The Wasp is a crime thriller that had me thinking one of these ladies should have opted to find a stranger on a train instead of an old friend. But that was before we learn a lot more about the devious plans and see where the story ultimately goes. I didn’t see it coming but I was wickedly pleased when it went down.

The film stars Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer as old high school friends who get in touch again later in life. Harris has a murderous proposition for Dormer and these two ladies have to work out how to get it done.

I was all on-board with 95% of the film. It’s crackling with energy, full of devious acting, twists, turns, and reveals. There’s even a series of flashbacks to high school that appealed to my love of a good bully/victim storyline.

I wasn’t super happy with the final act though… it works plot-wise and thematically and I can look back and see how all the puzzle pieces connect, but it was a little unsatisfying on a karmic and melodrama level. It’s still got some juicy and satisfying sweet revenge but the other side of the card left me cold.

There’s also a creepy and kind of outlandish bullying scene that some will find too disturbing. I was a little leery about it too but it does inform the rest of the film so it worked on a screenwriting level.

But otherwise it’s a very watchable, devious little thriller with great work from the leading ladies. I was pleased with its twists ‘n turns and revelations and random asides (Chekov’s Tarantula Wasp for the screenwriting win).

Score: 83