Ant-Man (2015)
A a part of me will constantly sneer at Ant-Man because of behind-the-scenes turmoil that ousted authentic director Edgar Wright. In every other universe (or multiverse, in case you will), the acclaimed director of Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver helms Ant-Man, crafts the fine Marvel movie to date, and paves the manner for greater auteurs to lend their innovative visions to our cherished superheroes.
Alas, Wright departed the undertaking for reasons, and Peyton Reed did his fine to mimic the previous director`s style. As such, Ant-Man has splashes of creativity however in no way rises to its potential.
Paul Rudd is amazing withinside the name role, even as Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly provide sturdy guide as Hank and Hope Pym. Less powerful is Corey Stoll, whose Darren Cross/Yellowjacket villain is greater nuisance than menace.
Ant-Man entertains in spades, however one can`t assist however experience upset at what might have been if the authentic imaginative and prescient turned into visible out.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
I came away mixed on Ant-Man 3. On the one hand, it is an ambitious MCU entry with eye-popping action and imagination to spare, featuring a unique villain in Jonathan Majors’ ferocious Kang. On the other hand, this bloated chapter tries to do too much within its 124-minute runtime and eventually crumbles under its own weight. However, it doesn’t deserve the flak it’s received from many critics, but I would be lying if I called it a very good movie.
Instead, Quantumania feels like an ambitious misfire that probably needed another year or so of development to iron out its problems. Coming off the heels of James Cameron’s dazzling Avatar: The Way of Water doesn’t help, as Ant-Man’s VFX look paltry by comparison — never once do our characters look like they’re in another world. Many of the comedy beats fall flat — Bill Murray, in particular, disappoints in a brief cameo — and the action, while larger-than-life, gets a tad overwhelming.
I`m now no longer precisely bought on Paul Rudd`s dramatic chops, either. Peyton Reed makes a valiant try to show Scott Lang into greater than only a lovely B-grade hero, however the heavy-passed drama and severe movement don`t precisely play to Rudd`s strengths as an actor. His easygoing attraction receives misplaced amidst the nonstop barrage of unconvincing CGI, as does his commonly sharp comedian timing.
Supporting gamers Michelle Pfeiffer and Evangeline Lilly do what they are able to in underwritten roles at the same time as Michael Douglas sleepwalks thru an limitless onslaught of horrible dialogue. Similarly, after first of all performing as a threat, Kang turns into a strolling monologue whose dreams are in no way pretty understood past looking to ruin the opposite Kangs for motives unbeknownst to the viewer.
Now, all of that said, I nevertheless dug Quantumania. There`s masses to criticize, however the movie held my interest for 2 hours, sometimes made me laugh (M.O.D.O.K. turned into a pleasing touch), and amazed me with its quirky choices. I favored the limitless wave of weird creatures and the limitless opportunities offered via way of means of this unusual world. I additionally dug Kathryn Newton`s Cassie Lang, whose love for her father is matched best via way of means of her plucky spirit — aleven though I`m nevertheless looking to recognize how she constructed the Quantum thingy on the movie`s beginning.
Quantumania is a mess, however it additionally seems like a step withinside the proper route for the MCU. It may work down as one of the lesser Marvel efforts, however I`ll in no way fault a movie for dreaming big.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
None of the Ant-Man films are bad, nor are they standouts in the MCU. All three films work as bite-sized comedies aided by Rudd’s sturdy presence, but I can’t say I’ve ever walked out of an Ant-Man entry with a desire to rewatch it a second time immediately.
So, forgive me if I admit to not remembering a thing about Ant-Man and the Wasp, the 2018 sequel that arrived immediately following Avengers: Infinity War. I saw it once in theaters and, considering everything that happens in Infinity War, walked away disappointed — did we need this weird comedy beat set during a tense time in the Marvel universe?
At least, that was my assessment five years ago.
However, I enjoyed Ant-Man and the Wasp quite a bit on a recent rewatch. It’s leagues better than most of the MCU’s latest outings, and its kinetic energy is easy to latch onto. Director Peyton Reed leans into the comic trappings with vigor and finds unique ways to show off Ant-Man’s ridiculous powers — the San Francisco chase is a blast! It’s still B-level Marvel at best and a far cry from something like Captain America: Winter Soldier. However, everyone involved brings their A-game (particularly Laurence Fishburne, who has yet to return to the franchise for some reason) and elevates Ant-Man and the Wasp into a surprisingly robust superhero outing.