs are eliminated. The FBI is chagrined, but compliant. And the Pym family kindly generous in not only forgiving Ant-Man of his decades-old screw-up but also in helping ghost girl pull herself together. The story is enjoyable, though maybe a bit excessive in plot twists. The recent trend of heavy-handed humor through sarcasm and self-deprecation is starting to feel like a hangover headache, but I suppose it’s still enjoyable enough for one more round of potshots at last call. This screening was 3D and even those effects seemed overdone, with ev.er.ry.thing in 3D, right down to little girl braids. So I wouldn’t suggest that you waste any money on the more expensive 3D experience. However, audiences will enjoy this latest installation of Marvel movies.
And I’m sure you already know by now… Don’t leave the theater when you think the film is over.
Personal opinion: Clever, but annoying trickery for little purpose except to create an unnecessary plot twist with even more excessive hype. (Which is irritatingly redundant to say: “even more excessive.”) Be that as it may, the Marvel nerds are abuzz with what will happen next. Me….I keep wondering what are the statistical odds of randomization that will bring about a self-inflicted end for the wielder of the cosmic glove. Or is that not even possible? I guess we’ll find out in the not too far off future…
In theaters Friday, July 6th
Loved your article… but I have a couple of fixes. It’s Hank Pym not Frank, original Wasp’s name is Janet Van Dyne, likewise it’s Hope Van Dyne, not Hope Pym. Also Hannah John-Kamen’s character is named Ava or ‘Ghost’.
Thanks for the tip Ant-Man, I’ll make those corrections.