Quantumania: Not as Fun as the First Two Ant-Man Films

 

Ant-Man's back to his own franchise for the third time. Photo courtesy of Disney.

Between some stunning (and some not) visual effects and CGI, more dark tone than humor, and lack of depth for the overall story and character of Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was not a great third edition of the franchise that showed a more heroic side for Passaic-native Paul Rudd.

Kang was like a black Thanos, Darth Vader, and Loki all rolled into one, but the film didn't explain what made him a villain in the first place. There also wasn't much explanation as to how Bill Murray fit into the narrative. Compared to previous films, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym played a smaller role albeit with a little comic relief, but still came out like Han Solo in the end. Speaking of which, a lot of the landscape in the film looked like Star Wars' original trilogy from the 70s-80s. 

Michelle Pfeiffer did a good job with her stunt and grunt work when her character of Janet Van Dyne came to fight. Can't argue with a mother's warrior spirit. Kathryn Newton did a great job of encouraging freedom fighters and showing her warrior nature and genius self as Scott Lang's daughter Cassie. And Rudd, as usual, did a good job of being a superdad.

Less dark tone, less dark music, less confusing stories and character backgrounds, and less confusing multiverse stuff, and more humor and thrills are what this film needed. Just because of what happened in Avengers: Endgame, doesn't mean there has to be so much darkness and heartbreak. In conclusion, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was zany, in a good and bad way.