Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Ant-Man and the Wasp find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that pushes them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.
Paul Rudd, Jonathan Majors, Kathryn Newton, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, Bill Murray
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ is a great kickoff to Phase 5, introducing the MCU’s biggest threat yet. While the films lackluster directing will be a clear standout, its lead performances and fun script make up for it tenfold.
The majority of this film takes place in the CG-ridden Quantum Realm, a subatomic universe beneath our own that our heroes find themselves in after their new invention goes awry. Potentially one of the biggest flaws of the film and the MCU in its current state is that these films and series are spending nowhere near the amount of time in post production that they should be. While this doesn’t go for the entirety of the film, a lot of the CGI looks half baked, and can really pull the viewer out. For a film that’s so heavily reliant on its visual effects the team should’ve been allowed the proper time to finish.
Jeff Loveness wrote a great script for this. Not only does he give Kang some iconic lines sure to be quoted in the very near future, but he sets up a great emotional arc between Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang, and Kathryn Newton’s Cassie Lang that would’ve hit close to home given the lost time that the two have had taken away from them. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of untapped potential in that dynamic since there’s a huge lack of chemistry between Paul Rudd and Kathryn Newton. It was very difficult for me to buy into that father-daughter relationship, and I just never felt invested. I don’t think the recast for Cassie Lang was a good decision. The scene in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ where Scott reunites with Cassie, played by Emma Fuhrmann felt much more emotional than anything going on in this film. It’s unfortunate that Fuhrmann was robbed of the opportunity of a lifetime.
Despite the film lacking in emotional value for most of its runtime, there’s a fantastic scene involving several clones of Scott Lang that culminate in this fantastic reflection of a fathers love for his daughter. It’s something you got to see to feel, but it’s definitely one of the best parts of the film.
While there will be a lot of talk on social media about M.O.D.O.K., I’ll put in my two cents right now and say I loved him in this film. He’s relentlessly goofy and there’s never a dull moment with him onscreen. Such a hilarious character, and if you have half a soul you’ll probably love him too.
The best part of this film is Jonathan Majors. I solemnly believe he’s the best actor to be in the MCU right now. There’s never a moment where I feel like he’s phoning it in. He’s giving his all to this performance, and he’s crafted such a compelling and phenomenal villain that’s is going to thrill fans in the years to come. He is so damn good in this film, and I really can’t wait to see where this character goes next. I can’t picture anyone else as Kang.
Peyton Reed sadly failed to direct this film in any way that would grip the audience. While there are some scenes where his abilities shine, for the most part it seems like Reed just doesn’t know what he’s doing. While he’s directed the last two installments of this franchise, he should’ve hung up the hat after ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ and let someone much more capable direct this massive film. Should there be a fourth film, for him to come back I imagine it would have to be on the same scale as the first film, or otherwise its time for someone else to take on the job.
This is surely new ground for Ant-Man, and it’ll likely be extremely divisive among fans, but I left the theater excited about the future of the MCU, and giddy about the absolute blast of a movie I just witnessed. Kang is coming, and it’s going to take a lot more than a few insect themed heroes to stop him.