Film Review - Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Images courtesy of The Walt Disney Company.
This is the way Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe starts — not with a bang, but with a family dramedy shrouded in visual effects and charming absurdity. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania centres on the Lang-Pym-van Dyne family as they find themselves thrown into the Quantum Realm, up against Marvel’s newest villain, Kang the Conqueror. Burdened with setting the stage for this new phase of the MCU, Quantumania opts for the safe trappings that Marvel films are known for. A steady stream of jokes, punchy action, and a few tender moments — the latter mostly involving Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Cassie (re-cast as Kathryn Newton), who portray a warm, believable father-daughter dynamic with plenty of heart.
Set primarily in the Quantum Realm, the visuals feel a little hollow, and the humanity of the film often fades amongst eye-catching characters and anthropomorphic buildings that do little other than serve as something to look at. The sprawling ‘world below our own’ instead feels like an underwhelming Magic Eye, where you’re squinting to find what exactly the point of this dressed-up setting is. However, the disappointing visuals serve to further highlight the strength of the performances, particularly Jonathan Majors’ portrayal of Kang.
Whilst this is not the first glimpse of Kang the Conqueror in the MCU, it is the closest look, and Majors kicks things into a gear not previously seen during his guest role in Loki. Kang is easily one of the most compelling, charismatic, and (quite literally) multi-faceted villains we have seen in a Marvel movie to date. Paired with Scott’s childlike nature, the two are compelling foes, whose conflict comes to a head in a fight that feels uncomfortably brutal in a film that otherwise plays it safe. There is a quiet confidence that Kang the Conqueror will be a villain with longevity that carries him through the rest of this saga.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania shines brightest when leaning into its own absurdity (as seen in Corey Stoll’s performance, or the multiple instances of ants ex machina) and centring on the family dynamics that form the basis of the film itself. With dynamic performances and exciting post-credit scenes, it creates a sense of intrigue for what's to come, whilst simultaneously acknowledging what has come before. Though it does not up the ante, Quantumania maintains the pace set by Phase Four and transitions the audience seamlessly into a new era of the ever-growing MCU without ever feeling overwhelming or inaccessible.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is screening in cinemas from Thursday 16th February. For tickets and more info, click here.