ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA should be light and breezy entertainment for Marvel fans!
Even by Marvel standards, the ANT-MAN series is pretty light and airy. Probably even more so than other titles in the MCU. That trend continues with the third chapter in the series, the aptly titled, ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA, a movie I actually enjoyed more than I thought I would, particularly after bearing witness to a handful of scathing reviews. And in fact, to my surprise, while hardly a masterpiece, I actually found this movie to be breezier and more entertaining than THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER and DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS even if it does suffer from similar issues.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA wastes no time throwing viewers into the action as Scott (Paul Rudd), Hope (Evangeline Lilly), Hank (Michael Douglas), Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer), and Scott’s daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton) inadvertently find themselves sucked into the vibrant and colorful universe that is the quantum realm within the first 10 minutes of this often chaotic movie. While in Quantumania, our heroes come face to face with an odd assortment of strange creatures, otherworldy characters, a scene-stealing MODOK (no spoilers here), and primary antagonist, Kang (Jonathan Majors) who, as fate would have it, has crossed paths with Janet before.
As directed by a returning Peyton Reed (whose credits also include DOWN WITH LOVE and THE BREAK-UP), ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA rests somewhere in between the zany sci-fi antics of Marvel’s own GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and Lucasfilm’s visually sumptuous but ultimately disappointing STAR WARS prequels. Ant-Man’s latest adventure also has a tone akin to infectiously lovable 80s sci-fi action comedies like INNERSPACE and HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS. It’s not in the same league as those treasures of the past, mind you, but there’s a whacky spirit here that certainly recalls those particular movies. Further still, even though this film could be perceived as “messy” and “low stakes,” it is reasonably well-paced. Cool visual effects, too. Yes, the effects look like effects but the process used to bring this world to life (technology that was also used in “The Mandalorian“), really does work in the context of this universe.
As for the performances, everyman Rudd has affability to spare as Scott Pym. By way of his pure knack for comic timing and an undeniable boyish charm, Rudd is so perfectly tailored to this role that even his overly earnest crusade to always do right by his daughter, never comes across as too over-the-top or cloying. Speaking of daughter, Newton proves to be energetic and spunky as Cassie Lang, and above all else, this character clearly suggests that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA is loosey-goosey to be sure and it’s more situation-driven than anything else. This is to say that for the majority of its running time, QUANTUMANIA is perfectly content living and breathing as a movie for folks with a small attention span. Translation; There isn’t a whole lot of depth in the plot department or in the character work and this doesn’t bode well for the likes of a brilliant performer like Majors (soon to be seen in the much-buzzed-about CREED III and MAGAZINE DREAMS) who, quite frankly, is deserving of stronger writing. Still, it’s a testament to Majors’ ability as an actor that he makes for a much more compelling (and physically imposing) screen presence than was probably on the written page. He really does bring gobs of charisma to the table and I suspect that moving forward, we’ll see a Kang that is considerably more fleshed out. Let’s hope so because it’ll be a genuine thrill to see Majors sink his teeth into a more defined version of this beloved Marvel villain.
As for the rest of the cast, they’re just sort of there on cruise control. Of course, it’s always fun to see veteran actors like Douglas and Pfieffer on screen because hey…It’s Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfieffer! That said, they aren’t particularly dynamic in any way in QUANTUMANIA. Even more disappointing is Lilly who really isn’t given a whole lot to do this time around and that’s a real shame, particularly when noting that “the Wasp” is right there in the title of the movie. Worse still, there are very few, if any, scenes in which Rudd and Lilly get to play off of each other, and given that they’re supposed to be, you know, a couple in this movie, that sort of emerges as a glaring issue.
As is the case with many fans, I’ll always wonder what the ANT-MAN series might have been had the gifted Edgar Wright stayed on board but…Ultimately, Peyton Reed has done an admirable job keeping the tone light throughout this trio of films. Pound for pound, QUANTUMANIA probably has the least to offer in terms of moving things forward, mostly because the stakes feel pretty low here but at the same time, at least it’s not rehashing the first two films. It should also be noted that there’s something to be said for the pacing, a likable Rudd, the zany sensibility at the heart of it, and the overall colorful nature of this often whacky movie.
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