MOVIE: Ant-Man and the Wasp saved by biting dialogue

Paul O’Rourke

DISNEY’S Marvel Studios continue to bang out their superhero spectaculars with one of their less imposing characters (at least size wise) back for another chance to save the day. 

We are of course referring to the vertically challenged Ant-Man, who, back in 2015, was catapulted onto the world cinematic stage (with a tiny tiny catapult) in a movie that proved both entertaining and not a little amusing. 

The lead role is played once again by real life pocket rocket, Paul Rudd, with Evangeline Lilly (‘The Hurt Locker’) creating quite the buzz as The Wasp. In the aftermath of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Scott Lang (Rudd) is confronted by Hope van Dyne (Lilly) and Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) with an urgent new mission. 

Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to fight the forces of evil. 

The plot is appropriately small in one way (there’s no saving the world here), but at the same time equally complex, as a rescue mission is launched to bring back The Wasp’s mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) trapped for 30 years in another dimension. 

High concept idea aside, the movie addresses each scene with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, and it’s the humour and biting dialogue that save the day.

There are quite a few laughs from the affable Rudd, but once again it’s Michael Pena as sidekick Luis who steals the show, most evidently in a truth serum sequence that’s really hilarious. Unfortunately this film goes where all other superhero movies go in the last act, to CGI formulaic fight-off hell, but hey, some people love that. 

You think the end is coming for a good 20 minutes before it actually does, but the bad guy keeps getting up and there is always one more loose end plot line to tie up.        

Despite our issues with the superhero genre, there are some neat scenes here, especially when shrinking is employed, but it’s the humour that saves the day and earns this offering a review score of 3, normal sized stars.