Marvel films are always an event for me. Not matter how many of them come out, I will always try to see them the weekend of release. I love the majority of the Marvel films and really like the world they have built. I’m a sucker for good vs evil stories. Something I have always drew value from. Marvel Studios have really put some time and effort in this grand universe, which I appreciate. Characters from all types of backgrounds, fighting a big baddie or overcoming conflict. Although some of the movies can seem repetitive in their stories, each director brings their own personality into them. Peyton Reed has proven to make great movies with the past two Ant-Man films in my opinion. With Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, he again makes a compelling action adventure within the MCU, but brings something new to the table. With his past two installments, the movies seemed very light hearted and funny. This third film still have those tones, but takes a more serious shift as well. With higher stakes, the movie is way more suspenseful then its predecessors. I do think that there were too many elements within the film, but still enjoyed the majority of the movie. The introduction of Kang is brilliant and you do get a sense of how big of a threat he will be in future projects. M.O.D.O.K was a little bit of a let down and I was hoping for more from this character. Visually gorgeous and loved the world building of the Quantum Realm. Quantumania seems more of a setup movie rather than a standalone, which does hurt it in the long run. Regardless, there is so much to love about this movie as well.
Let’s talk about some of my favorite things in Quantmania! The biggest thing they were able to accomplish in this film is the Quantum Realm. A place that is eye popping and visually appealing. A true spectacle of what can be accomplished with the technology we have these days. It truly reminded me what James Cameron was able to pull off with the Avatar series. Although not as perfect as Avatar, this place expands the MCU in a new beautiful way. The visual effects looked clean and finished, even with the constraints of VFX artists during this time. The only thing that didn’t work for me was M.O.DO.K and how that character looked. A villain that many people know within the comics was introduced in a way that felt more for laughs then getting a new villain. I get what they were going for, but it just did not work with me one bit. The costume designs were great and whoever was in charge of makeup, nailed it. There are so many characters that are nonhuman in this movie and they were able to pull off so many wide range of alien like designs. The action also hit hard and every explosion, bullet and punch looked realistic. Much more going on in this film then the previous two, when it came to the action set pieces. They did a great job at building this world and showcasing the inner conflict its residents had to deal with. The internal conflict in the Quantum Realm could have been its own movie.
Kang the Conqueror is a threat like no other and we get a decent deep dive of who he is and what he is capable of. The Avengers have never faced anyone like him. He not only gets introduced, but the audience really gets an understanding of his backstory. He in his own mind is doing the right thing. I always admired villains that think they are doing the right thing as well. This is what really made Thanos such a great villain. Paul Rudd as Ant-Man is one of the best castings in the MCU, period. I love that we got a more serious side of the character this time around. There are some very intense moments in the movie that had a lot of dread and suspense. Paul Rudd was able to step up to the plate and deliver some bone chilling lines that left the audience speechless in my showing. He is really the main driving force of the movie and putting him up against Jonathan Major’s Kang, was a match made in heaven. They are two huge forces, battling it out physically and emotionally. They are both driven by something. A necessary motivation that the audience can connect with. Ant-Man wants to protect his world and his family while Kang wants revenge and destruction. Seeing both actors on the same screen was truly awesome to see.
Overall Quantumania is completely fun, silly, intense and everything else you would want in a Marvel movie. The introduction to new characters was fun and that is especially correct when it comes to Kang. He is one tough villain that will bring so much chaos into the MCU. Jonathan Majors was able to bring to the table what the execs at Marvel promised, a bigger threat than Thanos. Paul Rudd and the rest of the cast brought the emotional weight the movie needed and was able to bring more seriousness to his character. It is very much a set up movie with overdone visuals, but if you look deep enough into the content and look at just the main story, it works well. I do wish they didn’t add so many moving pieces in the movie, but I was able to still walk out of the movie theater with a smile. I do get frustrated with what they did with M.O.D.O.K. I hope. other viewers see it differently with that character, but it just took me out of it. Long story short, Qunatumania is worth the watch and is still a great installment in the MCU. This starts phase 4 in the right direction and I think its gonna be a phase that will really win fans back.
Total Score: 77/100
Written By: Frederick Nuti