Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) kicks off with ‘Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania’ which does not buckle under the pressure of franchise needs and expectations, nor thrill beyond expectations.
It's a blockbuster that rushes from one set piece and reveal to another while feeling bloated, as it sets up so much for films that will follow that it feels like we don’t really drill down to the characters we have here.
The story opens with Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) pretty happy after helping to save the world but his young daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton), now all grown-up, wants to do the same and is kind of bummed that he seems to think once was enough. She is encouraged along by Grandpa Pym (Michael Douglas) and the Wasp/Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). Unfortunately, this leads to them being stuck in the Quantum realm and needing to escape.
The movie gives Michelle Pfeiffer an opportunity to play a stalwart heroine as Janet van Dyne who was stuck previously in the Quantum realm for 30 years. Michelle acquits herself well in fight scenes, lays out all the exposition (but only when the plot lets her) and effectively conveys the emotional theme of the film. Michael and Michelle remind audiences why they are movie stars, with simple looks and swagger.
The trilogy capper is about time lost and how we best use it, some characters here have lost a lot of time with loved ones while holding true to their principles. Despite that, all their kids want to do is follow in their footsteps, which of course is their way of trying to connect to the parent they didn’t get to have around. That is a pretty rich theme, but the film only pays lip service to it, which is pretty frustrating.
The picture is visually spectacular with an entire universe imagined of vibrant colours and lights dotting the landscape. It must have been hell on the cast to be stuck in front of green screens and painted tennis balls for months on end, but they take it in their stride very well. The trilogy loses the charm of the central character a little bit here, Ant-Man always felt like a more domestic low-key hero despite being an Avenger, but this story places him in a much different world against a villain who poses a much larger threat.
Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror both conversely preens and intimidates, but his villain slowly reduces in power the more screen time he has. The fact that Jonathan in some fairly silly costumes gives the character some gravitas in his time weariness is admirable. An early scene introduces characters from the Quantum realm with some promise, but they sadly do not build upon this becoming generic fighters in the third act.
At 124 minutes, ‘Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania’ feels a little long, but passes the time amiably enough. Director Peyton Reed has taken this hero out of his comfort zone and stepped up the spectacle and stakes, while retaining elements of humour that made this part of the MCU such a delight. Yet, like a lot of MCU films, it feels like a missed opportunity to explore these characters more before rushing to the next entry.
‘Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania’ is in cinemas 16 February.
