Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – Heroes and Sci-Fi: Small Realms of Possibilities

What is it to experience the moment?  This is a question that preys upon our minds every day.  From everything that pulls, the emotional trails become an experience of something real.  Through storytelling, there is a hope that this pull becomes something truly amazing.  Even in basic retreads … a film can still be fun.  In this review, I look at the latest entry from Marvel Studios.  Through the allure of imagination, this is a journey of colorful fun.  Even with obvious cliches and tropes, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania pushes Marvel further beyond into the realm of Sci-Fi.

Life seems to be going well for Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly).  All this changes as the Quantum realm pulls them back into the unknown.  With uncertainty on the horizon, will they survive or fall victim to this microverse?  With Marvel, their films (and TV shows) provide a window into different characters, settings, and possibilities.  Each of these tales are like sub-chapters, bridging a gap for an overarching thread.  With this latest entry, we are thrust back into the sub-chapter of the Ant-man saga.  The first act is a summarization of past and current events, leading to the big moment:  Ant-Man/Wasp, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton) getting sucked into the Quantum Realm.  From here, they all land in different areas of the realm.  From this inciting incident, the story moves along (second act) as we watch each character adjusting to this unknown frontier.  As this new adventure begins, the grounded elements of prior entries morph into an imaginative spectacle, as Ant-Man (and others) become the ‘eyes’ of the audience.  Through the vast plains of awe and wonder, the linearity of the directive showcases a lack of tonal appeal.  With each interaction (by our main group), it reflects all the archetypes found in other Sci-Fi adventures.  Through scenes of cheeky banter, comedic one-liners, and unexpected cameos, we get a lot of explanation through generalization.  For all the moments that stand out, most of the adventure turns into style over substance.  When things seem to be faltering in its visualized noise, it dramatically turns with the introduction of Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).  When our main group meets Kang, there is an emotional tension that showcases strength and power.  This new entity provides the catalyst to lift the material, leading to purpose for our heroes.  The uneasy trust that forms lead into a looming dread that Ant-Man and the others must survive to get home.    

Kang’s introduction is a pivotal point in the journey, thrusting a level of unique bravado to the Sci-Fi adventure.  His ‘looming threat’ is the hook to maneuver the randomized tones and subplots into a centralized path.  As Ant-Man decides to retrieve a certain item (MacGuffin), a mixture of imaginative sequences leads to the ultimate confrontation (third act).  Within certain revelations, the group finds themselves in an all-out war for survival, as the finale becomes an over-the-top sequence of action and CGI.  This leads to the hero’s tale coming full circle (climax), leaving us with an epilogue that closes this ‘chapter’ with loose threads for the overarching Marvel tale.  Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a fun Sci-Fi adventure.  If you are a fan of Marvel, Ant-man or like Sci-Fi, there is some enjoyment here.  Check it out on the big screen … for the right price.

Full Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)