2014 I was told ‘How dare you criticise this!’ I asked ‘why?’ ‘It has Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad in it!’ . That film was the uninspiring Need For Speed and this friend believed it was criticising the cult series Paul also starred in. Same could be said about the Marvel Cinematic Universe which for a long long time has been stagnating with Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania that latest entry. Sadly the trend continues with with a tired paint by numbers film, drab too predictable.
The 31st Marvel film kicks off the Phase five, after the mediocre fourth phase. There is also an extra pressure on Quantumania being the first film of the phase. 2008 is a long time ago, Marvel don’t look like if they’ll be slowing down any time soon. If anything the machine is getting bigger with Disney Plus offering a platform to expand with spin-off films and shows.
Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania is set after the events that saw our miniscule superhero helping the Avengers defeat Thanos after the Great Snap. Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) now has a new found fame with his life with Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) going so well. When it comes to his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) that relationship not so great all thanks to Scott’s disappearance into The Quantum Realm. However things have started to look better for both. Ironically thanks to Grandpa Hank Van Dyne (Michael Douglas) Cassie is now learning about the realm and the technology used by her dad.
Cassie becomes intrigued with her new education and becomes obsessed in what might be the realm. She sends in a signal into the microscopic world that drags everyone including Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) into the realm. A world that Janet did not want to step back into again all thanks to one dangerous individual known as The Conqueror (Johnthan Majors).
Kang The Conqueror is no stranger to the Marvel Universe. Some even call him deadlier than Thanos the villain played by Josh Brolin in the last two Avengers films. He is the master of multi-dimensional time travel and will only attack ‘if and when’. This film has 2 end credit scenes one reveal one of his strengths. His strengths where also seen in Loki Season One, his introduction to Marvel.
He may not have the physical abilities, he has his ways to live up to his title The Conqueror. Majors is one of the very few highlights of Quantumania. He’s softly spoken, comes across as mild mannered, but he’s the devil in the space suit with a space ship Mork or Mork & Mindy fame would love. We get little glimpses of his true nature throughout two thirds of the film. It’s only in the last third we see his true powers in action by then you may have given up hope.
When we first arrive in the Realm, it’s heavy on the CGI happy green screen. Borrowing much from Dune, Moebius and a collection of Star Wars rejected characters. We also learn much more about what Janet did in the realm who is also like a guide. Pfeiffer’s Janet now has some reason to feel very much part of the MCU. We now know what happened to her for 30 years including Bill Murray’s Lord Krylar who she shared a past with. What that past is we never find out, same with Kang’s true intentions.
The humour has been a pivotal part of the previous 2 Ant-Man films. In Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania it’s nowhere to be seen. The screenplay has been written by Rick And Morty former writer Jeff Loveness. If that ever became a live action series or film, this could be an indication what we can expect. Flat, uninspiring and maybe Marvel should be re-considering if he is the right choice of writer for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
When it comes to Marvel films, there will always be a section of MCU who will enjoy everything that is released. Sadly Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania is a film that over indulges in CGI leaves you wondering if everyone involved knew what was real or not. It’s down to you Guardians Of The Galaxy Volume 3 to save the Marvel cinematic universe.
★★
Action, Comedy | USA, 2023 | 12A | Cinema | 17th February 2023 | Marvel Studios | Dir. Peyton Reed | Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily , Johnathan Majors, Kathryn Newton, Michelle Pfeifer, Michael Douglas
Originally reviewed at The Peoples Movies on 19th February 2023 | Original review link
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