Marvel Studios released “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania” on Friday, February 17. The sequel to “Ant-Man” (2015) and “Ant-Man and the Wasp” (2018) is the 31st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In this version, Paul Rudd plays Scott Lang again. Scott Lang is a former small-time criminal who has a suit that lets him get bigger or smaller while getting stronger. Kang the Conqueror, his rival, is played by Jonathan Majors.
Evangeline Lilly, Kathryn Newton, Bill Murray, Michelle Pfeiffer, William Jackson Harper, and Michael Douglas are also part of the all-star cast. The movie is getting bad reviews, so its score on Rotten Tomatoes has dropped to 48%.
The general opinion is that “‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania’ doesn’t have the fun spark that made the first two movies so good, but Jonathan Majors Kang is an exciting villain who could change the course of the MCU.”
Here Are Some Reasons Why “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantum Mania” Is Another Marvel Movie Must be Watching.
It’s Not Sure What It Wants to Do.
I know that Disney now owns Marvel, Star Wars, Fox, and probably your mortgage, but that doesn’t mean that all of their properties need to connect. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania” isn’t a Marvel/Star Wars crossover, but it’s the closest thing we’ve seen to one.
I won’t say too much because I don’t want to give away too much. Still, the trailers show that Scott Lang and his family get sucked into the Quantum Realm and have a new adventure in this tiny universe. But the Quantum Realm looks like it came straight out of a Star Wars movie.
It has different beings I’m sure I’ve seen weapons on Tatooine. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen an Ewok use and I might or might not have seen flying animals in “Avatar” (another Disney property).
I say “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania” doesn’t know what it wants to be because I can’t tell if I’m watching a Marvel movie, an Ant-Man movie, or a Star Wars spin-off. No matter what it was, I didn’t get it.
It’s No Longer Fun.
I liked how much fun I had watching the first two Ant-Man movies. As Scott Lang, Paul Rudd does a great job, and he brings a lot of humor to the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s also a normal guy who gets into not-so-normal situations, which makes him easy to relate to.
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Most of That Isn’t Part of This New Adventure.
Some jokes and cameos are funny, but I didn’t enjoy this movie as much as I did the others. This is partly because of the setting. The movie starts with Scott talking to himself as he walks through San Francisco.
At that point, I was all in. Then we got to Endor, I mean the Quantum Realm, and we lost that sense of humor.
Luis, played by Michael Pena, was another thing that should have been in the movie. Some of the best parts of the first two movies happened because of him, but he’s not in this one.
We’ve heard this story a thousand times before. I want you to try something for me. Think of a movie or book you’ve seen or read recently. Think about it for a minute. You’ll realize that it’s something you’ve seen or read before, but it’s put together in a different way.
You hate to admit it, but there aren’t many stories that haven’t been told before, especially by Shakespeare. But what makes “new” stories interesting is when writers and creators add a twist to a story that we already know.
Marvel’s stories have never been known for breaking new ground, but the company has found ways to keep some of them interesting. It seems like the creators have given up on that and are now just using the same bad guys, plots, and reasons for doing bad things.
I didn’t think this movie would be all that different. Still, I was hoping for a villain who wasn’t more or less all-powerful, with a complicated past and a plan to wipe out whole universes because of a skewed view of what is right and wrong and, ultimately, of the greater good. My hopes were thrown up in the air, and then they fell to the floor and broke into a million pieces.
I know that Marvel has a pattern, but it’s fine to change it sometimes.
READ MORE: Where to Watch ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’? Find Tickets and Showtimes
What Should Be Known by Parents?
“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania” is a Marvel movie, so it’s about what you’d expect. There are a few jokes that might make your kids ask a few questions, but it’s about the same as other Marvel movies. If you and your family liked the first two Ant-Man movies, this should be fine.
Should I Check It Out?
If you’re a true Marvel fan, you’ve probably rolled your eyes and thought to yourself, “This guy just doesn’t get it. I can’t wait to tell him he doesn’t get it on the comment board.”
Then there are people like me who think Marvel is getting a little old and don’t think I’m that crazy.
If you answered yes to the first question, you should go see the movie. I’m sure you’ll have a great time, and some people will get excited when they hear me talk about a “fake Marvel/Star Wars crossover.” You should watch this movie.
Those in the second group should wait until it comes out on Disney+ or RedBox to watch it.
Even though “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” had some good parts, I didn’t like it very much. Overall, it was a miss for a series that was otherwise fun.
The official rating for “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania” is PG-13 for violence, action, and language.
