Time to do one of my favorite things and watch the comic characters I love do their thing on the silver screen. Our fist movie of the MCU’s 4th phase Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania released in theaters last night and it was an enjoyable movie. The cast makes a strong showing and pretty much everyone gives a top shelf performance. Paul Rudd is charming as hell and he will not be denied. The story is uniquely different from the previous two Ant-Man and Wasp movies as we’re getting out of the viewable world and exploring more of the Quantum Realm and that’s where this movie shines with it feeling more exploratory and seeing areas we haven’t seen yet. Also to quote Vin Diesel, family.
So right off the bat the feel of the movie felt very familiar to the tone of the previous two. But I will right off the bat make one criticism. I miss Luis, Dave, and Kurt. Yes the ex-cons are not present but I can understand why as they would not have fit well into the story but wow, not even a mention. Well Scott is enjoying a new life as an Avenger and riding that wave of saving the universe. Which yeah he should. Hope is running the Pym Corporation and everyone is thriving. However new cast member Kathryn Newton playing Cassie Lang is looking to be more like her father and honestly, in some of the best ways. One of the things I loved is how much the Pym’s have taken to her with Hank wanting to ensure she has all the assistance to become a great scientists. Of course the work she does as you can see from the trailers sends everyone to the Quantum Realm where we find out more about Janet’s time lost in the Quantum Realm.
The biggest part of this movie is it reintroduces us to another version of Kang. And as we were warned in Loki, this one isn’t as nice as that version. In fact the character Jonathan Majors plays is one of the more unique in the MCU. Where Thanos thought his actions would make a better world Kang has no such thoughts. He is better than all of us and means to rule everything. And how he does it means no more to him than taking a breath. This is a threat I for a time thought was well kind of out of Ant-Man and Wasp’s weight class. But once again they didn’t go into this fight alone. With Janet, Hank, and now Cassie with her own suit joining them maybe they can’t stand against the greatest threat the Avengers are going to be facing. One that can never truly be beaten.
There was a familiarity going into this movie with the majority of the characters which left room for Kathryn and Jonathan’s characters to flesh out. Especially the Kang character. I have to applaud Jonathan Majors but this is nothing new the man’s a fine actor. Acting was definitely there across the whole cast. Corey Stoll being reintroduced now as M.O.D.O.K. was one that kind of bothered me as MODOK (not doing the acronym thing again) was introduced as comic relief and despite his goofy appearance he’s a threat. Darren Cross was a enemy to be reckoned with in Ant-Man and I felt he was reduced to a joke. Also, gonna nerd gripe on this, I hate the disappearing helmets. And it gets way overused in this movie. Look there are times you need a good helmet on to protect your delicate brain and there are times in this movie where I’m like put the damn helmet on!
Overall, enjoyed the movie and I can’t wait to see where this goes for the entire MCU with a new bad guy being introduced. There are two post credits scenes so just hold it a little longer to see them. Or go to the bathroom after the first one rolls and then come back in. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a solid 7 out of 10 for me. But hey let me know what you thought and please agree with me on the helmet thing.
Jason The X