‘Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania’: A Small Heroe’s EPIC Adventure

Get ready for a brand new Marvel dynasty with “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania”.

The third film in the Ant-Man franchise has everything there is to love about a good Marvel movie, and serves as the perfect gateway to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) Phase 5.

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“Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” takes a turn from the lighthearted nature of the previous Ant-Man films, shifting to a more intense tone. Despite the low critics score Quantumania has received on Rotten Tomatoes and its mixed reviews, the film includes the trademark action and adventure of the MCU movies that we have all come to love along with the humor we’ve come to enjoy from the Ant-Man films, however this time there is a more darker element mixed in. Peyton Reed has delivered an exciting new story that is a rollercoster ride of emotions, while still maintaining continuity from the previous films. This movie is the most SciFi filled entry from the entire trilogy. This will be the start of all that is yet to come in the second part of the Multiverse Saga.

The film like Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) is still comedic, and focuses a lot on family, but it takes a very serious turn. We see Ant-Man who is usually called in for back up now in the middle of an Avengers level movie facing off against one of the most powerful villains in Marvel history with no other Avengers backing him up. This definitely is not San Francisco anymore.

The story follows Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne along with Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang and Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne as they find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that pushes them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible, and facing off against Kang the Conqueror.

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The storyline focuses a great deal on Janet’s past in the Quantum Realm, Michelle Pfeiffer is great in her performance as Janet Van Dyne. As Scott and his family are trapped there we are introduced to a whole new microscopic universe, and new characters. In each Ant-Man film we have seen new parts of the Quantum Realm, this film dives deeper, exploring a whole new civilization in a visually stunning way. Something that is best experienced in a cinema. Certain aspects even give off Star Wars vibes. With Ant-Man, Hope and Cassie in the picture we see a lot of insane fight scenes that include the epic shrinking and enlarging of our favorite heroes. Let’s just say Scott has come a long way from having his ass kicked by Hope in training.

The film stars stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne, Jonathan Majors as Kang, Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, David Dastmalchian, William Jackson Harper, Katy O’Brian, and Bill Murray.

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We see a great amount of character development especially from Scott Lang who has been one of the most under-estimated characters in the MCU. When you take into account how this all started for him, and how he has been considered the butt of the joke in the MCU, Ant-Man being the first Avenger to fight a villain as epic as Kang the Conqueror is a significant moment. Paul Rudd admits this was the hardest and the most difficult Ant-Man film he’s made, Scott Lang is beaten down in every sense of the word. The question is, can he get back up? It’s time viewers start taking Ant-Man a bit more seriously now. ““We wanted to kick off Phase Five with Ant-Man because he’d earned that position,” said Kevin Feige, President of MarvelStudios. “To not simply be the back-up or the comic relief, but to take his position at the front of the podium of the MCU.” That’s not to say that we dont see some hilarious moments from Rudd. His comedic timings and line delivery are on point during the movie. We see some incredible scenes from Scott Lang, as he firmly solidifies himself as one of Marvel’s new leading men.

We also get to see more of Scott’s and Hope’s evolving relationship. As well as Scott’s relationship with his

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daughter Cassie. In Ant-Man and the Wasp, Cassie wanted to be her dad’s partner helping him fight bad guys, and after Thanos snapped everyone away and Scott reappeared to find his daughter now a teenager, the two started to reconnect. In this film we see them fighting side by side. Finally giving Cassie the chance to be her dad’s partner in crime. Kathryn Newton who makes her debut as Cassie Lang in this film did a fantastic job for her first MCU movie, especially considering what a big one it was. From all the father, daughter moments to her action packed fight scenes to her sarcastic comments, the 26 year old actress did not fail to deliver.

In the Marvel comics the supervillain Kang is described as a time-traveling despot who uses all his resources and technology from the future to rule as many universes as possible. The character of Kang is quite a large role to take on, as it was with Josh Brolin and Thanos. However Kang takes things up a notch in this film.

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“In the comics, Kang has dominion over time, he’s a time traveler. His situation is a little bit different in this movie, he’s someone who, while we live very linear lives, from childhood to death, Kang doesn’t exist that way.” Said director Peyton Reed. “It struck me as interesting to take the tiniest Avengers, in some people’s minds maybe the least powerful Avengers, and put them up against the most powerful force in the multiverse.”

Jonathan Majors has received high praise from critics and fans alike for his superb performance in the film. He is an absolute force portraying ruthless and power hungry Kang the Conqueror. Paul Rudd complimented Majors’ performance in the film “It’s legit. It feels intense. He’s a great actor, and throughout the entire film, he really felt as if he was a formidable foe.” He then spoke about his work on the fight scenes between them as well. “He was also getting ready to go into Creed 3, so anytime we’re doing any of that fight choreography, it was real. It was amazing.” The final fight between Ant-Man and Kang is absolutely brutal. You can tell Rudd and Majors both gave it their 100%, physically as well as emotionally. Their performances and their fight choreography was spot on. So much so that you will be on edge and your heart will be bleeding with Scott Lang.

This film also included the first appearance of the Marvel character MODOK or Mental Organism Designed Only For Killing in the MCU. But taking a turn from the comics, his backstory was very, very different to what the comics originally intended. Instead, tying in to the previous Ant-Man films. MODOK was a constant source of humor throughout the film, and the reveal of his identity was one of the biggest surprises in the movie.

Watch the trailer for “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” here:

In Scott’s words, “This is weird”. Definitely one of the MCU’s more weirdest movies. Weird, funny, entertaining, but also incredibly intense. Full of emotion, with all the action you love and a plot that has you on edge from time to time.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is directed by Peyton Reed and written by Jeff Loveness and is in cinemas now. With a fourth film already in discussion at Marvel Studios.