Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Review – Kang’s Greatness Comes from Small Beginnings

The start of The Multiverse Saga is off to a rocky Phase 4. Although there have been several fantastic projects (Shang-Chi, No Way Home, WandaVision, and Loki), there have been several low points (Black Widow, What If..?, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier). Yet, with Phase 5 kicking off with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, things are starting to get crazy with the official introduction of The Multiverse Saga’s big bad: Kang the Conqueror. But how’s the film itself?

While Quantumania’s main story is interesting, it’s the holistic experience that the emphasis should be on. The film’s main plot is a basic A-to-B story: Scott Lang and the rest of the Ant-squad look to return to Earth after a device sucks them into the Quantum Realm. A simple storyline such as this is worthy of its short 2-hour runtime. However, in addition to the simple storyline, several subplots are crammed into the film. You have the father/daughter relationship between Scott and Cassie, Janet’s history with the Quantum Realm, Kang’s introduction, and the revolution against Kang’s empire. There are a lot of stories to tell in such a small timeframe. Unfortunately, some plotlines work out better than others.

On the other hand, this short 2-hour runtime means that no scenes drag the film down. There are plenty of expositional scenes that some audiences think drag the movie. Still, these expositional scenes are needed and interesting enough because of their importance to the future of the MCU.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a stylish film that comes dangerously close to drowning itself with numerous plotlines.

Regardless, the journey in the Quantum Realm is incredible to look at. Peyton Reed’s time in The Volume (the innovative set where they shoot all of the Star Wars shows) has paid dividends for the look and feel of the Quantum Realm. It’s sleek and stylish, goofy and weird, and the film’s lived-in environments and creatures feel similar to those in Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy. Not to mention, the high-action setpieces are exciting and some of the best for this franchise.

Paul Rudd and Kathryn Newton work well together, and their father/daughter relationship is believable. Newcome Newton also has the naivety and braveness to play Stinger. As you might expect, the biggest draw for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, the MCU’s next big baddie. Of course, if you’ve seen any of Majors’ work over the past couple of years, then you know what a chameleon of an actor he is. So, it’s no surprise that he knocks it out of the park with his version of Kang the Conqueror. He has the dignity and fierceness to play this dictator.

At the same time, Michelle Pfeiffer steps into a more significant role this time around and kills it, as usual. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly are relegated to the back. They have things to do, but their impact on the film is less significant than in the previous two.

Overall, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a sleek and stylish set-up film that comes dangerously close to drowning itself with numerous plotlines and narratives. Nevertheless, the introduction of Kang the Conqueror comes with a bang. It is a welcome addition to the big and crazy things Marvel Studios has in store for the future.

Rating: 3.5/5 atoms

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17th.