A new year brings my first new movie review! For better or worse I’m starting things off with the latest entry from Marvel, namely Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania. Once again, other than the trailers and teases, I made it a point to avoid delving into the film wanting to actually SEE and experience the movie without bias. Crazy? I know, but that’s how I like to roll. Even with that being the case I went into this one with a bit of trepidation. Love the original Ant-Man. Ant-Man and the Wasp? Not so much for numerous reasons. This time around I wanted to recapture the joy of the original, advance the characters, and usher in Phase 5 of the MCU in solid fashion.
For my money, once again under the direction of Peyton Reed, Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania delivers on all three levels.
Whew!
Huge sigh of relief.
Quantumania has heart, action, humor, and thrills well blended and nicely paced throughout its two-hour 5-minute runtime, solid effects with some beautiful other worldly backdrops. While charming and engaging the film also brings the tension and makes the sense of high stakes palatable.
Returning characters bring their A game and I enjoyed the fact that Michelle Pfeiffer really gets to shine this time around. In his second outing as Kang, Jonathan Majors is a wonderfully blend of sincerity, charm, determination, and menace. Squee! The man lights up the screen with his performance. Yes! My only complaint is not getting more of him in full on Conqueror mode and more background on how he’s been “done wrong” but hopefully there will be more of those revelations moving forward.
Kathryn Newton’s Cassie Lang looks much younger than Endgame’s Cassie (Emma Fuhrmann) which threw me for a bit, but once I got past that is a nice addition. Personally, I again found myself muttering under my breath about “effing kids” in the context of the narrative, but that’s probably just a “me” thing.
There are also some new characters that I found intriguing in William Jackson Harper’s Quaz and Katy M. O’Brian’s Jentorra that had me wanting more. Yay! And others that well, honestly fell flat. Sorry Bill Murray.
Be that as it may, after an uneven Phase 4 that often left me disappointed, Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania opens Phase 5 on the right foot. It feels like Marvel has regained some of its swagger and is back on track.
I for one am there for it. I enjoyed the movie, never lost interest, left happy and excited for what happens next. A feeling the packed audience I saw the film with all seemed to share.
And yes, before you ask. There are two end credit scenes, so you need to cross your legs and sit tight until the houselights come up folks.
Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania gets a 8 from me.
