Is Paul Rudd ever not likable? No, right? He's always wonderful, and he's wonderful once again in 'Ant-Man and the Wasp.'
This sequel is a lot like the first one except Hope, the Wasp, plays an expanded role while wearing an upgraded suit and boasting a much more developed skill set than Scott, a.k.a. Ant-Man. They work well together, after Hank and Hope drag Scott away from his ongoing two-year house arrest.
Scott's efforts to avoid being caught leaving his house lead to some very funny exchanges between him and Randall Park's law enforcement character, who is impressed by Scott's newly learned close-up magic tricks. Park is a criminally underappreciated comic actor, and it's great to see him have a chance to play a significant role in a hit movie like this one.
But Scott avoids getting caught, and he's able to help his pals, so everything is going smoothly. That is until a woman with odd ghost powers (Hannah John-Kamen) shows up and steals the new tech Hank is building to save his wife from the quantum realm. Now Ant-Man and the Wasp must battle the ghost/help the ghost, because help is what she is actually seeking. Her powers aren't really powers-they're a curse that causes her great pain.
The ghost character is fairly interesting but should have been more so. She is so uneven. In one scene she comes across as this awkward, creepy flirt, then she never returns to any similar behavior, which was disappointing. I liked seeing her hit on Scott in her own bizarre way, and I thought that would have been a far more entertaining personality than the angry blank slate we see in the rest of the film. I couldn't quite figure out what she was supposed to be, and I don't think the filmmakers could either.
In much of the movie, as expected, there are plenty of laughs. A few moments when the size regulator on Scott's suit malfunctions, causing him to grow and shrink at the most inopportune times, are particularly hilarious. Michael Pena is fire once again as he rattles off a couple of his character's classic motormouth stories, one while under the influence of a substance that may or may not be truth serum.
Paul Rudd is funny too, but the humor felt a little incongruous. In the first film, we saw Scott as a smart and capable burglar, yet in this movie he is much more of a bumbling fool. It felt like the writers compromised his character for the sake of few jokes.
Overall, this is certainly a much lighter film than 'Infinity War' and one with smaller stakes. I'm okay with that. I thought I wanted answers about what is to come in 'Avengers 4,' but it turns out I was perfectly content watching an enjoyable, funny Marvel movie.
This sequel is a lot like the first one except Hope, the Wasp, plays an expanded role while wearing an upgraded suit and boasting a much more developed skill set than Scott, a.k.a. Ant-Man. They work well together, after Hank and Hope drag Scott away from his ongoing two-year house arrest.
Scott's efforts to avoid being caught leaving his house lead to some very funny exchanges between him and Randall Park's law enforcement character, who is impressed by Scott's newly learned close-up magic tricks. Park is a criminally underappreciated comic actor, and it's great to see him have a chance to play a significant role in a hit movie like this one.
But Scott avoids getting caught, and he's able to help his pals, so everything is going smoothly. That is until a woman with odd ghost powers (Hannah John-Kamen) shows up and steals the new tech Hank is building to save his wife from the quantum realm. Now Ant-Man and the Wasp must battle the ghost/help the ghost, because help is what she is actually seeking. Her powers aren't really powers-they're a curse that causes her great pain.
The ghost character is fairly interesting but should have been more so. She is so uneven. In one scene she comes across as this awkward, creepy flirt, then she never returns to any similar behavior, which was disappointing. I liked seeing her hit on Scott in her own bizarre way, and I thought that would have been a far more entertaining personality than the angry blank slate we see in the rest of the film. I couldn't quite figure out what she was supposed to be, and I don't think the filmmakers could either.
In much of the movie, as expected, there are plenty of laughs. A few moments when the size regulator on Scott's suit malfunctions, causing him to grow and shrink at the most inopportune times, are particularly hilarious. Michael Pena is fire once again as he rattles off a couple of his character's classic motormouth stories, one while under the influence of a substance that may or may not be truth serum.
Paul Rudd is funny too, but the humor felt a little incongruous. In the first film, we saw Scott as a smart and capable burglar, yet in this movie he is much more of a bumbling fool. It felt like the writers compromised his character for the sake of few jokes.
Overall, this is certainly a much lighter film than 'Infinity War' and one with smaller stakes. I'm okay with that. I thought I wanted answers about what is to come in 'Avengers 4,' but it turns out I was perfectly content watching an enjoyable, funny Marvel movie.