‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’: Family vs. Empire in Marvel’s Most ‘Star Wars’ Episode

In 2015 we met the smallest superhero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man, or what is the same, Scott Lang, an ordinary man surrounded by gods and monsters who, thanks to his charm and wit, has made a placed among Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. And in the heart of the public. Seven years later and with a war for the universe in between, The Ant-Man saga continues with “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”. But in all this time, a lot has changed in the MCU and this must be reflected yes or yes in its new adventures.

‘Quantumania’ is the 31st film from Marvel Studios and the third in the solo series of the superhero played by Paul Rudd. Furthermore, it serves as the starting signal for Phase 5, after ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ and the Christmas special ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ closed a fourth phase characterized by experimentation and the interconnection between series and films, which divided clearly the public. If the previous installments of ‘Ant-Man’ worked as a light appetizer, something smaller to cleanse the palate between more monumental proposals, this “Quantumania” scales up (ahem) in size to become the most epic, ambitious and spectacular installment of the (so far) trilogya sci-fi family adventure that continues to build the multiversal storyline that will culminate in “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty”.

Peyton Reed, director of the first two episodes, returns to deal with the third, with Jeff Loveness as screenwriter, a signature that, among other things, comes from the quarry of ‘Rick and Morty’, a series that has already given several screenwriters to Marvel. And it makes sense that, to tell a story of alternate dimensions and multiversal variants, they would employ a staff of industry experts. In the cast we have again the whole family, led by Paul Rudd, with Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym and the addition of Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang (the third actress we’ve seen in the role and hopefully final).

‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ catapults us headlong into the Quantum World, the subatomic universe that was presented to us in the first episode and that we can finally explore in depth. After an accident, Scott and his family find themselves transported to this strange world, filled with creatures and dangers that defy imagination. There they will face Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), an emperor of dark agendas who is trapped in the place and needs the help of the Langs and Pyms to get out. especially of Janet, whose character will reveal secrets that we had pending since the first film.

Journey to the center of Chroma

“Quantumania” is totally different from the previous two installments of “Ant-Man”. Like other Marvel solo franchises, Ant-Man’s has also grown (just as its title has stretched), leaving behind heists and urban adventures to become a sci-fi odyssey that takes place almost entirely in a world that eludes the boundaries of the possible . After a prologue in which we discover what has become of Scott since his last battle with The Avengers and a couple of scenes that bring us back to his family, the film enters directly and bluntly into the matter. There is no time to waste and ‘Quantumania’ quickly immerses its protagonists in the Quantum World, where 95% of the film takes place.

A universe built from references such as ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’, ‘Amazing Journey’, camp/pulp classics such as ‘Barbarella’ or ‘Flash Gordon’ and old science fiction magazines from the 50s, 60s and 70s (such as Reed confessed on several occasions), an amalgam of influences that gives rise to a world of overflowing inventiveness in the creation of its monsters, its environment and its architecture (the phallic ship-buildings say it all). But If there is something that ‘Quantumania’ inevitably reminds, it is ‘Star Wars’, from which it clearly draws so much in its aesthetic section, in its mythology and in its races (it looks like we’ll meet Greedo or a Twi’lek in the local cantina any minute), since its history, reproducing the idea of ​​the empire, led by a terrifying villain, and a resistance that fights on the “street”. In this way, “Quantumania” is the closest thing to “Star Wars” that Marvel has done so far.

This is one of the most interesting and satisfying aspects of ‘Quantumania’, the world building with which Peyton and Loveness construct their universe.. Indeed, to set it up, the film uses the same digital technique as ‘The Mandalorian’, The Volume. However, the result is not as good as in the Disney + series. Here are very successful sequences, but also hThere are moments in which the colors are so flagrant that it is impossible to fully enter the proposal, at times bringing it closer to ‘Spy Kids’ than to the Lucas galaxy. This invites us to reflect: the success of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ has valued practical effects and realism, and although CGI was absolutely necessary to build the Quantum World, one cannot help but feel that what is watching is more of a virtual reality game rather than a movie. Despite the fact that Marvel makes sure that the human factor and emotion take the reins of its saga, ‘Quantumania’ lacks what is truly tangible and it is inevitable that the digital maelstrom will end up swallowing everything.

The Jonathan Majors Show

As is often the case in Marvel, it is the cast who emotionally anchor a story that is in danger of getting out of hand on more than one occasion. This time yes, the titular heroes of the film take a back seat to give prominence to other characters. While Scott remains the central character, the plot doesn’t always revolve around him, with Janet (Pfeiffer) being the main focal point. His connection to Kang and his past in the Quantum World is the backbone of an argument that makes these two characters the most important elements of the film.. As for Hope (Lilly), the truth is that they could have removed The Wasp from the title, because her participation is quite small compared to the previous installment, remaining rather in the background until they remember her in the final act. But of course they couldn’t title it “Janet and Kang: Quantummania”.

When the film returns to Scott, it does so to tell us about it his dual role as superhero and father, whose main motivation is to educate and protect his daughter, making up with her for lost time during the Blip. It’s perhaps the most interesting aspect of his evolution in this installment beyond comic relief. Scott Lang is a natural extension of Paul Rudd, a boy that no one can like, but in ‘Quantumania’ he becomes a more three-dimensional being, and it is also thanks to the intergenerational tension that arises between him and Cassie, a struggle between Generation X and Generation Z (he has lost his way and she represents the activist spirit of today’s youth) which however persists in the first act, giving way to a more classic father-daughter conflict.

Where we dig deeper is Kang, the villain who has been heralded with fanfare and cymbaling as the Thanos of the multiverse saga. After making his mark on the MCU playing The One Who Remains in ‘Loki’, Jonathan Majors takes on the role of another variant of Kang to continue developing the most complex villain Marvel has given us so far, something (very ) more than just a tyrant. Majors is an actor who gives 100% to everything he does, and ‘Quantumania’ is no exception. If in ‘Loki’ we have seen a variant of Kang in a clown key, in “Quantumania”, the actor is in a Shakespearean play or peplos, taking Alexander the Great as a reference, but also (unknowingly or not) Darth Vader. Her presence is felt even when she isn’t there (thanks to a script that knows how to use the antagonist to create atmosphere), but every time she appears on the screen she eats it up and leaves no residue.

However, Kang and the Multiverse is proving to be a double-edged sword for Marvel, since while (as usual) they’ve been spot on with Majors’ casting, and he’s throwing all the meat on the grill (and what stay), Kang remains an elusive villain, an abstract threat as confusing as it is imposing. (something that is in its essence, but that gets quite frustrating). And it is here that ‘Quantumania’ stumbles, especially when it is presented as a step forward in the UCM, as the beginning of something that is set, or should be set in motion. The feeling of constant preamble does not fade, and when the film ends, we are still on the surface of the Multiverse, a concept we have been working on for two years and which, for now, continues to hold promise for the future.. Even by entering uncharted territory and offering something different with each title, the Marvel formula repeats itself and stagnation is inevitable. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ is a key film for the future of the Multiverse Saga (don’t miss its two rather important post-credits scenes), but it doesn’t always feel like it.

The formula loses effectiveness

This does not mean that “Quantumania” is a bad film. In fact, it gives Marvel fans what they’ve come to expect from the studio and still manages to surprise. While it can be too chaotic and overloaded, it’s full of great moments, both epic and action-wise, and between the characters, a family that binds together in a world that defies logic. Like in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, but without going so far in the humor (take it easy),’Quantumania’ is an unrestricted waste of crazy ideas that redirects ‘Ant-Man’ towards the strange and the Martian – something that is reflected in the inclusion of MODOK (iconic and bizarre comic villain who here provides the most absurd touch, but doesn’t quite work in the real action) and the character of Bill Murray, who rather seem to belong to the franchises of ” Guardians of the Galaxy” or “Thor” by Taika Waititi.

In summary, ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ May Be Too Much, As Has Been the Trend in Marvel’s Phase 4. There’s a lot to enjoy (its fantastic family dynamics, its action scenes, its visual creativity, its epic world-building, its gorgeous villain), but as the start of Phase, this isn’t the film which will convert Marvel naysayers or which will remove the general feeling of overload, saturation and exhaustion that has been dragging on for some time. The level is high and the demand is increasing. I’m sure the future of the Multiverse Saga will hold great things for us, but the journey to reach the goal is starting to be too uphill.

Note: 7

The best: His visual inventiveness, Jonathan Majors and Michelle Pfeiffer (the real stars of the film), and the parent-child relationship of Scott and Cassie.

Worse: Who inevitably loses the more modest essence of ‘Ant-Man’ to surrender to the multiversal vortex. The feeling of tiredness that he produces.

‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ hits theaters on February 17th.