Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) alter ego is diminutive in name only, because pretty much everything about “Ant-Man and the Wasp” is big-time exciting, enjoyable and entertaining.
From the plotline to the character actions and interactions, to the eye-popping effects, I dare you to not have fun.
Explained in detail in the film’s opening moments, the story here is unique and straightforward – and inundated with “quantum” this or that to a ridiculous and hilarious degree – with a few subplots mixed in to layer the narrative and increase adventure by adding complexity and danger.
Even with that, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” has a more lighthearted tone and feels less perilous than most Marvel flicks. But I’m totally fine with that, after the gut punch that was “Avengers: Infinity War.”
I think a lot of that feel is because our hero is so freaking charismatic and likeable. Scott always is playful and upbeat, he never gets angry or confrontational, and he has the most adorable conversations with his wise-beyond-her-years daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson).
This guy is repeatedly thrown into bizarre situations and is just like, “Meh, okay. Whatever.”
Whether or not he’s in the “work in progress” Ant-Man suit Scott seems never to get rattled, and he’s polite to boot: “Anyone seen a Southern gentleman carrying a building?” There’s just something so inherently appealing about his disposition.
Then there’s the banter – the flirty repartee between Scott and Hope/Wasp (Evangeline Lilly); the cheeky digs, courtesy of Hank Pym (Michael Douglas); the paranoid ramblings of Luis (Michael Pena).
And let me tell you, Luis is one hell of a scene stealer: his excitement upon discovering the Hot Wheels Rally Case; when he reveals to Hope, “I would like a suit, y’know… with minimal powers. Or just a suit, with no powers”; the “truth serum”; his beyond-incredible rant to Sonny Birch (Walton Goggins) and his goons, during which Luis’s fast-talking, slang-infused narration awesomely describes what we’re seeing while his voice delivers the lines of each character.
I think he did this in 2015’s “Ant-Man,” too, and it’ll never stop being funny.
The effects are everything you’d expect. They’re flashy and colorful and creative, and the shifts in scale are so fluid that it’s never a distraction when something or someone becomes tiny. Or regular sized. Or gigantic: “Sixty-five feet!”
Director Peyton Reed (“Ant-Man”) gives us some intense action, with engaging point-of-view shots; chase sequences that incorporate slowed motion to enhance detail or specific movements; quick edits for added immediacy; and our hero and heroine doing the big and small, back-and-forth deal to take advantage of their own technology and help deliver one especially fun movie of epic proportions.
And just when you think the visuals can’t get any cooler, the end credits roll over images of the most intricate miniature models, recapping a lot of the scenes from the movie with insane accuracy and detail.
Be sure to look for Stan Lee, making his patented appearance. And you’ll want to stay through the credits for those oh-so-favorite Marvel extras… because OHMIGOD!
You have just enjoyed the insights of Movie Addict Mel, a cinema dork and conversational writer. Follow her on Twitter @movieaddictmel, and “like” her Facebook page www.facebook.com/movieaddictmel. You also can email her at movieaddictmel@outlook.com.