After being put on house arrest because he disobeyed the rules of the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War, Scott finds himself mere days away from freedom. Part of the deal is having no contact with either Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly; Lost) or her father Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas; Wall Street). Scott breaks this rule, however, after inadvertently receiving a "message" from Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer; Batman Returns), Pym's wife, who has been stuck in the quantum realm since 1987. Scott receives the message because he also was inside of the quantum realm for a time. Seeing no other way, he contacts the father and daughter and finds himself involved in risking life imprisonment by helping Hank and Hope bring Janet back to this dimension.
Rudd proves again why he is the perfect man for this role. His natural charisma makes us relate to him as we watch him play this flawed but decent character. Lily also gives her usual kick-butt performance as the brilliant scientist and Wasp. She basically steals the whole movie out from under Rudd. Douglas, too, is well-suited for his role of Pym- brilliant scientist, husband, and father. Not surprisingly, Michelle Pfeiffer was excellent in her role as Janet. The cast is rounded out by a talented supporting cast including Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Judy Greer (27 Dresses), Bobby Cannavale (Blue Jasmine), Randall Park (The Interview), Hannah John-Kamen (Black Mirror) and Michael Pena (CHiPS).
Ant-Man and the Wasp is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1 with a 2160p resolution upscaled from a 2K master. The colors are vibrant and true especially when looking at the costumes out heroes wear. The hues in the quantum realm pop off the screen with colors not previously seen in theaters or on the Blu-ray. Dolby Atmos continues to impress on this sophomoric platform. The audience is literally transported into the world of Ant-Man and surrounded by its audio from all sides. You can genuinely hear every separate special effect as opposed to being muddled together on a different mix.
There are numerous extras for fans to enjoy including an introduction by director Peyton Reed (Bring It On). There are also four 5-minute EPK style small featurettes, a gag reel that highlights a funny moment with Stan Lee and deleted scenes. The Digital movies anywhere digital HD copy offers some exclusive features including: It takes two, leader of the colony, online close-up magic and Ten years of Marvel Studios: The Art of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While the first Ant-Man struggled on screen because there were two different directors, Ant-Man and the Wasp doesn't suffer the same fate. It is a much more cohesive story that is infused with fun and humor. While Rudd is supposed to be the focal point, Lilly manages to shine while surrounded by a wonderful cast. Of course, one has to give extra special props to Pfeiffer simply because she is so awesome.
If you are a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe this is a terrific addition to your home entertainment collection. It also explains a very valuable plot point as to where this cast was during Avengers: Infinity War.
Grade: A
