Super Heroes Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and The Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible.

THE GOOD

I really love the cast in this movie. You can’t talk about this movie without talking about Jonathan Majors. Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror steals the whole entire movie. I find myself mostly waiting for him to return to the screen and play this character. Kang is incredibly mesmerizing with his strong stoic performance showcasing his bubbling anger that is building up inside. I also really enjoy Michelle Pfeiffer in this film. Janet Van Dyne as the original Wasp finally gets more screen time in this franchise and we get to learn more about her character. Michelle Pfeiffer Janet is also the major scene stealer and is a huge standout in this ensemble. Paul Rudd is just as fun and funny as we expect in this movie and reminds me why he makes such a fantastic Ant-Man. He’s not as acrobatic as he was in prior films but overall this cast makes this movie work. Oh, and M.O.D.O.K. is amazing.

Ant-Man 3 has a really fun story and dives deeper into the scientific side of Marvel. Exploring the Quantum Realm is satisfying allowing us to finally explore the universe beneath ours. It’s incredibly satisfying to explore this beautiful world, seeing M.O.D.O.K. and finally seeing the quantum realm people. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when we see Scott and Cassie forced to “Drink The Ooze”. These moments make the Quantum realm seem more real as they have their own species, cultures, and languages. This environment gives Ant-Man an opportunity to be heroic without the pressure of a world that knows him as an Avenger weighing him down. Scott is able to lead his group with confidence without having to satisfy Avenger-level expectations… except when he mentions that he’s an Avenger.

The Bad

The CGI can be too much at times. I like that this movie moves away from the familiar but there are times when it feels like a crutch. A majority of the film seems like it was filmed in front of a green screen which is distracting in some scenes. There’s a moment when Scott and Cassie are with the Quantum people when Kang’s forces attack. This entire scene loses any sense of threat when you see the actors running in a noticeable fake environment. There are a few other moments like this that really disrupts the immersion and momentum of the story. Another example is that scene with Kang and the ants. You’ll know it when you see it.

Bill Murray’s casting wasn’t even funny and feels wasted. This is unfortunate and is up there with the wasted casting of Benicio Del Toro as The Collector. There are more than a few moments where it feels like the film stuffs in characters needlessly. I do like that they try to work everyone into the story but Bill Murray is the most egregious of needless casting. The one casting that should have made it to the movie but didn’t is Michael Pena’s Luis. Somehow, someway, this movie found a way to fail the assignment and provide a satisfying Luis story recap. Major miss there.

Overall

Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania is easily my favorite Ant-Man movie. This is helped by the fact that Jonathan Majors’ Kang is the best villain in the franchise. It is odd that Ant-Man was able to defeat Kang in the end but I accept it because of comic books. It’s silly, and shouldn’t happen but it’s the nonsense I love about comic book storytelling adapted to the big screen and I’m here for it. If I can’t see a movie where the villain loses because he gets dragged away by a horde of ants then I don’t want it.