Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Review

It has been a difficult couple of years for Marvel fans and this movie is not inspiring any hope for the future of the MCU.

By Nkatha Wainaina

It has been a difficult couple of years for Marvel fans: looking for plausible explanations as to why writers like Jessica Gao were given She-Hulk, remaining positive after epic fails like Thor (2011) and Eternals (2021), sitting through bad jokes in Ms Marvel (2022) and slowly accepting that we might never see the OG Avengers on screen together again — unless they do a reunion in the afterlife. Phase five now starts with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).

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This movie takes us through a ‘famous’ author cum Avenger, Scott Lang and his relationship with his daughter Cassie who doesn’t look like she is following the rules of ageing. Remember the cute little toothless human we loved in the first Ant-Man (2015)? She’s all grown now and stirring up mixed feelings.

Scott Lang wrote a book on his experience fighting Thanos alongside Captain America. How the blip affected his relationship with Cassie… I assume. They didn’t say if it was in the book, but they sure referenced it a lot. He has sort of hung up the whole superhero gig, but occasionally enjoys the benefits of the ‘I was once a superhero’ fame. When he is not taking selfies with fans and bankrupting a coffee shop, Scott is bailing his daughter out of jail. She thinks he should be doing more to help people, but all she does is cause trouble and complain the whole movie. I still feel comme ci comme ça about her.

With the help of Pym and Scott’s girlfriend, they all end up in the quantum realm. The four get separated and get to learn about a Big Bad everyone is terrified of. Eventually, the Big Bad gets beat up by ants and everyone has a happy ending without consequences.

I apologise for my sloppy synopsis; I could not relive the catastrophe Quantumania was. To begin with, this was not an Ant-Man movie. This was the film that would introduce Kang as a greater villain compared to the fan favourite Thanos and who would terrorise the MCU throughout the next two phases. Kang was beaten by ants… ANTS! Yeah, they were mechanical and advanced quantum ants — but they were still ANTS!

Michelle Pfeiffer, though a renowned actress, brought zero feeling to the role of Janet Van Dyne. She unnecessarily dragged out who Kang was and their history together. Plus she always looks like she would rather be anywhere else than on set.

Having asserted its dominance in the film industry, Marvel seems to be losing what originally put them on the pedestal. We have been spoiled by great storylines, crises that do not get resolved in a matter of seconds, actors that bring so much life to the characters… I mean, I’m still mourning Iron Man!

I am not hopeful for the next phases. What I’m feeling can be compared to having children. You disappoint me, but I still love you. However, Marvel is not my child and I refuse to pay for mediocrity!

© 2023 Nkatha Wainaina

This article was first published on WordPress on 27th June 2023.