Source: Marvel Entertainment Youtube Channel
We have seen Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) character goes from petty thief, where the only thing he cares about is his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) to being an Avenger with Cassie showing Scott that you must care about more than himself and his immediate family. Cassie shows Scott that he needs to start caring about the plight of others. This version of Cassie seemed a little whiny and preachy at times but then I thought Cassie has been through a lot. She had to raise herself for 5 years during the blip and she has learned compassion for her fellow man who were displaced when the people of the blip came back.
In this movie, Cassie has been building a grandfatherly relationship with Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and a mother type , friend relationship with Hope (Evangeline Lily). Hope has become the head of Pym Industries. Cassie, who is extremely smart, has created a device with the help of Hank and Hope to communicate with the Quantum Realm. To the chagrin of Scott and Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) who both agree that he is dangerous. OF course the device malfunctions, and pulls them all into the Quantum realm.
The Quantum realm is an eye illuminating field of vibrant color. There is life in this realm. Life where we don’t know if they will help or hurt Scott and the gang. Scott and Cassie get separated from Hank, Hope and Janet. Scott and Cassie end up meeting some locals who were refugees due to Kang’s (Jonathan Majors) takeover of the realm. We meet some of the locals there, such as Quaz (William Jackson) who’s a mind reader, Veb (David Dastmalchian) who loves holes and Jentorra (Katy O’Brian) who is a warrior and leader amongst the locals. Kang eventually gets Cassie and Scott and that’s when the movie really begins.
Jonathan Majors portrayal of Kang is frightening. The way he can go from sympathetic to menacing in the blink of an eye is scary. The scenes between Scott and Kang are mesmerizing and you feel that Scott is over his head dealing with Kang. There’s a flashback scene that shows when Janet met Kang. Kang manipulated Janet into thinking he was a scientist, showing how charming and manipulative he can be. The chemistry between Jonathan Majors and Michelle Pfeiffer was really good and we get a glimpse of what she went through while in the quantum realm.
There are few call backs to the first two Ant Man movies. The love and control that Hank Pym has with ants and how Pym technologies which were mentioned throughout the Marvel universe could be used for good but if in the wrong hands, not so much. Speaking of coming full circle, we also see M.O.D.O.K.(Cory Stall). In the first Ant Man movie he was the big bad and turned into Yellow Jacket. During the final fight between him and Ant Man in Cassie’s room , Scott ended up sending him into the Quantum realm where Kang found him and turned him into the murdering henchman M.O.D.O.K. This character was funny and sad. In the end. He got his arch with how it began with Cassie.
There are two post credit scenes. Some critics were complaining about the CGI but that scene is there for a reason. The second scene is a connector to another Marvel property.
All in all, Ant Man and the Wasp Quantumania accomplished being the first movie in Phase 5 that brings the Ant Man’s character arch to a close. Like Iron Man, Thor, Dr. Strange and Spiderman, by the 3rd movie all of these characters showed growth and maturity. We have gone from seeing Scott being scared and out of his league to fully embracing his role of Ant Man becoming a strong leader, a true Avenger. Was Ant Man and the Wasp Quantumania a top tier Marvel movie? No. I can understand how Marvel fans are slightly dissatisfied with this movie. Some of the stories felt rushed and some of the relationships are not totally flushed out, i.e. Lord Krylar (Bill Murray) and his relationship with Janet amongst others. This movie is the beginning of Phase 5 and like another movie that no one really cared for but ended up being important, Age of Ultron, I believe this movie will end up being in that same vein down the line.