Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a 2022 superhero film directed by Peyton Reed, from a screenplay by Jack Kirby and Jeff Loveness. It is based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Hope Pym / Wasp. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and the 31st film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne, along with Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, explore the Quantum Realm, where they interact with strange creatures and embark on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.

The cast includes Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathryn Newton, Jonathan Majors, and Randall Park.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania made its debut in theaters on February 17th, as the first film of Phase Five of the MCU.

THE GOOD

I’m a big fan of the Ant-Man movies, and a big reason which should be obvious is my guy Paul Rudd. Yet another home run as far as casting for Marvel when they brought him in. He brings a unique comedic element that has blended seamlessly within the MCU and is so charismatic as an actor that he seems to make it easier on everyone else. Seriously, find me someone who dislikes Paul Rudd, I’ll wait. I really enjoyed the first two Ant-Man films, and what has stood out to me most with those films is the fact that more than anything else they were fun and always hilarious, with great energy. So after a long and eventful four years, the sequel to Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) is finally here, but is it the Phase 5 debut we were all hoping for or a rare miss for Marvel? Keep reading to find out!

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was so much fun, and absolutely met my expectations. The visuals were fantastic as they had this blend of Star Wars meets Strange World, and I was really digging it. The movie is laugh-out-loud hilarious as expected, and the cast, which is loaded with talent, was great. I liked the story as well and it definitely felt like a springboard for Phase 5 which got my juices flowing.

I’ll be honest, I was slightly concerned prior to seeing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania just because of the early screening feedback from critics, but I made it a point not to read any of the reviews before I could escape parenthood for two hours and see the movie for myself to form my own opinion. What a trendsetter I am! But in all seriousness, it really is such a satisfying feeling when a movie defies all of the criticism, plus full disclosure, I would have been super bummed if this movie was bad. Now it wasn’t perfect and I will talk more about that later, but the good far outweighs the bad and I had a smile on my face from start to finish.

For my money the best part of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in my humble opinion is the characters and how great they are together. The cast is stacked, from national treasure Paul Rudd to Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Evangeline Lilly, Kathryn Newton, Randall Park, and quite possibly the hottest actor working today in Jonathan Majors, and it really seemed like everyone genuinely had a blast making this movie. The tone of the film is kept fairly light for the most part, making for some opportunities for the writing team to have some fun with the cast and they take full advantage. I personally laughed out loud more times than I can count and thought the film had a ton of great one-liners you will want to share with your friends as soon as you leave the theater. I also thought the chemistry between the characters seemed genuine making it easy for viewers to become immersed in the overall experience.

I’ve heard some criticism in terms of the special effects/CGI for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but I honestly did not have an issue with it. Because the film takes place pretty much entirely in the Quantum Realm, the visuals are pretty wacky from the beginning. As I mentioned earlier in the review right away the vibe I was getting was Star Wars meets Strange World in terms of the environments and the characters. I thought the creativity of both was great, and I really liked how these ridiculous characters were able to add so much to the comedic element of the film. I won’t spoil anything, but my favorite antagonist who happens to be a surprise returning character is the epitome of the whacky visuals, and he cracked me up from the start because he was just so damn ridiculous. If you can’t have fun with these characters, you may need to re-evaluate your willingness to just let go and just enjoy the simple things in life. Just saying.

THE BAD

As I said Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania isn’t perfect, and certainly could have been better. First, it felt a bit light on story compared to the first two films, but as the first movie in Phase 5, it is a tricky balance. It just didn’t hit quite as hard as far as the emotional element as it did rely that much more on humor. This is personal preference but I would have liked to have seen more of the movie take place outside of the Quantum Realm, but it is called Quantumania after all. Mainly because it was a bummer not seeing Michael Peña and T.I. who are hilarious in the first two films.

As far as the CGI and the visuals in general, I thought they were great and fit the vibe of the film. For me, they never felt too over the top because they set the tone early on and sort of made it clear that anything goes in the Quantum Realm. I’m not going to talk about the hits or misses as it relates to the comics because well, I have zero familiarity with them, so in no way shape, or form does the movie rub me the wrong way. Some people may have an issue with the fact that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania definitely relies on humor and lacks any sort of gritty feel, but for me, it worked and made for a very entertaining experience.

THE VERDICT

Visuals that deliver a Star Wars meets Strange World vibe with a hefty dose of laugh-out-loud humor thanks to several great one-liners from the talented cast, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was just so much fun and absolutely met my expectations. Trashing this movie feels less about the actual film and more about issues surrounding the film and the industry as a whole. As regular guys who just happen to review movies, we strive to remain impartial and do what we can to give our unbiased opinions, and more than anything else we review movies based on what they are trying to accomplish, and whether or not they were successful. Our own personal enjoyment matters too, of course.

Bottom line, after seeing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania I left the theater smiling and I can’t wait to see it again, so for me, this one is easy to recommend and is well worth the price of admission. Be sure to stick around for BOTH post-credit scenes, one of which is after the conclusion of the credits.