The entry point to its sprawling narrative is Rene Gonzalez (Carlos <\/em>star Edgar Ram\u00edrez), a Cuban pilot. At the beginning of the film, Gonzalez steals a plane and defects to the United States, leaving behind his wife, Olga (Penelope Cruz) and their young daughter, who both believe he\u2019s a traitor to their country. The truth, however, is more complicated. Gonzalez has been recruited by spymaster Gerardo Hernandez (Gael Garcia Bernal) to infiltrate anti-Castro terrorist organizations trying to derail Cuba\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gonzalez is joined by fellow spy Juan Pablo Roque (Wagner Moura, Narcos\u2019<\/em> Pablo Escobar), who quickly becomes a figure of national interest both for the wild story of his \u201cdefection\u201d–he snorkeled his way to Guantanamo Bay \u2013 and his movie-star good looks. Roque quickly marries divorcee Ana Margarita (Ana De Armas) in a high-profile wedding, but his new bride has concerns about the secrets her husband keeps from her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wasp Network<\/em> is packed with characters and subplots, with action scenes interspersed throughout. It can be difficult to keep up with who Gonzalez and Roque are working for, as well as the details of the 90s Cuban exile culture they\u2019re part of. It doesn\u2019t help that Assayas withholds the entire context of the espionage plot until the film\u2019s second act, finally providing answers to the questions we\u2019ve been asking for the last 40 minutes. If you can make it that far, however, you\u2019ll be in all the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Assayas\u2019 main method of keeping viewers interested is to provide plenty of eye candy, and it works. The film is colorful and opulent, mostly thanks to Roque\u2019s expensive tastes. Assayas has also stacked his film with a cast of very attractive people, who are easy to enjoy watching be attractive together. This is a movie in which Bernal\u2019s natural handsomeness is toned down<\/em> so he won\u2019t take attention away from Cruz, Ram\u00edrez and Moura, whose high cheekbones and charming, knifelike smile make him resemble a Latin Ray Wise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That opulence contrasts harshly with the difficulty of everyday life in Cuba for Cruz\u2019s Olga. At one point, Assayas abruptly cuts from Roque and Ana Margarita\u2019s glamorous wedding reception to a giant barrel of sludge emptying at the Havana tannery where Olga works as she wraps up for the day and goes home to her child. The film never lets us forget that the female characters are forced to accept the consequences of their husbands\u2019 choices \u2013 choices they have little to no say in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wasp Network<\/em> requires more patience than many viewers may be willing to give, especially for a spy thriller. However, willing audiences will find a lot to enjoy, from its 90s setting to its deep dive on the Cuban exile community to its lineup of good-looking characters. It may suffer from poor organization, but even so, the mess remains satisfying. ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/wasp2-1024x576.jpg\")
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