“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is the most recent entry in the Marvel cinematic universe. The movie hit theaters on Feb. 17, 2023 and is stirring up a little debate. Is this movie actually worth seeing? This will be a spoiler-free review to answer that question.
The audience is pulled back into theaters for another adventure. Ant-Man and the Wasp journey into the quantum realm. Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) take the next step in their adventure on the big screen. In this film, the two heroes are joined by Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Scott’s daughter, Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton).
Good, but not groundbreaking
After watching the film, the result felt a bit unsatisfying. That’s not saying that the movie wasn’t good. It just wasn’t a blockbuster.
The film feels less like a movie of its own and more like a continuation. Sequels in the Marvel universe usually have their own plot line, but “Quantamania” feels like it just covers information that needs to be told before the next big hit. The movie throws viewers directly into the action. For some that may be fine, but it also may come off somewhat flat.
The film follows the established Ant-man trend of being more comedy that action, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The comedic queues hit and were just as enjoyable as the serious plot-driven moments. If Marvel fans enjoy one-liners, this is the film for them.
Dynamic performances
The cast does an amazing job. Paul Rudd remains a great Scott Lang, always hitting comedic timing while showing viewers a serious side. Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror continues to impress with his ability to portray both softness and frustration in his scenes. He proves to the audience why he is the next villain after Thanos. Majors leaves moviegoers wondering how the Avengers will defeat someone labeled as a conqueror. He has even said in interviews that he improvised a lot of his lines.
“There’s always room to grow”
The reviews from outside sources for this film remain mixed. The most recent review from Rotten Tomatoes leaves this movie sitting at 48%, IMDb has it as 6.6/10 and Metacritic gives is a 48%. Fans, on the other hand, have “Quantamania” at a 84% according to Rotten Tomatoes’ verified ratings.
Though the reviews for this movie may be off-putting, audiences should consider seeing this film for more background information about the new Marvel baddie, Kang the Conqueror. This movie could be described as an attempt by Marvel to fill in the audience about Kang without giving him his own full film or spinoff series.
Overall, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” should be included on people’s watchlists. The film was fun and entertaining. The movie can be seen without watching the prior Antman movies. Of course, audiences may see faces or hear small references that will require prior knowledge, but it’s nothing that will throw anyone off completely. It is worth seeing, even if it’s only in preparation for what is next.
