Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip “T.I.” Harris, David Dastmalchian, Hannah John-Kamen, Abby Ryder Fortson, Randall Park, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Douglas
OUR RATING: ★★★☆☆
Story:
Marvel’s superhero sequel directed by Peyton Reed. Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp follows Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), who is trying to balance his home life as a father with his responsibilities as Ant-Man. He’s then confronted by Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) with an urgent new mission to bring to light secrets from their past, requiring him to team up with van Dyne as the new Wasp.
Best Quotes
Scott Lang: I’m sorry about Germany. They just showed up. They said it was a matter of national security. That Cap needed help, so.
Hope van Dyne: Cap?
Scott Lang: Tain America. Captain. Cap. It’s what we call him. If you’re a friend. I’m not saying I’m a friend of, a little, I know him. He’s not, whatever. I’m sorry! Alright? I didn’t think I’d get caught.
Hope van Dyne: You didn’t think about a lot of things.
Scott Lang: How’s Hank?
Hope van Dyne: We’re still running. The house is gone, so is our freedom. How do you think he is?
Scott Lang: I’m sorry. I know you’re mad.
Hope van Dyne: I’m not looking for an apology, Scott. The only reason why we’re even talking is because we need what’s in your head.
Dr. Hank Pym: Last night, we powered up the tunnel for the first time. It was overloaded and it shut down. But for a split second, the doorway to the quantum realm was opened.
Scott Lang: And?
Hope van Dyne: And five minutes later, you called, talking about Mom.
Dr. Hank Pym: We think when you were down there, you may have entangled with her.
Scott Lang: Hank, I would never do that. I respect you too much.
Dr. Hank Pym: Quantum entanglement, Scott.
Hope van Dyne: We think she might have put some kind of a message in your head. Hopefully, a location. And opening the tunnel triggered it.
Scott Lang: Your mom put a message in my head? Come on. That’s insane.
Dr. Hank Pym: No, Scott. Insane is going to Germany without telling us, and fighting the Avengers. Just tell me you weren’t lying about the suit you took. Tell me you really destroyed it.
Scott Lang: I did, I destroyed it, I swear.
Dr. Hank Pym: I can’t believe you destroyed my suit! That was my life’s work!
Scott Lang: What was I supposed to do?
Dr. Hank Pym: You were supposed to not take my suit!
Scott Lang: I’m sorry, Hank! I’m sorry I took the suit. I’m sorry that I called last night. I don’t remember seeing Janet down there. I wish that I did. I just had a dream about her playing hide-and-seek with a little girl.
Hope van Dyne: What?
Scott Lang: I had a dream. She was playing hide-and-seek with a little girl. Cassie and I do it all the time. It doesn’t mean anything.
Hope van Dyne: But was it Cassie in the dream?
Scott Lang: No.
Hope van Dyne: Where was she hiding?
Scott Lang: What?
Hope van Dyne: The little girl. Where was she hiding? Was it in a wardrobe?
Scott Lang: No, it was in a, like a tall dresser.
Dr. Hank Pym: You mean a wardrobe.
Scott Lang: Is that what that’s called?
Hope van Dyne: What color was it?
Scott Lang: Red.
Hope van Dyne: Were there horses on it?
Scott Lang: Oh, boy.
Hope van Dyne: It’s where I hid every time that we played.
Scott Lang: It doesn’t sound like you really got the gist of the game.
Hope van Dyne: [to Pym] She’s alive.
Dr. Hank Pym: I knew it. I knew it!
Scott Lang: [to Pym, referring to the Wasp suit] Hold on, you gave her wings?!
Dr. Hank Pym: [referring to the Wasp suit] Wings and blasters.
Scott Lang: So I take it you didn’t have that tech available for me.
Dr. Hank Pym: No, I did.
Luis: [to Pym] Oh, you know what? I heard stories, like what happened to you. Like this crazy creepy cat, who like walks through walls and stuff. Like a ghost.
Kurt: Like Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga, the witch. They tell stories to children to frighten them. You know Baba Yaga?
Hope van Dyne: Whoever stole it, we need to find it.
Dave: Oh, you don’t find someone like that. They find you.
Kurt: Like Baba Yaga.
Scott Lang: Guys, it’s not a good idea to be out in the open like this.
Dr. Hank Pym: Relax, no one’s going to recognize us.
Scott Lang: What, because of hats and sunglasses? That’s not a disguise, Hank. We look like ourselves at a baseball game.
Dr. Bill Foster: Back in the day, I was Hank’s partner on a project called Goliath.
Dr. Hank Pym: Excuse me? You were my partner?
Dr. Bill Foster: The only thing more tiring than going that big is putting up with Hank’s bulls**t.
Scott Lang: Right.
Scott Lang: How big did you get?
Dr. Bill Foster: My record? Twenty-one feet.
Scott Lang: Not bad.
Dr. Bill Foster: You?
Scott Lang: I don’t…
Dr. Bill Foster: No, really, I’m curious.
Scott Lang: Sixty-five feet.
Dr. Bill Foster: Woh!
Scott Lang: Yeah.
Dr. Bill Foster: Huge.
Scott Lang: Sixty-five.
Hope van Dyne: If you two are finished comparing sizes, we need to figure out a way to track down the lab.
Dr. Bill Foster: And the great Hank Pym hasn’t figured that one out yet? Strange. You had all the answers back in the day. That’s why I left the project.
Dr. Hank Pym: Left? I fired you.
Dr. Bill Foster: Best decision I ever made. Hank was a terrible partner. Temperamental, stubborn, impatient. Sooner or later, he just pushed everyone away.
Dr. Hank Pym: Just the mediocrities.
Dr. Bill Foster: Janet was the only one who could endure him and chose to stick it out.
Dr. Hank Pym: Watch it, Bill.
Dr. Bill Foster: She paid the price, though, didn’t she?
Dr. Hank Pym: You son of a b**ch.
Hope van Dyne: [Pym goes to attack him, Hope and Scott stop him] I didn’t come here to listen to you two squabble. I’m trying to save my mother.
Hope van Dyne: Oh, my God. You didn’t destroy the suit.
Dr. Hank Pym: What?!
Scott Lang: Well, it was your life’s work, Hank. I couldn’t destroy that! Before I turned myself in, I shrunk it down and mailed it to Luis.
Dr. Hank Pym: You sent my suit through the mail?!
Scott Lang: Hey, the postal service is very reliable. You know, they do tracking numbers now, like UPS.
Dr. Hank Pym: Where is it?
Scott Lang: It’s in a very safe place, alright? Don’t worry.
Dr. Hank Pym: [as Scott has shrunk down to a child’s size] Hiya, champ, how was school today?
Scott Lang: Oh, ha, ha, ha. Alright, get your jokes out now. Can you fix the suit?
Hope van Dyne: So cranky.
Dr. Hank Pym: You want a juice box and some string cheese?
Scott Lang: Do you really have that?
Scott Lang: Look at us, teaming up twice in one day.
Hope van Dyne: Makes you think, huh?
Scott Lang: About what?
Hope van Dyne: Germany.
Scott Lang: What do you mean?
Hope van Dyne: We were working together, training together, and other stuffing together.
Scott Lang: If I had asked you, would you have come?
Hope van Dyne: I guess we’ll never know. But I do know one thing.
Scott Lang: What?
Hope van Dyne: If I had, you’d have never been caught.
Hope van Dyne: What took you so long?
Scott Lang: Sorry, I had to come up with a name for my ant. I’m thinking Ulysses S. Gr-Ant. You like it?
Hope van Dyne: Hilarious.
Sonny Burch: Where is Scott Lang?
Luis: Well, see, that’s complicated. Because when I first met Scotty, he was in a bad place. And I’m not talking about cell block D. His wife had just filed for divorce, and I was, like, “Damn, homie. She dumped you when you’re on lockup?” And he was, like, “Yeah, I know. I thought I was going to be with her forever, but now I’m all alone.” And I was, like, “Damn, homie. You know what? You got to chin up, because you’ll find a new partner. But you know what? I’m Luis.” And he says, “You know what? I’m Scotty, and we’re going to be best friends.”
Sonny Burch: Okay, hold on, hold on. I like a good story as much as the next person, but what in the hell does this have to do with where Scott Lang is?
Luis: I’m getting there. I’m getting there.
Dave: You put a dime in him, you got to let the whole song play out.
Kurt: He like human jukebox.
Luis: Oh, my abuelita had a jukebox in the restaurant! Yeah, only played Morrissey. And if anybody ever complained, she’d be like, “Oh, no te gusta Moz.” You know, Chicanos, we call him Moz. Then, “Adios!” What can I say? We relate to his melancholy ballads, you know?
Maggie: [as Woo is putting Scott under house arrest] What does the FBI even stand for, “Forever Bothering Individuals”?
Cassie: So how long have you been Ant-Man again?
Scott Lang: Not long. It just sort of happened. I’m sorry for lying to you, and I’m sorry for risking everything.
Cassie: Daddy, it’s okay.
Scott Lang: It’s not. I do some dumb things, and the people that I love the most pay the price. Mainly you.
Cassie: Trying to help people isn’t dumb.
Scott Lang: I screw it up just about every time.
Cassie: So maybe you just need someone watching your back, like a partner.
Scott Lang: Well, she’s made it clear that’s about the last thing she wants.
Cassie: Who?
Scott Lang: Hope. Wait, who did you think?
Cassie: Me.
Scott Lang: You?
Cassie: Don’t laugh. I’d be a great partner.
Scott Lang: Oh, peanut. You would be awesome. And if I let you, I would be a terrible dad.
Cassie: Fine. Then have Hope be your partner. She’s smart.
Scott Lang: She reminds me of you.
Cassie: You going to go help her? I think you should help her.
Scott Lang: I wish I could, but I don’t know how I could help her without hurting you.
Cassie: You can do it. You can do anything. You are the world’s greatest grandma.
Shrinking Car Owner: [as he gets his car shrunk] Well, the 60’s were fun, but now I’m paying for it.
Scott Lang: Work in progress, my a**.
Scott Lang: Anyone see a Southern gentleman carrying a building?
Uzman: [to the police after Luis, Dave, and Kurt capture them] We traffic in stolen technology.
Anitolov: And we have killed many, many people.
Uzman: [referring to Burch] Uh, he’s in charge.
Sonny Burch: That’s true, I am. I’ve also committed numerous health code violations in my restaurant. Some of them would shock you.
Uzman: [sees the injection needle] It is truth serum.
Scott Lang: [as he’s being freed from his house arrest] What’s it like out there? Huh? I mean, do people still dance? Are food trucks still a thing?
Jimmy Woo: Well, you got away with it this time, Scott, but I’ll be seeing you again.
Scott Lang: Where?
Jimmy Woo: Huh?
Scott Lang: Where will you be seeing me again?
Jimmy Woo: Like, in general. I’ll see you like the next time you do something bad, I’ll be there to catch you.
Scott Lang: Oh. You’ll be watching and…
Jimmy Woo: Yeah.
Scott Lang: I thought you were inviting me somewhere.
Jimmy Woo: Why would I do that?
Scott Lang: That’s what I was wondering, why would you do that?
Jimmy Woo: Like a party, or like dinner, or something?
Scott Lang: I don’t know. I thought you planned the evening.
Jimmy Woo: No, I meant to like arrest you.
Scott Lang: No, that’d be a little strange.
Jimmy Woo: Like, I’ll arrest you later again.
Scott Lang: Take it easy.
Jimmy Woo: Okay. Did you want to grab dinner? I mean because I’m free.
Hope van Dyne: [mid-credits lines, Scott is in the quantum realm] Preparing for re-entry in five, four, three…
Scott Lang: Hello? Ha, ha. Very funny. Hank, quit screwing around. You told me yourself not to screw around.
[we see Pym, Hope and Janet have disintegrated]
Scott Lang: Hank? Hope? Janet. Guys. Guys. Okay, seriously, don’t joke around. Bring me up, let’s go. Guys!
Trailer: