Gajarthan Thevarajah

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Falls Flat - A Disappointing Entry in the MCU

Marvel movies are known for their blend of sentiment, humor, and action. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is an exception to this rule. The majority of the film takes place in the Quantum Realm, a microworld where Janet Van Dyne reveals the existence of an elaborate universe of alien tribes in constant conflict, including Kang, a dangerous, all-powerful being. However, the film fails to establish the connection between the Quantum Realm and Ant-Man and the Wasp. The adventures in the Quantum Realm look like they were meant to be a knockoff version of Star Wars or Thor Ragnarok but lack the wonderment, terror, and imagination of those films. The characters seem to wander listlessly through the psychedelic-album-cover-style environments, failing to convey any emotion or sense of urgency. Even Kang, played by Jonathan Majors, seems underwhelming, with his performance mostly involving walking around and softly muttering his dialogue. The action is tired, the universe unconvincing, and nobody onscreen looks like they want to be there. Overall, Quantumania fails to make you feel anything, resulting in numb alienation, which is not what you would expect from a superhero flick.