Scruffy, understated and fun, the sequel sidesteps just about all of the gravitas left hanging after the events of April's highly-anticipated superhero crossover, instead focusing on few more than the characters from the first film, some remarkably inventive action, and a story aimed, directly and satisfyingly, at resolving emotional baggage rather than driving forward the machinery of a cinematic universe.

As briefly mentioned in "Infinity War," Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) took a plea deal for his participation in the events of "Captain America: Civil War," and is serving out his sentence on house arrest in San Francisco. But a strange vision of Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) prompts him to contact Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), who coincidentally are working on a device to try and locate her in the Quantum Realm, where she got lost decades ago.

That said, a preponderance of exposition greets viewers at the beginning of the movie to make sure that you know exactly who Janet Van Dyne was, what happened to her, why and how Hank and Hope are trying to find her, and who plans to stop them from accomplishing that goal and for what reason. The result is a decidedly underwhelming first few scenes, but what quickly emerges is the delightful discovery that the movie doesn't need "more" happening for it to entertain audiences; with the stakes clearly defined and the characters established, we never have to worry about what it all means for the future of a larger film series, or really even just this franchise. Instead, we get to simply revel in watching them face an escalating series of obstacles in their path.

Some viewers may find themselves disappointed by the lack of showstopping moments that they haven't already seen in trailers and promotional materials, but in terms of sheer character-oriented action, the film delivers some of the best that the MCU has seen. Director Peyton Reed, granted seeming free reign after inheriting the first "Ant-Man," makes the most of his two heroes' superpowers with visuals that utilize their rapid shifts in size and play well into the franchise's self-aware sense of humor.

Ultimately, whether it means Lang's foray into his daughter's school for a family heirloom, the collapsing secrets of Hank Pym's portable lab, or just the comparable scale of this story to the rest told in the MCU, "Ant-Man and the Wasp" works best when it's at a little bit smaller than life size -- consistently buoyant and thrilling, but also surprisingly intimate, which makes it just as important as any of its predecessors.