Well folks, the time has come! A new Marvel Cinematic Universe flick has come to theaters worldwide in Antman and The Wasp: Quantumania, and it has a much bigger presence than it may seem on the surface.  So, has Marvel made another vivaciously thrilling film or a stale disappointment only accustomed to the more recent projects of the studio?

Regarding the most recent Antman brand of films, this latest installment might have just bitten of a bit more than it could chew.  First, any fan of the prior two films knows that these stories have taken their place in the MCU as “palate-cleansers,” being released seemingly coincidently after big crossover movies.  Specifically, the first Antman (2015) released directly after Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and the second Antman and The Wasp (2018) proceeded the great Avengers: Infinity War (2018).  By this, this sub-franchise beneath the Marvel/Disney banner has served as a refreshing sight, following a usually more grounded and–no pun intended—smaller plot throughout.  Along with co-lead Paul Rudd serving his usual cup of comedy, these films have built a tone that differs from the other 31 MCU films.  I say this all because this threequel changes that, as it strives to be a big “Avengers level” film, says director Payton Reed.  So, this film introduces the MCU to a new big-bad, said to be the new Thanos…the endgame villain.  The movie is also set in a VFX filled Quantum-realm, the universe beneath ours.  It is basically set inside of a fictional world the entire two hours, 5 minutes and excites the notion of science fiction stylization of the 60’s pitted against Star Wars-like backdrops.  So much is different here that it can be appalling to a fan of the previous Antman films like I, and after seeing the film, I think it finds its grounds most times.  Like the prior two, this film has its corny yet familiar humor that you always get a kick out of.  Unlike the prior, this film has a serious tone throughout, stressing the importance of the film’s antagonist, Kang the Conqueror, played magnificently by Jonathon Majors, an actor seemingly in every upcoming blockbuster of the year!  However, this serious tone calls for balance, and though at most times there is, when you have a character or creature making a corny joke, and in the next scene, someone is torturing another character, it can catch one off-guard.  This is most prominently seen in one of the film’s antagonists, M.O.D.O.K. (Mechanical. Organism. Designed. Only For. Killing) …and if you find his name corny, look em’ up!  Just wait till you find out the part he plays in the movie, as it is corny yet enjoyably funny- though if a giant floating head is too much for you, you probably won’t like it as much as I, the comic book fan, does.  Another thing that may hold viewers back is the VFX and CGI themselves. It can be staggering to see all of these weirdly bombastic and zany creatures or structures surrounding the characters we are used to seeing in the streets of San Francisco.  This lack of verisimilitude can also add to the tiresome nature of the first act as it introduces watchers to the Quantum-realm in a somewhat dragging fashion, one that lead some in my theater to fall asleep to.  Be that as it may, I personally enjoyed the sight of the Quantum-realm as it led me through an imaginative world of science fiction that truly came to fruition in the final act.  With such a setting, the acting must be on-point, and the cast of this film fits that bill.  The main four- Rudd, Jolley, Pfeiffer, and Douglas are great.  However, one piece of the original puzzle is missing in Michael Pena’s character Luis.  This comedic relief character was sorely missed in the film and could have added enjoyable fun to the minute time spent in the real world. Besides this, the new addition of Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang is good, though her character’s relationship growth and development with her father in the picture is usually put aside to introduce Kang.  Majors once again plays Kang, a strong and worthy villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe who can easily be pitted against a villain like Thanos, adding to the greater impactful nature this film chooses to present.

All-in-all, Antman and The Wasp: Quantumania is an entertaining film.  Though at times the movie can be slightly daunting to take in when it comes to casual viewers, Marvel comics fans or even MCU fans will find the movie to be a fine addition and introduction to this next phase (5) of Marvel Studios projects.  Does the story have a nearly forced tone that doesn’t align with the previous two films?… Yes. Does the film act more as a setup for what is to come?… Indeed.  But can it be funny and compelling sometimes?… Definitely.

And So, I Present My Score:

7.3/10

-CHASE