A no-nonsense approach, evident from the start until the first 60 minutes, and up until the end of the film, maintains a neatly paced story. It begins by following the life of Scott Lang — Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), after the events of Endgame. As he lives as a regular husband, father, and off-duty Avenger who has traded fighting crooks for writing a book.
Cassie (Kathryn Newton), who once admired her Avenger dad, now tries to be the hero he is no longer. She becomes an activist, helping those who lost their homes during the blip, which leads her to prison, just like her father. She then delves into science herself, tinkering with the Quantum Realm with the help of her grandad Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and her foster mother, Hope Van Dyne, aka the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly). Also there is ants science of course. This is where conflicts grow, making the prison drama seem small, especially because Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), mother of Hope and wife of Hank never reveals anything about her 30 years stranded in the Quantum Realm.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania feels like the second and third iteration of The Mummy, but with grandparents added to the equation, set in the subatomic world, and with access to 2023 standard of Visual Effects (VFX). Just like The Mummy franchise (not the remake obviously), it has its flaws but is a fun film that tells a story of community, friendship, and family tightly knit.
The film heavily relies on visual effects, with maybe 90% of the scenes being enhanced with VFX or even fully created in it. We may overlook it too often and need to give credit where it is due. Without VFX, we could not enjoy this kind of film. Hopefully, the working conditions and systems will improve if they haven’t already. Kudos to the VFX teams and anyone involved!
Some have already pointed out that Marvel’s superhero films/series are not just superhero films/series, as they have their own genres. Marvel only adapts characters and stories from superhero comics. Therefore, I would say that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is an action/adventure film.
While the film is enjoyable, it lacks a surprising twist, an impactful ending, a new theory, or even adequate time to build up Kang’s backstory as a villain (Jonathan Majors). As a result, some viewers may see this instalment only as a bridge between the now-ended phase 4 and the phase 5. Nevertheless, the story’s resolution provides clues as to what might come next. Moreover, two post-credit scenes a la MCU offer a glimpse of the next big thing. In the end, for those who prefer to watch only one blockbuster or are not invested in the MCU’s expansive, interconnected storyline, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania remains a compelling recommendation.
