‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Review: Lang Vs. Kang
Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror in Marvel Studios' ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA.
It’s been four years since we’ve seen Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly’s Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Hope Van Dyne/the Wasp, in Avengers: Endgame. (And five since Ant-Man and the Wasp). Joining our favorite Marvel power couple in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is his teenage daughter Cassie ( Kathryn Newton). Back again is and Hope’s parents Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer).
The five of them end up the Quantum Realm, and well, Quantumania ensues. It’s very cool looking. Ditto for the realm’s creatures: some are so weird, you’d think they were from Rick and Morty.
In Quantumania, we finally find out what happened in the 30 years Janet has been stuck down there. She doesn’t make it easy, of course. But what kind of movie would it be if we were given all the answers right away?
We find out from the trailer that the Quantum Realm is in fact, its own universe. If you’ve been following the Marvel movies and television shows up until now, you’ve got a pretty decent understanding of the multiverse. And that concept is integral to this film. The antagonist, played by Jonathan Majors, made his debut in the final episode of Loki. In that series, he was called “He Who Remains.” Here, he’s a variant of that character, but he’s called Kang The Conqueror.
Majors’ Kang gives Josh Brolin’s Thanos a run for his money. This film is our real introduction to the chief villain of Phase Five. It gives us a lot to look forward to. Majors’ delivery was truly menacing. We can’t wait to see him cause more havoc and destruction in future films. Bill Murray made his Marvel debut as a character called Lord Krylar. He is the governor of Axia, a cushy community within the Quantum Realm. Seeing him in a space setting made him seem right at home.
As for the returning cast members, we love Pfeiffer’s performance as Janet, as we haven’t seen much of her in the previous installment. Though frustrating at times due to her keeping secrets from her family, she pushed the story along. Douglas is a little bit older in this film and is now wearing a hearing aid, but he still loves his ants. Don’t worry, even though this film focuses on Kang and the Quantum Realm, we see some ant-action. Unfortunately, the Wasp didn’t have much to do. The shorter haircut on Lilly doesn’t seem to match her kinder demeanor in the third film. Newcomer to the MCU Kathryn Newton is a cute addition to the crew, so we want to see how her character progresses in future installments.
Catch Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in theaters on Friday, February 17.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania: Watch These Films + Shows First
Now that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is out, Marvel fans are looking forward to the next MCU film. That would be the third Ant-Man film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Ant-Man isn’t the most famous Marvel Comics character, but Paul Rudd’s portrayal of Scott Lang, a petty criminal looking for redemption, has won over audiences over the course of his story arc. We’re about to take a deep dive into his appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
First, a bit of comic book history: the original Ant-Man was Hank Pym, played by Michael Douglas in the films. Co-created by Stan Lee, legendary artist Jack Kirby and writer Larry Lieber, Pym debuted in Tales To Astonish #27 in January of 1962, in what was supposed to be a one-off story. In that story, he didn’t have a super-hero name or costume; he only had the power to shrink to the size of an insect. Later that year, he returned in Tales To Astonish #35 as the Ant-Man. His future wife, Janet Van Dyne (played by Michelle Pfeiffer in the films) became the Wasp. She was able to shrink, grow wings (so she could fly) and shoot energy blasts (or “stings”) from her hands. She was co-created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and writer Ernie Hart, and debuted in Tales To Astonish #44 in June of 1963. Hank and Janet were founding members of the Avengers debuting in Avengers #1 in September of 1963.
Hank eventually altered his powers, gaining the ability to grow to be 12 feet tall and getting super strength; he changed his name to Goliath and Giant-Man. Later, he adopted a new identity as Yellowjacket. Pym also struggled with mental health issues (and this was well before comic books were comfortable with addressing that sort of topic); Janet divorced him and he ended up incarcerated. Janet, meanwhile, had an easier time as a hero, and balanced her life with a career as a fashion designer (appropriately, she often changed her costume design).
Scott Lang made his first appearance in Avengers #181 in 1978, and first appeared as Ant-Man in Marvel Premiere #47, later in 1978. Lang was a burglar who broke into Hank Pym’s house to steal his Ant-Man suit and shrinking gas for a heist and — similarly to the film — he ends up becoming Ant-Man. In the comic books, Hope Van Dyne (played by Evangeline Lilly in the films) inherits the mantle of the Wasp.
In case you aren’t a Marvel fanatic, here’s a guide to the movies and shows you need to see before Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17, 2023.
Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.
