Paul Rudd returns in his incredible shrinking suit to meet Kang the Conqueror and a teen sucked into the subatomic Quantum Realm.
Rudd’s a charismatic performer, the kind of actor you always want to root for, and he creates tangible onscreen bonds with his co-stars. His charm brings a magnetism that is irresistible.
The official kick off of phase five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) finds the cast 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 was possible.
The humour remains, but the stakes are higher with Kang the Conqueror’s full power on display in the surreal and quite spacey Quantum Realm. Ant-Man is a somewhat ironic choice for a very, very big job: Kicking off the next phase of Marvel movies. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania establishes Kang the Conqueror as a truly formidable and worthy villain.
You might remember that the Quantum Realm is a secret universe that exists beneath ours. It was briefly shown in the first two Ant-Man movies.
What we didn’t previously see was the layers and worlds of the Quantum Realm, an alien-esque landscape that visually draws from other MCU titles such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok. With micro-fauna forests and pulsating luminescent wildlife, it is absolutely a worthwhile visit.
The third instalment in the Ant-Man movies, and the 31st overall MCU film, is a superhero epic of gargantuan proportions that sometimes overwhelms and overstimulates, but still manages to deliver genuine human emotions.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, rated PG, plays at the Patricia Theatre from March 17 to 23 at 7 pm, with a matinee on Sunday, March 19, at 1:30 pm. Running time is two hours and five minutes.
Gary Shilling is executive director of qathet Film Society.
