Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer are a killer duo in 'The Wasp'

“The Wasp” had all the potential to be a buzzy psychological thriller.

Being labeled a psychological thriller leaves some big shoes to fill. After all, there’s a long list of iconic films under that label, including “Seven,” “Black Swan” and “Taxi Driver.”

Unfortunately, “The Wasp” falls a bit short, as its slow storytelling and predictable plot twists leave much to be desired.

The script was written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, who adapted it from her 2015 play.

The shining light in all of this is the duo of Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer, whose acting is great despite the mediocre plot. Harris is known for her roles in “Moonlight” and “Skyfall,” while Dormer has appeared in “The Tudors” and “Game of Thrones.”

What is ‘The Wasp’ about?

Heather Warren (Harris) is constantly stressed or on edge. Her husband Simon (Dominic Allburn) is still with her, but physically and mentally, he seems to be in another place.

He’s cheated on her, lied and emotionally and physically abused her.

Heather seems to have had enough and decides to reach out to an old-school friend for help.

Carla Jackson (Dormer) is working at a grocery store and barely making ends meet with four kids, another on the way and a husband with a gambling problem. She turns to prostitution to survive.

Heather and Carla reconnect, and Heather has a proposition: She will pay Carla to kill her husband.

As the story unfolds, you find out that these two have had a more strained friendship than it seems, and their deal can only have one winner.

Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer are a killer duo

From the opening scenes, where Heather repeatedly has to ask her husband to deal with the wasp problem in their home, you can tell she’s feeling a bit lost in her marriage. You also get an indication that she’s been trying for kids as an alert pops up on her phone about her ovulation cycle.

Harris shows you a lot in her unspoken actions as she rubs a worry stone between her fingers. This woman is not living a happy life; she’s alone and full of tension.

Carla is dealing with a different set of problems. She's in a completely different tax bracket and must take on unpleasant jobs to keep a roof over her family's head. She's the primary provider in her home while expecting another child.

She's tough as nails and will do whatever it takes, a resilience portrayed by Dormer.

As they enter a deal that's mutually beneficial to them, the viewers see that there can only be one person who ends up on top.

The two draw similarities between the tarantula hawk—or spider-eating wasp—and the tarantula itself. The relationship between the women is given more insight, as one is the prey and the other is the predator.

Harris's last line at the end, "Good girl," is chilling and skillfully delivered. Dormer also portrays Carla as someone who tends to act on her instincts well.

These two actresses are more than capable of intricate parts, but the script they were given was just a letdown.

Hopefully, we can see Harris and Dormer together again in different roles.

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'The Wasp' 3 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Director: Guillem Morales.

Cast: Naomie Harris, Natalie Dormer, Dominic Allburn.

Rating: R for language throughout, some violence and sexual assault.

How to watch: In theaters Friday, Aug. 30.

Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'The Wasp' review: It doesn't sting like it should