I have to admit upfront that I’m a fanboy when it comes to
comic book based movies. The room goes dark, the screen lights up and the
images flash across the screen taking me back to those days when I put my dine
and two pennies on the counter and walked out with the latest issue of whatever
comic book caught my eye that day. Now when the familiar opening of a Marvel
film opens with images of the various heroes flashing by I find that thrill
kicking in once more.
The latest Marvel film to arrive on disc is ANT-MAN AND THE
WASP. Picking up after the events of AVENGERS: CIVIL WAR we find Scott Land
(Paul Rudd) on house arrest after violating the registration laws and working
alongside Captain America. Spending time with his daughter and obeying the
rules set in place for him he only has three days left before his ankle monitor
comes off. But things are set in motion to threaten his ability to stay on the
down low.
The opening of the film shows the past, in particular the
story of Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his wife Janet Van Dyne (Michelle
Pfeiffer), two scientists who’ve donned the roles of superheroes as the
original Ant-Man and Wasp. When they try to stop a missile heading into a
populated area they can’t get inside to defuse it. Janet shrinks to sub-atomic
size to stop the missile but the end result is being stuck in the miniature
quantum level world.
In the previous film you may recall that Scott traveled to
this same realm and successfully returned. During that time he made a quantum
connection with Janet and now has visions of her. Contacted Hank and his
daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) who are also on the run, they kidnap him and
place a decoy in his place. They explain that they’ve been working on a way to
bring back Janet from the quantum realm and need his help due to his
connection.
Stopping to pick up a piece of equipment from a criminal
tech dealer named Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins) Hope goes in to get the part
only to find he’s discovered who they are. A fight ensues, she gets the part
but then a new player emerges. A wraith like figure able to transmute through
walls and people alike who also wants the part. We later find her name is Ava
but due to her abilities they call her Ghost. Why she stole the part, what her
link is to this family isn’t revealed until later. Also introduced is scientist
Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne), an ex-colleague of Hank’s with an ego to
match.
Encounters between bad guys, hiding from the FBI and
disentangling just who is who fills out the rest of the film. Of course the
overabundance of special effects are frequently on display here but unlike the
poorly done CGI images one would associate with a SyFy channel level film these
are done to perfection. Sure you know they’re special effects but they’re done
so magnificently that you never even find yourself thinking about it.
But the movie wouldn’t work if it was only about special
effects no matter how well done. It is the story that makes this movie, a rare
combination of action, heroics, self-sacrifice and comedy that works on every
level. The action runs from start to finish in the adventures the group finds
themselves, moving from fights with street level thugs to super villains to
dodging the FBI. Here again special effects combines with some of the top stunt
men/women who are stupendous here (and still deserve their own Oscar category).
The heroics on hand walk hand in hand with the
self-sacrifice stories. First is the loss of Janet Van Dyne at the beginning of
the film, an apparent loss to both Hank and Hope. Then there is the loss of
freedom for Scott. The scenes between Scott and his daughter are touching but
not syrupy. She is the one who inspires him to become a better man and thus a
better father. And later his affection for Hope drives him to make a decision
that could cost him his freedom once more.
But the humor here is what balances out the whole film.
Everything from quick little jibes to full on life size images like a giant Pez
dispenser used as a weapon make for some laugh out loud moments. None of these
jokes feels forced or uninspired and all of them work, every single one. Rudd
is the perfect actor for this part, able to play the romantic lead and equally
adept at tossing out jokes that take place at his character’s expense.
On the whole this movie is among the better of the Marvel
films. It’s one I know I could sit down and watch again right now having just
watched it and still enjoy without the need to have one finger on the fast
forward button. My guess is you’ll feel the same way and I can’t recommend this
one enough. Of special note, as with all Marvel films there are two sequences
in the credits, the first tying the movie into the AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR film
and the last just a laugh.
No comments:
Post a Comment