Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania has officially been screened for a select few critics, and now, it's time for their reactions to start hitting the web.
Quantumania promises to be far different than the two Ant-Man adventures that proceeded it. This time around, the key question that inspired the movie was a notably interesting one: "What if Ant-Man [was] accidentally in an Avengers movie by himself?"
Enter Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror, this time as the true threatening Variant that fans know him to be—the one who will go on to fight the Avengers one day.
But how exactly will Ant-Man and Kang's showdown unfold? Is the movie in over its head? Is Majors as good as everyone hopes?
First Reactions of Quantumania
Some critics have now seen Marvel Studios' latest, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, and they have a lot to say about it.
Erik Davis from Fandango compared the movie to "a psychedelic rollercoaster full of frightening [and] hilarious oddities" and said that there are "big Star Wars vibes:"
"PHASE 5 HAS BEGUN! The new Ant-Man movie is like a psychedelic rollercoaster full of frightening & hilarious oddities, plus one VERY menacing Kang. Big STAR WARS vibes meet the MCU at its freakiest & most inventive. MODOK is a riot, but Jonathan Majors conquers. Loved the ride!"
He continued, teasing "significant things" in the post-credits sequences:
"Definitely make sure you stay for the credits because there are significant things to. I really dug how 'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania' is both a Part 1 of Phase 5, but also a self-contained Ant-Man story that’s funny & sweet & features a kick-ass Michelle Pfeiffer. Good stuff."
On Twitter, Daniel Baptista from The Movie Podcast noted that the movie might be "overly ambitious" but that "Jonathan Majors is an absolute FORCE," and "the final battle is ASTONISHING:"
"'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania' is a solid, yet overly ambitious start to the next phase of the MCU. Jonathan Majors is an absolute FORCE as Kang and the NEW KING of the Multiverse. The final battle is ASTONISHING, but I really missed the comedic charm throughout."
Dempsey Pilot from The DisInsider admitted that he "had a blast" with the film, and specifically pointed out how good Jeff Loveness' script was:
"Had a blast with 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' Paul Rudd has never been better & Jonathan Majors effortlessly conquers every second of screen-time he gets, BUT the real star of the film is Jeff Loveness’ script: a reminder of how beautifully strange & mysterious the MCU still is."
Courtney Howard from LA Film Critics admitted that it had a "frustratingly rough [first] act" and that the "story [ended where it] should've began:"
"After a frustratingly rough act 1, 'Ant-Man and TheWasp: Quantumania' finally gets going, only to end where this story should’ve began. While the external stakes are clear & weighty, emotional drive felt slight (and levity even lighter). That said, Jonathan Majors rules."
CNET senior writer Sean Keane felt that the movie had "way too much going on" and that the threat Jonathan Majors' Kang "represents is too abstract:"
"'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania' has way too much going on -- it’s tough to connect emotionally to any of it. Jonathan Majors’ Kang is a charismatic, intense baddy and visually awesome, but the threat he represents is too abstract."
Jana Seitzer from Geek Girls Universe brought the mood back up with her thoughts on the film, explaining how the film was "a splendid visual feast" and "the best of the Ant-Man movies:"
"'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania' is a splendid visual feast. The best of the 'Ant-Man' movies, complete w/ humor, heart & the tie in to the Kang Dynasty we’ve been waiting for. Jonathan Majors is on fire & Kathry Nnewton is baller in her marvel debut. Feb 17 can’t come soon enough."
Illuminerdi's Joseph Deckelmeier continued the positive praise, saying that the movie was "such a fun way to kick off Phase 5" and that he can't wait to see "the ramifications of this film in the MCU:"
"'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania;' is such a fun way to kick off Phase 5. Each 'Ant-Man' film has been better than the last. This is no exception. Can't wait to see more Kang and the ramifications of this film in the MCU."
Andi Ortiz from The Wrap really enjoyed "the dynamic between Scott [Lang] and Cassie" in the MCU threequel:
"I think my favorite part of 'Ant-Man and The Wasp' was the dynamic between Scott and Cassie. Every time he calls her “peanut,” I just kind of want to cry. Please make 10 more one-shots just of him catching up on her birthdays."
They continued, calling attention to how great Jonathan Majors' performance was and how it seemed clear that the actor was "having the best time with it:"
"In other 'Ant-Man and The Wasp' feelings—which won't come as a surprise—Jonathan Majors as Kang really is a force, and he honestly seems to be having the best time with it. I'm real excited to see him square up with more Avengers."
Big Screen Leaks (BSL) called the movie one of the "MCU's most fascinating entries:"
"'Ant-Man and The Wasp' kicks off Phase 5 with one of the MCUs most fascinating entries. This movie is Star Wars meets Ant-Man and I dug it for the most part. Jonathan Majors DEMANDS your attention as Kang and he absolutely SHINES. BIG implications for the future too!"
Steven Weintraub noted that Quantumania is "a strong start to Phase 5" while also adding to the praise of Jonathan Majors' Kang:
"Marvel's 'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania' is a strong start to Phase 5. I now understand why it’s called 'Quantumania'. Jonathan Majors is excellent as Kang and cannot wait to see where this all goes. 2 after the credits scenes and both are very good."
Comicbook.com Brandon Davis labeled Quantumania as "Marvel's weirdest, zaniest movie to date:"
"'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania' is by far Marvel’s weirdest, zaniest movie to date. Jonathan Majors stands out strongly. Kang elevates the whole film. Majors and Paul Rudd are intense together. Loads of CGI, crazy new characters, and an exciting trajectory for the MCU saga."
The Direct's own Richard Nebens praised the project for "[taking] big swings," even if all of them didn't land:
"'Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania takes big swings, hits on most but not all. Captivating visuals which elevate a fun story, but some stakes were lacking. Kang is HERE. What an incredible performance from Jonathan Majors. Overall, a solid start to Phase 5!"
Ant-Man Hits Some Road Blocks, but Kang Crushes
Overall, the reactions seem to be mixed, leaning toward positive.
Going by the majority of the reactions, it does sound like the movie might have too much going on. This likely isn't surprising for many—after all, the threequel had to introduce a new core hero, bring in Kang the Conqueror, add MODOK to the mix, and flesh out basically a whole new world.
Thankfully, it doesn't seem like it's a complete miss in any sense of the word.
Fans will likely be relieved also to hear that Majors is living up to the hype, setting the MCU up for a charismatic and terrifying villain to fill that Thanos-sized hole.
It sounds like Paul Rudd crushes it once again, as does Kathryn Newton in her official debut. Strangely absent from most reactions are any specifics regarding Wasp's role in the proceedings—the same goes for both Michael Douglas' Hank and Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet.
Audiences will be able to form their own opinions on the project when it lands in theaters on Friday, February 17.
