Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Spoiler-free Review

Possibilities are endless, and all it takes is a split-second choice. The choice to try something new at a restaurant instead of the usual. The choice to stay home and rest instead of going to that company outing. The choice to stand up for what you believe in even if it may have negative consequences. Choice is important, and there are those who try to take that choice from others. It's a hero's job to protect that sanctity. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) explores this idea as it gives us a glimpse into the MCU's phase 5, and to the "big bad" of the Multiverse Saga. Peyton Reed returns to direct the third in the Ant-Man franchise, but the story written by Jeff Loveness makes it difficult to feel like this is an Ant-Man film. Quantumania serves a greater purpose in the MCU, and I would venture to say this is more of an introduction to Jonathan Major's Kang the Conqueror than anything else. 

Vision postulated in Captain America: Civil War (2016) that the increasing danger of enhanced individuals is a direct correlation of Tony Stark's announcement that he is Iron Man in Iron Man (2008). Quantumania feels like another one of those films that reminds us just how convoluted the MCU has gotten since 2008. We went from fighting human terrorists, to fighting figures who transcend time and space. I can't help but notice how over-the-top Marvel stories are getting, and what used to be based in understandable science is now much more fantastical. Theories are reality in the MCU, but it is done in a way that feels...convenient. Loveness also writes the upcoming Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, slated for 2025, and it is apparent this film is a precursor to that. This is not to say the story is bad, it just seems to have a clear objective, and it gets straight to the point from the beginning of the film. The action starts early, and most of the film is set in the quantum realm. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the pacing suffers because of it. Things happen quickly, and is somewhat plotty. The universe they are sucked into feels distinctly different from the way the quantum realm has been presented to us before. It is dismissed with a passing comment, and again it feels convenient. While this may not matter to most viewers, to me it just screams a lack of ingenuity that I personally need to see in these now formulaic stories. The details matter; that's what phase 1 and 2 did well. 

Jeez... I have talked about a number of other Marvel projects in this review already, but honestly it is because Quantumania is one of those MCU films that serves as a connecting film. Rather than something that can be enjoyed as a standalone such as the first two Ant-Man films, if you do not see this movie you're missing a larger part of the MCU in the same way you would have if you missed Civil War or any Avengers movie. Overall, Quantumania was still entertaining, and laugh out loud funny at times, but it was a divergence from the typical, silliness we see with Ant-Man. I attribute this to Kang. 

Kang is scary. He is Thanos on steroids; a person who truly believes everything is a means to an end. He sees all, so he sees how insignificant we are: expendable. He shows no remorse, and he is calculated. This is a major change for Ant-Man, as he is usually able to have a kind of banter and general unseriousness when handling his villains, but here it is much more raw. Some scenes are hard to watch, and I appreciate that contrast. Major's performance as Kang gives us a truly horrifying character, and to call him a villain feels unjust. He can make anyone unsettled with just a glance, and that is exactly what we need to consider Kang just as bad, if not worse than Thanos. If Thanos is inevitable, then Kang just is. I am excited to see where that goes. 

The rest of the cast includes the return of Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, Evangeline Lilly as Hope Pym van Dyne, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne. We also get Kathryn Newton as an older Cassie Lang, and I really enjoyed her in this role. This is a continuation of the building of the young avengers in the MCU from phase 3, and hers might be the most natural progression as she is the biological daughter of Scott Lang, and has grown up knowing her father as a hero. I'm excited to see how she grows as an actor, and how she grows in this role. 

I find it hard to comment on the soundtrack for this film. Christophe Beck did what he needed to, but the soundtrack did not stick out in any particular way. I would say the same goes for the CGI quality. Because most of the film is set in the quantum realm, there was a lot of animation work to be done. Most of it was done well, but I would not say it was exceptional or lacking either. I think the MCU could have more to gain from practical effects use, or a combination of the two as they used to do. This would make the worlds feel more real again.

I do have something to say about the quantum-realm design though, which is that is feels very Star Wars/Dune. I thought this was odd, and took me out of the film a bit. I know Lucasfilm and Marvel are both owned by Disney now, but come on; we can be a bit more creative than this. Instead of feeling like we were in the quantum realm, it felt like we were in space and I think it was a missed opportunity for more of that ingenuity I was looking for. Go campy, go sterile, go maximalist. Again, the details matter. 

Quantumania does what it needs to as a larger part of the Multiverse Saga, but I can't help but want more from it. More creativity, more characterization, more more more. Maybe the Marvel fatigue is getting to me, but we as viewers need something innovative to keep us engaged if Marvel continues to insist on pumping out movies and shows this quickly. Just as Scott Lang says, make mistakes. Take risks, and take your time. We have seen it pay off before. 

Make sure you have seen before:

Ant-Man (2015)

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Loki (2021)