Welcome back to the blog everyone. I just got out of a viewing of the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and I wanted to share my spoiler-free thoughts on the film. Directed once again by Peyton Reed and starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Kathryn Newton, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer and Bill Murray, the film sees Scott Lang, Hope van Dyne, Hank Pym, Janet van Dyne, and Cassie Lang get teleported into the Quantum Realm where they are pitted against Kang the Conqueror.
As a note, later on I will be publishing a post discussing the film and its larger impact on the MCU using spoilers, so be on the lookout for that. As for this post, again, no spoilers here; so don't worry, you're fine to read on as this is only my review of the film.
Sorry it took so long to get this to you guys, but I had some personal issues to get through. Regardless of that, I had a hell of a time with this film. I didn't see a lot of the visual noise that others have complained about, but what I saw and got was a weird and entertaining science fiction flick that will have major implications on the MCU going forward. There was a lot here that I found engaging that I want to talk about here, but you will have an opportunity to see that in my spoiler discussion.
The first thing I want to point out to you is the performances of the cast. Paul Rudd is ever so delightful as the petty criminal turned Avenger Scott Lang, and he gives a much deeper performance than usual. Retaining that similar silly charm that Lang is known for and he couples it nicely with his dedication to being a good father to his now 18-year old daughter Cassie. I loved the dynamic between the two of them. Speaking of Cassie, I very much enjoyed Kathryn Newton's (who replaced Emma Fuhrmann in Avengers: Endgame) performance. Her desire to be a good person and create the change she wants to see in the world make for a compelling character.
Evangeline Lilly's Hope van Dyne and Michael Douglas's Hank Pym do take a back seat for this one but I do love the dynamic the two of them have with Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne, who finally has her time to shine. Her performance is laced with just the right amount of fear and terror that it nicely explains why she never spoke of her time in the Quantum Realm after she was taken out of it in the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp.
But the true MVP of this film has to be the performance of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. All I have to say is holy. Shit. I think that in the next few years, this man is going to be a major star in Hollywood and this film will be that turning point for a lot of people. His turn as the time and universe-travelling supervillain is equal parts charming and downright fucking terrifying. If this is who the Avengers have to deal with in 2025, then they are completely screwed. The simple gestures he makes and the changes in tones in his voice make for the most compelling MCU villain since Thanos, and the good news is we aren't done dealing with him yet!
The other characters are fine, I guess. William Jackson Harper and Katy O'Brien play freedom fighters and their arcs are okay, but the alien Veb voiced by David Dastmalchian was a damn riot. He had some of the best moments and one-liners in the film. And even the legend himself Bill Murray shows up to have some fun. He plays the lord of a city or a town or something, and his character comes off as kind of menacing. I'm just upset that we didn't see much of him though. Here's to hoping for a prequel!
This film is very effects-heavy, and it shows. The effects are insane, and I would put them up there with Avatar: The Way of Water's visuals. Everything from the effects on Kang to his city/empire/fortress whatever looked amazing. The rest of the Quantum Realm looked incredible, and far better than it did in previous MCU projects. I also want to commend Christophe Beck's score. More bombastic and dark than anything he's done with Marvel yet, it creates musical moments that are unforgettable, especially in the climax of the film when everything builds and builds to a climactic musical finale.
Overall, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a fun and dark MCU entry that sets up a terrifying villain and spells dire consequences for the rest of our beloved (and every other) universe. Thank you all so much for reading this, and I will see you for my spoiler review of episode 6 of The Last of Us.
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