The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is fully committed to multiversal event storytelling intended to connect feature films with its streaming television shows. But, now we’ve reached the point of an entire cinematic adventure that serves as filler with the superhero solo outing called Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ dips into the Quantum Realm
Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is making his way through life, trying to become a better father for his daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton). He wants to connect with her, but he hasn’t been around when she needed him most. Cassie isn’t a little girl any longer, proving she’s more like Scott than either of them realizes, as she finds herself getting in trouble with the law.
Meanwhile, an unfortunate situation in the lab sends Scott and Cassie into the ever-dangerous Quantum Realm along with Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer), and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). However, the strange creatures and the politics of this strange world are the least of their concerns, as Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) waits to complete his plan.
The importance of reliable family
Quite a bit has changed since 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, all thanks to the events of 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. The effects of the Snap, also called the Blip, still loom over society. People disappeared from their loved ones for years, leaving others to wander the Earth feeling a void. Scott was previously lost in the Quantum Realm after the Snap left him without any help for quite some time, making Cassie think he also turned to dust.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania develops the bonds between parents and their children. Scott and Cassie remain at the core of Jeff Loveness’ screenplay, as they try to repair the damage their time apart caused. Meanwhile, Hope deals with her own difficulties with her mother, Janet, as their relationship mirrors Scott and Cassie’s in certain ways. All of the protagonists lost something monumental in their lives as a result of time, which is a form of currency that Kang understands all too well.
All of the characters in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania have their flaws, but they’re trying their best to do what’s right. A running theme about trying to accomplish a feat that matters courses through the film’s veins. Hope finds new ways to make her mark on the world with how she utilizes Pym Particles, while Scott milks his Avengers fame to set an example and wants to prove that he’s not a failure of a father.
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ is a clunky adventure
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the third in Scott’s solo adventures outside of working with the Avengers. There’s a positive message surrounding his book called Look Out for the Little Guy, even despite its incredible heavy-handedness. From the dramatic plot beats to the characterizations, there’s a sense that every corner of this film is overly constructed.
Director Peyton Reed approached the first two Ant-Man movies with a strange flair that never takes the plot’s ridiculousness too seriously, which is exactly what he does here. Unfortunately, everything from the awkward humor to the ludicrously clunky dialogue and detached emotional stakes result in an adventure that runs flat.
The visual playfulness from Reed’s previous two solo MCU outings is lacking in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The CGI is problematic, frequently looking messy, which further sours the introduction of a familiar character. Its big third act recalls hits like Star Wars, but it doesn’t manage to capture the breadth or the depth of its grand world-building.
Majors brings all that he can to the role of Kang the Conqueror, establishing himself as the most notable asset the film has. Unfortunately, the film forgets that it’s part of an ongoing film franchise, taking story reveals that the audience already knows and masquerading them as new, shocking twists. The end result feels like filler that doesn’t add anything narratively, thematically, or exciting to the MCU. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is an unwieldy and monotonous repackaging of what came before.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania grows into theaters on Feb. 17.
