To no surprise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next full length-feature buzzes into theaters with high hopes and instant comparisons to Star Wars, Star Trek, and — let me put this one out there — Mass Effect. That’s all good company, except Peyton Reed‘s latest Ant-Man film whistles through the quantum zone faster than Ezra Miller’s pending cancelation.
Quantumania feels more like a Flash film, with plenty of quips, dynamite team-ups, a would-be/should-be Endgame-level villain (that Professor Zoom/Reverse Flash here is Kang) and superheroes of yesteryear getting more shine than usual. And the other half of the flick sees it more The Wizard of Oz in Space with Broccoli heads and sort of a Glob Herman (see Grant Morrison’s New X-Men). Also see: Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) in the Jay Garrick role, while Janet van Dyne (the infinitely gorgeous AF Michelle Pfeiffer) co-steals the whole damn show, literally.
You see, the elder Wasp had been stuck in the alternate world for three decades, with science and a daughter to blame for allowing “He Who Remains in the Quantum Realm” just enough room to plan for existential domination. Lang (the ageless Paul Rudd) repeats this process just minutes later and we have ourselves a Marvel movie. Jonathan Majors (Creed III) is absolutely wonderful as this variant of Kang, and I’m still not sure by the end if this variant of Kang is the Kang or a post-credits scene goes all deus ex machina to allow Ant-Man to go toe-to-toe with someone far superior and still…win. Yup. If you thought Kate Bishop whoopin’ Kingpin’s ass was bad, just wait til you see Scott Lang take down “The Conqueror”. Sure, he got help and super help from a far superior Ant-Man mind and a slew of (mostly giant) mechanic four-legged insects–but… come on.
For a long minute now, Majors’ Kang has been build up to the be the next Thanos– the next big thing to sit front and center on the throne of MCU baddies for years to come. And he still is; we have Avengers: The Kang Dynasty hitting theaters in 2025, and, again, both post-credits scene save us from not caring. But before you witness a gazillion fun variants of Kang (and HWR) in full control of Loki and Mobius’ mind-sets, we witness this superpowered Kang dude go down much easier than imagined. It really looked like Lang was going to die, and that he, Hope and Cassie really didn’t have a chance but… I guess having a Multiverse, Quantum Zone, Quantum Realm — QUANTUMANIA, BROTHER! — allows the titular characters to win and still keeps Kang (the idea) strong in the loss. But not strong enough. Kang shouldn’t have taken the “L” in this one if he’s to develop further into the chosen one.
But let’s take a (quantum) break from all that. You’re here for the eye-candy, right! The CGI! The 8K cinematography and cool stuff flying on screen! Thankfully, that’s stuff is mostly all a BR tasty treat, especially in panoramic view. If you’ve ever read one of my ScreenX reviews before, then you may remember that my biggest gripe is that only selective scenes use the 3-screen format. Thankfully, Reed had a lot of say in the format while shooting Quantumania, so we get more than usual. Most of the scenes where we see two or more actors conversating in a cool place (i.e. the Quantum Realm) receive the ScreenX treatment. Although there were a few pivotal scenes that took place in “Quantumania” that only utilized the primary screen.
My take on ScreenX for Antman (and The Wasp) 3 is that this particular format won’t phase most people, and if you sit too close then it really won’t phase you. I noticed that I was (maybe) the only one who cared to see how the frame was shot on the left and right panels. Most moviegoers are so accustomed to looking straight that I don’t think they remembered to look for another actor’s reaction from panel C and how some of the cool objects on these quantum planets appeared in 270-degrees on panel B. My particular favorite moment that utilized ScreenX greatly is Kang and his rotating, laser-blue rings; a lot of the discovery on the Realm’s planetary atmosphere looks mega rad in ScreenX. Another issue I have with the format in general is the definition (or lack thereof) on the left and right screens. I wish there was a way to make these side panels emulate at least 80% of the primary screen’s picture quality.
I’d like to tell you that Kathryn Newton is Quantumania‘s break-out hero and star, but she was…OK. Since Hasbro’s Marvel Legends made Cassie Lang the “BAF” (Build-A-Figure), I figured she was gonna rock it. Sure, she saves her dad (after causing this whole thing in the first place) and saves a slew of other strange allies, but her facial expression hardly altered all film. She’s a solid actress, but Cassie didn’t get me anymore excited for Young Avengers — at least nowhere to the level Kate has on Disney+’s Hawkeye, or even Tommy and Billy from the streaming service’s Wandavision. Evangeline Lilly isn’t even featured in one of the film’s trailers, which should have told you/us something already, and she has one very cool, defining moment at the end. Yet, her and Daddy Hank don’t have much to do but save Scott and make tons of room for mommy.
Lest we not forget Bill Murray, who was super campy and awesome as Krylar (yeah, don’t ask) and.. there for no reason at all but to seemingly chop it up with Michelle; the same could be said for M.O.D.O.K., whose slain Yellowjacket body, got all the hokey/jokey attention while that “Thanos level villain” was conveniently whisked away by ants. I’m torn on the Mechanized Organism Designed Only For Killing thing since it was an absolute creative and hilarious way to get Corey Stoll back in the trilogy as a Stay-Puft Marshmallow Darren Cross. It works, but charm it up to yet another non-threatening MCU villain.
Jeff Loveness‘ screenplay is an ambitious one, as any screenplay about the Quantum Realm should be. It also definitely feels like it needs another 95 pages, as so much of this inaugural Fifth Phase feels like it was cut down to fit in some quippy characters that weren’t always quippy. The lack of Michael Pena delivering a number of those jokes stands out. But in all, the movie has just enough of those classic Marvel Comics quips, cool battle scenery and imagery, likeable yet hollow superheroes and just enough Kang (and more than enough if you stay for the final two credits — A MUST) to make Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania a “just enough” good Marvel movie. It’s far from my favorite and pales in comparison to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (and Thor: Love And Thunder, which I liked, but you didn’t so…), but it’s definitely another enjoyable time for MCU fans and families alike.
Thankfully for the future of the MCU, many of us just want more Kang.
Movie = 3.25/5
ScreenX = 3.75/5
Overall = 3.5/5 Baskin Robbins Love Potion #31
-Travis Moody
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters nationwide on Friday