Ant-Man and the Wasp : Quantumania review

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania review

Timelost. It’s something everyone feels, even if it’s just being that bit older in the wake of the Pandemic. For anyone with children in their lives it’s hard. To see them cut off and to be cut off from them.

I have a Nephew and Niece. Ramesh and Jai. The last time I was in a room with them was February half term of 2020. 

I threw Ramesh around in an attempt to train him to be superman, and I mean, at ten he was heavy, but I could still lift him to fly.  Jai was on her phone, and i thought she wanted a hug; she didn’t. She wanted a charger. She was seven and came out with this.

“I hate social media Uncle robin: Its where Hatey girls, tell Happy girls, and they have to be married, and miserable like them, POOO!”

But then the pandemic came. I’m with grandpa and gra,ndma so we stay in the house, and the kids call me an AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D., I even have a mug that says that. I do my bit, I still get very proud of what I did for my folks. Especially Mum. I’m modest about the fact I aced lockdowns and was there for my folks. But I missed birthdays and the kids well. Ramesh is now 13, and I annoyed him by accidentally adding all his friends to my Xbox group. Jai is now rising to 10 and working on dismantling the patriarchy while wearing heels. Think bold it’s a good deal.

It is so, being a small house with a small family and just regular folk making our attempt to connect and reconnect. That part of the film it totally absorbs.The interplay and family dynamic between them all and the chemistry between Cassie and Scott as trying hard to jump the rift between them gives ant man a real sense of motivation and heat as the Pyms and Van dynes become the space family robinson.

It’s all in the character and Michelle Pfiffer deserves real acclaim for taking a role that has so far been damsel/secondary and really bringing Janet to the fore. Currently the flashpoint trailer has been getting all the memes. But this film sees Catwoman roar and frankly turn to Michael Keaton and go ‘hold my whip’ while stealing each and every scene that she is in.

Jonathan Majors ‘Kang’ is equally gripping in character. A complicated villain to portray without falling into theatrics, he manages to deliver the more convoluted aspects of time fascist without falling for histrionics or absurdities. To bring such weight to an abstract role is a display of great talent.

Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang gets some shining moments too. The idealist to her dads pragmatism, she also displays some great comedy chops in timing and giving the life lessons out as much as taking them.

Modok though brings most of the humour and the quirky aliens do get tired real fast. IN a post multiverse of madness and nowhere realm the writing seems quite sparse on the fun points and like giant man, the larger the laughs intent the more hollow the source.

This is a darker film and sadly does veer into Thor liek territory with the depiction of this realm being part dark world and karaoke of ragnarok. The plot itself still falls into the marvel tropes of “quick! Get the thing before he does the thing and unleashes his FULL POWERRRR” KIND OF HYPERBOLICS AT THE END. WHY AM I IN CAPS BECAUSE IT IS. There is little lag in the film and it’s mostly a straight run adventure, but it’s been done. And while there is an element of design to help make it stand out from guardians’ space. There is also an issue with how to sell it. It’s an ant man in a world without ants. It’s a giant man, but with no recognizable buildings or city escape, how big is he for me to care about?

The audience was largely dads and younger boys. The screening seems quite subdued, like the film. I think as a film about time, falling in half term will have done it some very generous favours.

And I can’t wait to see what my nephew and niece think of it. Because it’s not that the film doesn’t have heart, it’s just too weak to forgive the trope on a rope of the third act. 

One to stream.