8 / 10. Anamusing and fun addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Paul Rudd is perfectly cast as Ant-Man

Ant-Man and the Wasp is a superhero sequel to Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) 2015 film, Ant-Man, with Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily reprising their roles as Marvel Comics characters Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Hope van Dyne / Wasp and is directed by Peyton Reed.

Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his life choices as both superhero, following his exploits in Captain America: Civil War, and as dad to daughter, Cassie. An urgent mission leads Hope and Dr Pym to recruit Scott to return to the Ant-Man suit and join the Wasp to do battle against a powerful new enemy, and also to try to venture to the quantum realm …

Scott Lang’s hapless hero is easy to watch, and the film consistently amusing. Paul Rudd is effortlessly funny, and perfectly cast. There are nice moments with his daughter, Cassie, and his X-Con workmates are a treat.

Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer are great casting choices as Janet van Dyne and Hank Pym. As is Laurence Fishburne as Dr Pym’s rival, Dr Bill Foster. I like Evangeline Lilly, but I feel she has a cold quality here as Hope, and doesn’t have great chemistry with Scott. The phasing Ghost CGI was effective, but she grew annoying and wasn’t a threatening villain.

Some of the science talk is confusing but I got the main gist of it. The fantastic and inventive use of normal objects (very small and very large) during bonkers fight and car chase scenes around San Francisco were a highlight.

Great to see Walton Goggins here as Sonny Burch (a favourite as Boyd Crowder in Justified), speaking as eloquently as ever, but underutilised.

The ending, and the quantum realm itself, are clearly important for the future and fate of the Avengers following Infinity War.