Ant-Man and the Wasp: A heart-warming film that lacks an effective baddie

The first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie release after Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp has something the first Ant-Man movie didn't — anticipation and a place in the moviegoers’ psyche. Even fringe patrons of the MCU want to see anything coming from the MCU stable in the run-up to Avengers 4 in 2019. Does the second Ant-Man make the most of it? Sadly, no. Is it still an enjoyable film? Most definitely, yes!

The events of the film precede those of the “snapageddon” (that’s what the internet has named Thanos’ finger snapping that cut the universe’s population by half) and, tonally, the film is reminiscent of the Marvel movies before Infinity War. Ant-Man and the Wasp does little to further the MCU’s bigger story arch, but focusses on the development of the titular characters — Ant-Man/Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and the Wasp/Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). In this context, it is a well-made sequel in the sub-franchise, but falls short on scale when compared to the more recent Marvel movies — Infinity War, Black Panther and Thor: Ragnarok. It is titled Ant-Man and the Wasp, which is justified because the Wasp has enough and more to do in the film.

What the film lacks in scale, it more than makes up for with heart. This is perhaps one of the most heart-warming Marvel films. At its core is Lang/Ant-Man and his easy charm, understated bravado and genuine desire to do good. The scenes he shares with his daughter Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson) are the best non-action parts.

The Van Dyne family’s story takes centrestage in the sequel, with their reunion forming one of the main storylines. Michael Douglas continues to impress as the egotistical genius Hank Pym, while Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne does her bit with the little she has. Michael Peña slips back into the role of the motormouth Luis, Lang’s former cellmate and current business partner.

The film feels smaller in scale partly due to the lack of formidable villains. It has not one, but two baddies — Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins), a black market tech dealer, and Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), the daughter of one of Pym’s former colleagues who can phase through objects due to molecular instability.

But both fall short. While Ghost starts off as scary and threatening, the treatment of her backstory undoes much of it. She ends up like a whiny child who has been refused candy in a shop. Burch feels like a nuisance, too, and just cannot be taken seriously after a point.

This is not the first time an MCU film has a human villain. Iron Man (2008) had Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) as the villain while Iron Man 2 (2010) had Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) as a secondary villain. Both were ominous enough for the audience to take note. In this case, the film drags once the villains appear. Yes, they provide scope for some great action sequences, but in a superhero film action finds its way. The action lives up to Marvel’s standards, whether it is in normal size, ant-size or giant-size. Giant-Man impressed in Captain America: Civil War (2016), and continues to do so.

The scenes with the quantum realm are impressive, but not as much as the astral plane ones in Doctor Strange (2016). The experience can be enhanced by watching in 3D, and one does not absolutely need to watch the film in IMAX.

All in all, Ant-Man and the Wasp delivers if you’re looking for action, comedy and some heartwarming father-daughter moments. It would help to remember that its plot precedes that of Infinity War, and not expect the same high stakes as recent Marvel films.