The Phase IV saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (aka the
MCU) has been an interesting road of experimentations of introductions and
rebranding within this large, shared superhero universe. With the events of
Avengers: Endgame definitely closing out the collectively sum of the “Infinity
Saga” (from 2008's Iron Man to 2019's Spider-Man: Far from Home), this new
Phase saga has placed a curious spot on its main leads, with some being
elevated to getting his or her own standalone project as seeing in the first of
the Phase IV saga in 2021's Black Widow. New heroes (young and experienced to
old and worldly) came into light in 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten
Rings and Eternals respectfully. This was then follow-up by multiverse shake-up
in the Spider-Man crossover event Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021, which was
then followed by descent into madness of crossing into realities with Doctor
Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. After that, Thor returned to the big
screen, which showcased a very much different side (and tone) for the mighty
Norse God in the superhero / romantic comedy angle in Thor : Love and Thunder, while an emotional
farewell to Boseman's T'Challa and the picking up of the Black Panther mantle
was found in Black Panther : Wakanda Forever, which effectively closed out this
fourth saga in the MCU. Now, Marvel Studios and director Peyton Reed are
preparing to kick off the fifth saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the
third Ant-Man movie titled Ant-Man and the Wasp quantum mania. Will this movie
kick off the MCU's latest saga with a bang? Or is it Marvel's standard
"same old" superhero rampage, lacking in substance and style?
THE STORY
After helping to neutralize Thanos' snap and assisting in
the battle to rid the universe of the Mad Titan himself, life for Scott Lang
(Paul Rudd) is going pretty well, who has always received praise and praise.
Ant-Man's fame and success as a Member of Vengeance. Trouble strikes his
daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton), who has been experimenting with Pym
Particles, working on the Quantum Realm Connection Beacon with the help of Hank
Pym (Michael Douglas). Unfortunately, the device's mechanics malfunction and
suck the group, including Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her daughter,
Hope (Evangeline Lilly) into the Quantum Realm, which is full of quirks.
bizarre and a strange society of alien beings. However, for Janet, returning to
this "other world" is not welcome, she will soon be reunited with
Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), a ruthless oppressor in the Quantum Realm
with whom she was once associated and is currently on a mission to erase the
timelines. with a mystical orb of multiverse power. Faced with an unimaginable
threat, Scott and his family work together to reverse Kang's plot to destroy
all worlds and find a way out of the Quantum Realm.
THE PRO'S AND THE CON'S
As many of you know (I've said this many times before), I'm
a fan of the MCU. Not only movies, but I like Marvel Comics more than DC
Comics. Not quite as ardent comic book fans as some are (and there's nothing
wrong with that if you are), but I do like some of the main storylines of the
comics as well as some of the characters. found it in . So translating such an
aspect of its comic book source material to the big screen is always a pleasure
to watch, even if the movies go astray and/or change some aspect of the source
material. comic. Like what I mentioned in my prologue, the MCU's Phase IV saga
is really a fun experience, especially since the massive superhero cinematic
universe already has a movie in place. In Avengers: The end of the year 2019;
leaves a tough legacy with a new story to tell and more heroes (and villains)
to discover. As noted, this new phase has its ups and downs. Personally I'm not
very interested in Black Widow (I only watched it once or twice), I love
Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, I think Eternals is a very ambitious
project to tell, I'm very much enjoy watching Spider-Man: No Way Home, feeling
a bit conflicted about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is a bit
confused about Thor's Love and Thunder’s strangely overwhelming nature, and
found a memorable (and touching) version of Black Panther: Wakanda forever. I
haven't even mentioned the TV series the MCU has produced for the Disney+
streaming service platform, including WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter
Soldier, Loki, What if….?, Hawkeye, Moon Knight , Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk:lawyer.
I haven't had a chance to see all of those shows (I still want to see Hawkeye
and Moon Knight), but I do love the inclusion and expansion that Marvel is
doing with their cinematic universe, beyond the movies. story. Ultimately,
regardless of what you and I personally think about this particular Phase Saga,
the MCU's Phase IV Saga should be a piece that showcases another side of the
Marvel Super Heroes, including new characters and upgrades. some characters are
less important. position and emphasize new beginnings.
Which brings me to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the
31st film in the MCU and the third Ant-Man film set in this superhero cinematic
universe. Like many people, I've known for a while that a third Ant-Man is in
the works, especially since Kevin Feige (MCU's supervisor) announced the next
feature film a few years ago, along with some next plan. as well as some new
ones. Of course, when I watched the next Ant-Man movie on this list, I was a
little skeptical. Naturally, the Ant-Man movies are (generally) considered the
most "lighthearted" entries in the MCU by presenting a more "street-level"
story of the large-scale world of heroes. , gods and monsters. I liked the
first Ant-Man because it was fun and introduced a new character on the
superhero roster. It's not great, but still good. Ant-Man and the Wasp, the
sequel, is a bit less stellar and feels more trivial to the grand scheme of the
MCU plot and just feels a little underwhelming. So one can imagine I'm not too
excited when the third Ant-Man gets the green light. However, I liked how most
of the returning players (Rudd, Lilly, Douglas, and Pfeiffer) returned and how
the movie was a bit different from the previous two. After that, I didn't hear
much about the project until the first trailer for the film came out, which
contained the concept of an Ant-Man movie that was different from the previous
two, especially with the appearance of the character. Kang the Conqueror. , who
will be played by new MCU actor Jonathan Majors. Additionally,
"rumors" about this movie abound on the internet, with Kevin Feige
and his team stating that Quantumania is a central part of the MCU and has been
compared (in terms of its importance) to Captain America: Civil war. So I'm
definitely curious to see if this movie lives up to the hype. I watched the
movie on its opening weekend, but had to wait a few days later to write a
review of the movie due to my busy work schedule. Now I'm finally ready to
share my thoughts on this latest attempt at a superhero blockbuster. And what
did I think about it? Well, that's okay. While taking a different approach to
Marvel's "smallest" hero with a more mature "fish out of the
water" story with characters as well as a super villain in Majors' Kang,
Ant- Man and the Wasp: Quantumania feels a bit immature and underwhelming
throughout its release rather quickly. It's a fun and useful part, and brings
some improvements to Ant-Man and the Wasp, but lacks the sharpness and focus of
the first game.
Ant-Man and Wasp: Quantumania is directed by Peyton Reed,
whose previous directing work includes the previous two Ant-Man films as well
as The Break-Up and Yes Man. Given his background and general familiarity with
the characters and operations of an MCU project, Reed seemed like the most
suitable choice to direct Ant-Man's third feature, which proved quite effective
in doing so. Drawing from some of the criticisms of Ant-Man and the Wasp, Reed
takes a slightly different approach to Quantumania's presentation, style, and
storytelling. While previous installments are (like I said) more grounded than
other MCU projects and sometimes have lower odds in comparison, Reed tackles
Quantumania bringing its established characters to life. into a very strange
and fantastical world and take those proportions to the next level. As such,
the trip to the Quantum Realm is the feature's main "main dish", with
Reed taking on most of the feature implementation set in the otherworldly of
quirks and surroundings. this strange. So Reed makes this movie feel like
sci-fi, with a visual world full of creatures so strange and unnatural that
you'd think Ant-Man (and his team) had flew into space and may have met other
sci-fi characters. Elements of Guardians of the Galaxy and even Star Wars make
their way into Quantumania's story, especially with Kang, an almighty being
with an iron fist over everything, and a group of rookies. raggedy is trying to
get through it, is well met and offers a familiar premise that works and fits
perfectly like being at home in an Ant-Man movie, without ever feeling jarring
or out of place. .
That said, it doesn't mean that Quantumania is completely
"off-sector" compared to the previous Ant-Man film project. keep the
style and taste of the previous movies. There are some nuances left in the
story pacing and supporting characters that have appeared in previous episodes,
but, especially since this is part of the "street level" aspect, and
most of the features are takes place in the Quantum Realm. , it is quite
understandable that they were removed because of this movie. Additionally, Reed
has a new opportunity to introduce a new arena in the MCU, with the Quantum
Realm, which has been introduced a few times before this movie, but has never
been fully explored. In Quantumania, Reed introduces more of this strange
subatomic world and shows his business potential. It's not perfect as I'll go
into more of it below, but it's great to see such a vivid (and colorful) world
for the main characters to explore, which is filled with dangers and dangers.
Danger is taking place on the way and encounter some unique creatures and
beings. In the end, the length of the movie is kept at (sort of) very balanced,
with the movie running at around 124 minutes (two hours and four minutes) and
never feeling bloated with unnecessary details or side story. Could the movie
be longer in some ways? I agree for many reasons, especially to expand some
aspects (more on that below), but Reed keeps the feature fast-paced, making the
movie never dull or boring. . Ultimately, while not exactly the absolute best
episode of the MCU, Reed's Quantumania still finds interesting and entertaining
value throughout Scott's latest adventure through the Quantum Realm and there,
meeting a formidable enemy.
For its presentation, Quantumania fits the current standards
of a blockbuster production company as well as your typical MCU production
process, which is both good and bad…. depending on how you look at it. For the
most part (in my opinion), the movie is good enough to help bolster the image
with vivid images of what the Quantum Realm looks like and the people who
inhabit it. Once again, this is where the nuances of the sci-fi perspective
come into play, with Reed and his art direction team able to go crazy and crazy
with such depictions. The strange, the strange, and the rather strange are
presented in this film with an otherworldly feel, enveloped in a colorful field
that appears in almost every scene. So the "behind the scenes" team
of the film, including Will Htay (production designer), Richard Roberts (set
decorator), Sammy Sheldon (costume designer) and the entire art direction team,
should commended for their work in this particular MCU. project, is certainly
colorful and has its own swagger throughout. In addition, Bill Pope's
cinematography supports its cinematography, with clever camera movements and
impressive flair to help deliver powerful shots and deliver unique moments.
through the use of shadows/lightning bolts and other cinematic spells. Finally,
the film's music is composed by Christophe Beck, providing good and supportive
melodies and music throughout the film. No soundtrack is exactly the most
memorable, but sometimes that's not a bad thing, with Beck's involvement in
Quantumania always helping to shape and build some of the cinematic qualities
of feature films 'in a way' enhance certain and important scenes.
Unfortunately, Quantumania has had many issues throughout
its cinematic run, with some notable critics holding back on the feature. How?
Well, perhaps the most common thing that comes to mind is the fact that the
movie moves on to the story it wants to tell and how it loses focus on what it
wants from its roster of heroes and villains. . As said before, Quantumania is
a pretty ambitious project to tackle as it not only has to expand on the story
of Ant-Man but also perform a "dual duty" in trying to establish the
"big bad guy". next in the MCU. That's the kind of work in the movie,
but with complexity, with Reed struggling to find a good balance between the
characters and the narrative rhythms in the feature. Events and incidents
happen, but it's all covered up pretty quickly. That's probably the biggest
complaint I have with the movie itself because everything moves pretty quickly.
Yes, although I did praise the film above as a fairly "open" movie by
reducing its running time a bit, this comes at the expense of exploring/considering
many of the side aspects that Quantumania has. given in its plot. So stuff
about the Quantum Realm, the people living there, the general domination of the
Kang empire, Janet's past relationships while stuck there along with a few
other details have been lost. silence quite quickly to get a simpler
presentation. So, Reed wanted Quantumania to be like a big story with a new
location/set, but the amount of content the movie brought was dwindling and it
felt empty. It also makes some of the main characters stand out and stand out
more than others, but I'll talk about that in more detail below. Ultimately,
there's the potential to build a massive world in a place that's only been
touched upon in this cinematic universe, but Reed doesn't allow the film (or
script) to examine those details/contents across the board. throughout…. and
it's disappointing.
The scripting/formatting itself is the cause of this,
written by Jeff Loveness. As mentioned, Loveness has a lot of work to do in the
film, not only for the main Quantumania storyline, but also to introduce Kang's
upcoming "Avenger" threat. As noted, Loveness got the best score for
the part about Kang, but failed in its attempt to create a compelling story in
the film, especially since so much of it was superficial. The events of the
film are pretty much simplified and don't really carry much weight (as seen in
the arrival of Lord Krylar as well as several other new characters), this is
mainly due to the nature of the series. The film is focused on other
directions. . This makes the script of the film quite simple and sometimes
almost sketchy. Also, the dialogue itself can sometimes be a bit confusing.
That being said, the usual dialogue in Ant-Man movies is sometimes not the most
polished (my personal opinion), so that's not a dealbreaker for me, but it can
be noticeable in some key points. Perhaps with a better screenwriter's
direction, Quantumania could be a much cleaner episode, especially as the
series itself tries to do something different from previous installments.
Another point of criticism I have for the film is the visual
effects used in the film and the feel of it being a bit cheesy/low quality in
some areas. The Marvel Project has been criticized recently for some
disappointing effects shots in their production, with the visual effects
illustrator describing the "unrealistic" expectations Marvel has for
the future. them for their efforts in their movies. Quantumania falls into this
category, with the quality of the effects footage sometimes looking a bit outdated
and not matching the hefty price tag the feature has on its production value,
pegged at around $200 million. . Not all of the shots are bad, as the film
offers some cool and sleek visuals that look pretty good, but those moments are
marred by blinding sequences of visual effects. This also affects the movie's
action scenes a bit, which is nice and fun to watch, but lacks the precision
and sense of tension I've come to expect from a presentation like this. This
includes the film's climactic third act fight scene that feels overwhelming
right from the start.
Because of all of this, it also makes Quantumania feel like
its talk of being one big game, but never really becoming the next "big
thing" in the MCU. Sure, the movie's introduction to Kang, who has to be
the next biggest threat in "Multiverse Saga's" biggest story, was
well received and a solid introduction, but beyond that. ... the movie feels
more or less like, a standard MCU entry...something along the lines of Thor:Love
and Thunder. I know, I know... every part of the MCU doesn't have to be Captain
America: Civil War or Avengers: End of effort, but, with a lot of hype and
anticipation the studio has put into this particular image, especially the
marketing campaign, and there isn't much to be gained from it… and it's true.
disappointed. So Quantumania ends up being an average superhero movie (pretty
good, but nothing great).
Quantumania's cast stacks up to be a good element of the
movie and, like other parts of the MCU, allows a recognizable talented cast to
gather to have fun and play their respective roles. their. Unfortunately, this
comes at the expense of character development in some of them, with some
relying on the presence of talent on screen rather than relying too much on
maturity or progression. transformation of their said characters. Actor Paul
Rudd, who returns as Scott Lang, takes on the lead role in the film. Rudd, who
is known for his roles in I Love You, Man, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The
40-Year Old Virgin, continues to ensure that his character Scott Lang is both
likable and engaging. Perhaps the biggest change to his character is that Scott
is a bit more of a grown-up superhero than what was previously shown in his
previous Ant-Man features. Yes, he's still a bit clumsy and has deadly comedy
anxieties, with Rudd showing that strength to match, but the character has a
seasoned superhero feel and that shows clearly. throughout Rudd's performance.
There is a larger family feel to her personality and great emphasis is placed
on her being involved in her daughter's life. Rudd still holds the role and
remains a fairly influential character throughout the entire Ant-Man saga,
which makes this more "mature" iteration of Scott Lang the most
compelling character role yet. since he first appeared.
The next main character to appear in Quantumania is Cassie
Lang, the daughter of Scott Lang, played by actress Kathryn Newton. When
actress Emma Fuhrmann played her in Avengers: End game, Newton, who is known
for his roles in Blockers, Ben is Back and Big Little Lies, gave a pretty good
portrayal of Cassie Lang, a character now a bar. young and somewhat erratic in
life. His life. Sure, the film's script mirrors Cassie's plot a bit more than
Scott's in the first Ant-Man movie, but it certainly fits in with a new
perspective on her character, especially when she plays a more prominent role
in the main plot. of function. So there's more to it with the fact that Cassie
in Quantumania doesn't really feel drawn to the main story, with Newton doing a
pretty good job of the role and sharing good chemistry with her co-stars. ,
with particular care towards paul Rudd. Scott lang.
Behind her, actress Michelle Pfeiffer makes a strong
comeback in the film, taking on the role of Janet Van Dyne, the wife of
Hank/Hope's mother, who has just returned from the Quantum Realm from the
previous film. While she made her MCU debut with Ant and the Wasp as well as
making brief appearances in the Avengers: Endgame, Pfeiffer, known for her
roles in Scarface, Batman Returns and Stardust, didn't really do much in the
shared Marvel Cinematic Universe in her portrayal of Janet Van Dyne. So his
involvement in Quantumania is actually a good thing since his character is
enhanced (than some of his other co-stars) and allowed to do more in the film's
story. So Pfeiffer has more screen time than last time and she's up to the task
and doing well throughout the movie.
Perhaps the disappointing return player characters will find
their way to Dr. Hank Pym and Hope Van Dyne, who are once again reverently played
by Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly. Of course, both Douglas, known for his
roles in Wall Street, Fatal Attraction and Behind the Candelabra, and Lilly,
known for his roles in Lost, Real Steel, and The Hobbit: Battle of the Five
Armies, are very capable acting talents and fit the MCU story well in their
roles of Hank and Hope. However, despite their prominence in the last two
Ant-Man projects, Quantumania's plot doesn't have much to do with the movie.
Sure, they're present in the feature from start to finish, but the importance
and impact of the story being told is cast aside significantly; find their
characters have little or no development and that's pretty disappointing. For
Douglas, who has always viewed the film as a "seasoned" veteran actor
(something Marvel often does with feature films), felt rejected and had little
relevance to the film. He's still present and still a good Dr. Hank Pym
character, but Quantumania is his weakest point. The same goes for Lilly's
Hope. Heck, the movie is called Ant and the Wasp: Quantumania….and she becomes
more of a supporting character. It's a pity that the screen time of these two
is reduced.
Among the new characters in the film, Quantumania makes a
great introduction to Kang the Conqueror, a person (like Janet) who
accidentally fell into the Quantum Realm, but managed to rule everything and
find a way out of home. his dimensional prison .with ruthless ambitions. to
conquer them all. Well… it would be nice to choose such a character, who (as
one could easily assume), should be considered the main antagonist of the
character and played by actor Jonathan Majors. Known for his roles in Lovecraft
Country, Devotion, and The Harder They Fall, Majors has recently become a
recognizable actor, especially with this particular film as well as his
performance in the series. Creed III. So with the recent boom in Hollywood,
Majors makes his superhero theatrical run with Quantumania and makes for a
great villain. While he played the character previously in the MCU TV series Loki
as a variant of Kang (i.e. The One who stays), Majors makes his big screen
debut as the main antagonist in Ant-Man. This latest and a more fitting
iteration of how this character is set to be. To his credit, Majors showed
solidly throughout his performance displaying the subtle fortitude and stern
demeanor that characterizes Kang and that's quite brilliant. He never goes
overboard or becomes an overly "generous" villain and he's absolutely
terrifying, especially through his nuances and the way he says his every
word/dialogue. It's a testament to the specialized play that makes the
character quite memorable. The way Kang is written in the Quantumania story is
pretty good, and the script does the right thing by establishing the Conqueror
as a significant threat not only to the film itself, but also establishing him
as a high-level threat. the next "Thanos" level for MCUs. In that
regard, I think the script does it just fine. There may have been more
development on his plot elements, but I'm sure that will be explained/examined
more closely in the MCU sequels (just like Thanos). In the end, Majors' Kang is
a strong villain in the movie and makes for a great villain not only for this
particular feature but also for the sequels in this cinematic universe.
Next up, the new mediator in the film will be Lord Krylar,
the appointed governor of the lavish Axia community in the Quantum Realm and
who has a past with Janet Van Dyne during her time in the Quantum Realm. Played
by actor Bill Murray (Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day), the character looks
pretty interesting, but ends up being a “one-off” character… almost like a
glorified cameo some. Don't get me wrong, Murray got the job done and made the
scene interesting, but still sounded hollow and didn't show much, which is
pretty disappointing. Unfortunately, the weakest new character has to be the
arrival of M.O.D.O.K (Mechanized Creatures Designed to Kill), a popular MCU
comic book character and hunter/power working under Kang's rights. Why is he
the weakest? Well, for the lack of a better term, the character M.O.D.O.K (at
least his interpretation in Quantumania) seems awkward. He's not really a
significant threat and acts more like a "punching bag" for the
movie's heroes and villains to talk to. Also, while the idea of an oversized
protagonist isn't really that bad, the visual effects for such an individual
are horribly shoddy and shoddy, making it almost laughable in a movie. famous
company. Basically, M.O.D.O.K. (in the movie) reminds me of Mr. Electric in The
Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl…..and that's not a good thing.
The rest of the cast, which includes actress Katy O'Brian (Z
Nation and Black Lightning) as a rebel fighter for freedom in the Quantum Realm
named Jentorra, actor William Jackson Harper (The Good Place and Midsommar) as
the quantum telepathic reader/freedom warrior Quaz, and actor David
Dastmalchian (Dune and the Suicide Squad), who plays Kurt in two In the
previous Ant-Man films, a mud-like creature living in the quantum realm named
Veb, was tasked with a small support for the film's actors. While the acting of
these individuals in particular is perfectly fine (no one has given bad acting
or anything like that), I do feel that the characters in these Quantumania are
a bit immature. They are quite entertaining (to an extent) and add a bit of
humor to their scenes, but the script doesn't allow them to have a big impact
on the movie, which makes them rather out of place and poor. more memorable
than intended.
Finally, as is customary for parts of the MCU, Quantumania
features two Easter egg scenes at the end of the film, with one between the
credits and the other appearing at the end of the film. While I won't reveal
what's shown in these two specific scenes, I can confirm that these secret
ending scenes are well-founded and provide an interesting theme for what to
expect. out in the future of the MCU.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Trapped in the Quantum Realm due to an unexpected accident,
Scott Lang and his family navigate the eerie and bizarre landscape that unfolds
before them as they find their way home and thwart their master plan. Kang in
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The
latest film from director Peyton Reed continues the saga of Scott Lang and his
clan and takes new adventures into new territory, delivering something new and
setting the stage for a larger plot. to kick off the Phase V story of the MCU
superhero timeline. Although the film grudgingly tries to raise the stakes,
making some moments a bit "superficial" as it winds through some
aspects quickly (and in others), the film still very interesting. Taking part
in many mainstream blockbusters brings a fresh perspective to the story of
Ant-Man, interesting plot premise, visual direction, and excellent character
performances, with a particular focus on Rudd, Newton, Pfeiffer and Majors.
Personally, I think this movie is okay. I was a bit disappointed with it,
mainly due to the over-hyped marketing campaign for this feature and the
emphasis on its importance. For them, it's an important part of the current MCU
storyline and perhaps the most ambitious Ant-Man movie of the three. Plus, the
movie remains fun throughout and Major Kang is incredibly solid (can't wait to
see what he does with the character in the future). Despite this, however, I
felt the film was too rushed and only covered the surface of many of its
world-building elements. Yes, the movie is quite ambitious with the higher
stakes, but I think I still prefer the first Ant-Man, the movie with a better
focus/character development throughout. So my recommendation for this movie
will still be "Recommended" because I'm sure that Marvel fans (and
superhero genre) will still love this movie, despite its flaws. its unwarranted
omission. I just think you might have to lower your expectations a bit to fully
enjoy the movie. As mentioned, the film's epilogue sets the stage for a larger
setting in the MCU's grand scheme, so I'm sure this won't be the last time we
see Scott, Cassie, Hank, Janet, Hope or even Kang. Finally, Ant-Man and the
Wasp: Quantumania is a flawed superhero movie that's a bit too frugal, but
still manages to get it right and provides insight into the danger of a larger
threat to come in the shared cinematic universe of superheroes. these heroes,
gods and monsters.
3.7 Out of 5 (Recommended)
Released On: February 17th, 2023
Reviewed On: February 23rd, 2023
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is 124 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for violence / action, and language
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kindel edition: https://amzn.to/3Gqddxb
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