Film Review by RL. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

The question for this movie is whether Antman can retain the heart it has shown in the previous stand-alone installments (as well as his Avenger and Captain America appearances) while also successfully launching Phase 5 of the MCU and elevating Kang to an Avenger tier super-villain.
Never before has such responsibility been thrust upon a single character’s large, or small, shoulders despite their Thor-like physique. You’ll get that soon enough. So why the Paul Rudd-driven vehicle?
Perhaps because Antman cares about the little details and the little guy. Maybe because Antman can rise to the occasion and face giant, perilous obstacles with the ease of pressing a single button.

But was the film victorious? Let’s dive in.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Rating: 4.5
Director: Peyton Reed
Writers: Jeff Loveness, Jack Kirby
Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas

Without spoiling the current Antman film, what does this movie need to do in order to satisfy fans of the characters introduced previously?

It needs to be fun.
It needs to have heart.
It obviously needs humor.
It needs a story that is personal to the characters.
It needs an ending that pays off for the fans and characters.
It needs to have nice visuals.
It needs ants.

And for the greater MCU requirements?

It needs to introduce the fandom to the next Big Bad in the form of Kang.
It needs to be a bookend (book-beginning?) spectacle for the first entry of Phase 5 that should be watched on a big screen.

So tighten those suspenders, notch that belt, pull on those boots, and grab your cowboy hat. We’ve got a ride ahead of us.

The movie, which if you’ve seen a trailer it isn’t a surprise, primarily takes place in the Quantum zone. Oooohhh, that’s why it is called Quantumania … Moving on.

In the beginning, we get a glimpse of Scott Lang’s life post-Endgame but very quickly we get tossed into the deep end. The bonus for the viewers is we are introduced to the vastness of this existence right along with the characters who are clueless about the scope of this particular realm. There are aspects of this realm that are absolutely mind blowing. Worldbuilding, nay, galaxy building is immense and impressive. The scale of this alternate reality is so beautiful and colorful I felt as though I was watching some of the best parts of Star Wars, Star Trek, and a universe-spanning Avatar film set on more than a single planet.

Contrary to a few critic reviews I’ve read, I was immersed in this new and compelling landscape that was equal amounts of natural/unnatural formations and futuristic technological infrastructure.

The residents, whether they be many or few, are equally visually engaging.

Nice visuals: 🗸
Big screen spectacle: 🗸

Dropped into this weird and wacky wonderland the audience and characters are not immune to fun moments and humor-laced lines. The introduction of new characters that are unbelievable and, destined, to birth more than a single fan favorite are inclusive to the comedy that marks an Antman film. Oh, and there are a few scenes with ants that farm amusement. See what I did there? Farm? As in ant farm?

Fun: 🗸
Humor: 🗸
Ants: 🗸

Time for the Conquerer.

Kang, or an alternative version, was introduced in Loki Season One on Disney+. However, this is not the same Kang or the same individual. Though there are parallels betwixt the two. I guess that is to be expected. They share the same face after all.

In Antman 3 we are offered a softer side to Kang. Within this particular portrayal are whispers of why he became the Conqueror. A melody of bittersweet emotion plays within the portal of his eyes.

But this does not detract from the villain. Instead, it is a facet of the man behind the mask of antagonist that we have seen done well with Thanos, Loki, and Killmonger. Make no mistake, this IS Kang the Conqueror.
I do believe there are veiled truths behind Kang’s purpose similar to both the truths of Thanos and Killmonger. The path they choose is a righteous path but the end does not justify the means.

Big Bad Intro: 🗸

The story progressed reasonably steadily except for one particular moment that involved a flashback but was needed for character/story development. Like other movies, this film has a large cast of important characters. Yet unlike those that cannot offer decent time for them all and not enough of a personal payoff per character, this movie played similarly to Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Nearly every character received a poignant point in the film with a decent amount of development. But just like the Lizard missing out on the love in Spider-Man, there was one character in Antman that missed out. I’m not going to tell you. Watch it for yourself.
The ending was climactic with a few twists that were unexpected and mostly fun.

Heart: 🗸
Personal: 🗸
Ending: 🗸

Now for me, one of my favorite nuggets of fun is something that typically gets ignored in most scripted entertainment. Whatever destruction occurs is glossed over for the population. The best utilization of this in the MCU is in Captain America: Civil War. Baron Zemo’s origin as the villain, when explained, makes him tragically understandable. Born from the chaos, mayhem, and heartbreak created by the Avengers in the Age of Ultron.

Another example was the wide scale destruction on Earth during Man of Steel. In the opening of Batman vs. Superman we saw the effects on the population with the sequence involving Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne which was of the driving forces of the movie.

Antman 3 embraces the secondary characters in a way rarely seen. Instead of instantly blending into the background of the movie, many rise above momentary mediocrity to find a place in our hearts. Unless you have a hole. In your heart. That’s an inside joke.
In the end, this film raises imaginary stakes and makes us care about the unreal realm in a nearly unprecedented way.

Special shoutouts:

Paul Rudd continues to make us care about Scott Lang. The long-running funny man also brings the conflicted father role to a dramatic head with a range of believable emotions. Facial expressions and mannerisms also allow us to momentarily suspend the belief that he could defeat Kang the Conqueror at the pinnacle of the film. As Antman said in the trailer, “I don’t have to win. We just both have to lose.”
Michael Douglas finds another stride with his comedic timing and is just awesome.
Michelle Pfeiffer delves into her character's past with gravitas and still looks great. Recasting her as Catwoman in The Flash movie opposite Micheal Keaton would have been tremendous. Meow.
Jonathan Majors is a force with impressive acting chops and a physical presence that is imposing, threatening, and worthy of a Conquerer. I look forward to seeing more.

Newcomer Kathryn Newton lands with late teen gumption in the fervor of her early-age conviction. Toss in daddy issues and a fictional inherited comedic timing and she is a welcome inclusion into the Antman franchise.
William Jackson Harper plays off of Paul Rudd to humourous effect.
David Dastmalchian returns, but with a new character, an unholy being that fits nicely in the actor’s repertoire.
Katy O’Brian premieres a new addition that rounds out the additional cast with the strength of purpose.

In the end, this was a fun film with welcome additions that introduced the new Big Bad to the cinematic universe. This reviewer found it to be a lot of fun and a worthy addition, not only to the Antman franchise but, to the MCU as a whole.
Go watch it, for MODOK commands it!
Seriously, check it out.