Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
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THE QUANTUM REALM — I'll never forget the summer of 2008 when I was living in New York City and decided to explore my new neighborhood on my first Saturday there. I was strolling down 125th Street in Harlem when I found the Magic Johnson Theater directly across from the famed Apollo Theater.
I decided it was a fine day to see a movie and went inside and bought one ticket to "Iron Man." I wasn't sure what to expect. Growing up, I was not a comic book kid; I had heard of Iron Man but knew nothing about him. I sat in that crowded theater with hundreds of strangers. We had a great Saturday afternoon watching Tony Stark become Iron Man on the big screen.
My excitement for Marvel movies started that day in May 2008, but it has been waning over the last couple of years. Admittedly, there are some Marvel titles I did not care for. Still, there are others I find wildly entertaining. Two of those movies are "Ant-Man" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp."
The trailers for the third installment, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," didn't excite me, but I was curious and hopeful. Those hopes have been dashed for me, and while I was crossing my fingers for another movie outing like the one in Harlem 14 years ago, I hate to report it was quite the opposite.
Here are a few reasons why "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is another tick in the not-for-me column of the Marvel universe.
It doesn't know what it wants to be
I know Disney now owns Marvel, Star Wars, Fox and likely your mortgage, but that doesn't mean all their properties need to cross over. Now, everyone, calm down, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is not a Marvel/Star Wars crossover, but it's the closest thing to it we've seen.
I will only go into a bit of detail to cut down on spoilers. Still, as the trailers suggest, Scott Lang and his family are sucked into the Quantum Realm and have a new adventure in this miniature universe. But as it turns out, the Quantum Realm looks like it's right out of a Star Wars film.
It has different beings I swear I've seen on Tatooine, weapons I'm pretty sure I've seen an Ewok wield and flying beasts I may or may not have seen in "Avatar" (another Disney property).
I say "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" doesn't know what it wants to be because I can't tell if I'm watching a Marvel movie, an Ant-Man movie, or a Star Wars spin-off. Whatever it was, it didn't land for me.
It's not fun anymore
The thing I loved about the first two Ant-Man movies was how much fun I had. Paul Rudd is terrific as Scott Lang, and he brings a lot of humor to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. He's also an everyday guy who finds himself in not-so-everyday scenarios, which makes him relatable.
This new outing leaves most of that behind.
Sure, some jokes and some surprise cameos are fun, but I just didn't enjoy myself like I did with the others, and some of that has to do with the setting. The film starts with a monologue from Scott as he walks down the streets of San Francisco, and I was all in at that point. Then we ended up on Endor — I mean in the Quantum Realm — and we lost that humor.
Another thing that should have been added to the movie was Michael Pena's Luis. Some of the most memorable moments from the first two films came from him, and he's nowhere to be found in this movie.
We've seen this storyline a thousand times before
I want you to try something for me. Think of any movie you've seen or book you've read as of late. Take a minute to think about it. You'll realize that in one shape or another, it's something you've already seen or read but packaged a little differently. You hate to admit it, but there aren't many stories out there that haven't been told before, especially by Shakespeare. But what makes "new" stories interesting is the twists writers and creators put on these familiar narratives.
Marvel has never been known for blazing new story-telling ground, but it has found ways to keep some of these stories fresh. It feels like producers have given up on that and are now just recycling villains, plot lines and motivations.
I was not expecting something wholly new from this movie. Still, I was hoping for a villain who wasn't more or less all-powerful, with a complicated past and a plan to wipe out entire universes because of a skewed vision of what is right and wrong and, ultimately, of the greater good. Lo and behold, my hopes were tossed into the air only to be dropped to the floor and shattered into a million pieces.
I know Marvel has a formula, but it's OK to tweak it occasionally.
What parents should know
"Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is about what you would expect from a Marvel film. A few off-color jokes may get your kids asking a few questions, but it is on par with other Marvel films. This should be fine if you and your family have been good with the first two Ant-Man movies.
Should I go see it?
If you're a die-hard Marvel fan, you have rolled your eyes throughout this review and said to yourself, "This guy just doesn't get it. I can't wait to get on the comment board and tell him he doesn't get it."
Then there are those like me who feel like Marvel is starting to wear a little thin and think I am not all that crazy.
If you're the former, then you should go see the movie. I have no doubt you'll have a blast, and there are some who will read my description of a pseudo-Marvel/Star Wars crossover and get excited. This movie is for you.
For those in the latter group, wait until it drops in Disney+ or RedBox to satisfy your curiosity.
I really didn't enjoy "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," despite its OK moments. Overall, it was an unfortunate miss for an otherwise fun series.
"Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is officially rated PG-13 for violence, action and language.
