Have you ever tried drinking a smoothie with too many ingredients that just did not seem to match? That’s kind of what watching “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is like. This third installment in the Ant-Man series is unfortunately way over-packed and over-produced.
The story begins when a secret scientific project, created by Ant-Man’s daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton), accidentally sends our heroes and their family members into the quantum realm, a subatomic reality that provides access to miniaturized worlds with multiple dimensions. In order to return home, Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Wasp (Evangeline Lily) must stop Kang (Jonathan Majors), an insidious foe who is able to destroy parallel universes.
Even though the quantum realm provides unique possibilities for the exploration of a new setting on the big screen, the film’s world is mostly generic. The main characters encounter beings that, though they are interesting to look at, seem ripped straight out of Star Wars. The places they visit look like they are from other planets rather than a subatomic realm.
There are also countless logical errors and plot holes. For instance, Kang’s superpowers and battle strategies are entirely inconsistent. In one moment, he’s destroying entire armies with the swipe of a hand, and in others, he slowly fights Ant-Man in hand-to-hand combat. Additionally, there are numerous subplots, like the creation of a civilization with technologically superior ants, that make no sense.
While the film does not take full advantage of the microscopic, quantum realm setting, some parts manage to stand out. A heartwarming sequence occurs towards the middle of the film when Ant-Man meets versions of himself from parallel universes. While they are all slightly different, they rally behind the one thing they all have in common: their love for their daughter Cassie. It is one of the few moments that manages to recapture the spirit of the first two films.
Furthermore, though the humor of the first two films is mostly absent, there are still a few laughable moments. Bill Murray’s appearance and the return of one of Ant-Man’s former adversaries endow specific scenes with a zany quality. It’s a shame, however, that the time both characters spent on screen is rather short.
Ultimately, the film is a giant distraction and a drastic step down in quality from the films that came before it. It is an unnecessary detour that will no doubt establish Kang as the primary villain in the next Avengers movie. I imagine most Marvel fans will overlook the film’s lost potential and swallow down its bitter taste like a teaspoon of bad medicine. However, the Marvel cinematic universe is desperate to recapture the success of the past that seemed to reach its peak with “Avengers: Endgame.”
I think it’s time for Marvel to rewrite its formula and try something different. I do not recommend seeing this one in theaters when it will no doubt be released on Disney+ in just a few short months.
