Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Review — Jonathan Major's Kang Saves a flawed flick

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Review — Jonathan Major's Kang Saves a flawed flick

Ant-Man and the Wasp Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania is a film worthy of its title. It is the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (the opening of Phase 5), in which Scott Lang/Ant-Man, played by Paul Rudd, has crossed over between two solo films and many Marvel movies. Of course, that is depicted in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man & The Wasp.

And when quantamania soars, it is often thanks to Jonathan Major's Kung the Conqueror, a variant (another version) of The One Who Remains. If you are asking "Who." I suggest you watch "Loki" again.

Unfortunately, Kang's name literally comes up in 2025's "The Avengers," so quantamania feels like too much to do, preparing the way for the next Marvel movie or show: the Kang name literally comes up in 2025's "Avengers/Kang Dynasty." Thinking further, so did "Ant-Man & the Wasp": "Quantumania" almost ruined Kang.

Besides, Marvel's CGI problems continue to rear their head, and this time they seem more blatant than ever. And with more negative reviews than ours, many must wait to see "Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania" on Disney Plus.

So, after reading this spoiler-free review of "Get Two Shrinking/Growing Discs of Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania," you'll know whether you should watch it now or wait until it's available on Disney Plus.

Scott Lang, played by Paul Rudd, is living the sweet life after saving the universe with the Avengers. Rudd's natural charm makes Scott's silly fatherhood smile and laugh. But he can also handle more serious scenes. Even a mere reading for Scott's memoir feels emotional.

But the super-supervillain Kung the Conquer, played by Jonathan Majors, is the most spine-tingling presence here. As the successor to Josh Brolin's Thanos, the big bad that the Avengers and other heroes will fight in a series of films, Meijers' Kang always feels like a big shot, even if we have no idea what he is capable of. Emotional and charismatic, Kang is captivating on a high level, even when he delivers dialogue that needs to be deciphered.

That said, Michelle Pfeiffer also does a great job with the material, given the finally fleshed out character of Janet Van Dyne. Her past in the quantum realm comes back to haunt her, and Janet harbors secrets of a grave and humorous nature.

Unfortunately, Janet's backstory in this film does not exactly back up the feelings that Pfeiffer brings to the character, and therefore making her compelling is a difficult task. We are told too much instead of seeing it for ourselves.

Michael Douglas and Kathryn Newton work similar magic as Hank Pym and Cassandra "Cathy" Lang, bringing a charm that enlivens a slightly lackluster script. Newton has the unfortunate circumstance of being the third actress to play Cassie, but she makes things work.

There are many characters I can't describe without spoiling them, but all I can say about M.O.D.O.K. is, "Huh." It's a character I find utterly baffling. There are many other characters who are small and neat, but they are almost always forgotten.

It is often impossible to suspend disbelief. I am a wrestling fan. But when my heroes first encountered the quantum realm, I couldn't help but think, "This is a green screen." And it gets even worse in the more naturalistic parts of the quantum realm, where the focus is so soft that old Hollywood wanted to use it.

The big visual problem is that much of Quantamania is frustratingly dark. My parents, who complain about this problem when watching Marvel movies at home, can't imagine that this chapter will be an improvement; it's not a total loss, as the CGI walls sometimes provide beautiful visuals. If you can immerse yourself in the visual excesses, you will have a good time.

The cities of the quantum realm are also a bit lacking, appearing to be a series of sprawling, uninteresting buildings. Perhaps it is that Kang has conquered and created a soulless cityscape. Nothing is breathtaking, and Kang's villainy suffers for it.

Similarly, the film's big narrative question - whether to help others fight their battles or only defend your own - feels a bit unconventional here. Perhaps that's why I found myself checking the time, which is not necessary in a two-hour and five-minute film.

As this review of Ant-Man and the Wasp explains: as I explained in my review of Quantumania, the fault of the film lies not with the talented cast but with the world they are trying to bring to life. Both the visuals and the script might leave you wanting more. The actors, and the drama they provide, could have had an easier job.

But like the Dude's rug in The Big Lebowski, Jonathan Majors ties "Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania" together. While the film often seems to eviscerate audiences with its CGI, Majors continues to bring Bond villain brilliance to the MCU and chart a path to becoming an all-time franchise player.

Oops, but first, here's a spoiler-free synopsis of "Ant-Man & the Wasp: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantamania" post-credit scene without spoilers.

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