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Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Early Buzz: Best 'Star Wars Movie' Since The Last Jedi

Paul Rudd Ant Man Wasp Quantumania Marvel Studios
By Akhil Arora

The first reactions to "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" are here — and they are largely about the new villain. Everyone loves Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, who is being described as "excellent," "a force," and "fierce, yet nuanced." According to several critics, the 33-year-old actor "conquers," "kills it," "completely rules," and is "having the best time." Others believe Majors is "great as Kang," and Marvel Studios has "found the perfect actor." The new "Ant-Man" film is his second appearance in the role — Kang is a variant of He Who Remains from "Loki" who needs access to Pym Particles to get out of the Quantum Realm, a subatomic dimension that was first introduced in "Ant-Man and the Wasp."

There's a significant amount of praise for Michelle Pfeiffer too, who returns as Janet van Dyne from "Ant-Man and the Wasp", the original Wasp lost in the Quantum Realm for three decades before she was rescued. Alongside, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are back as Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Hope van Dyne / Wasp, respectively. Michael Douglas reprises his role as Hank Pym from the first two "Ant-Man" films. Kathryn Newton plays Scott's teenage daughter Cassie Lang, taking over from Emma Fuhrmann who briefly played her in "Avengers: Endgame." Some critics love the "wonderful" family dynamic, while others are moved by the father-daughter bond between Rudd and Newton.

As for the film itself, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" — directed by "Ant-Man" veteran Peyton Reed, with Jeff Loveness ("Rick and Morty") as the writer — is being labeled wacky and weird. A few reactions are calling it akin to a "Star Wars" movie — "big Star Wars vibes meet the Marvel Cinematic Universe," one writes — with one going so far as to label it the "best Star Wars movie" since "The Last Jedi."

Not everyone is on board the Quantumania

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That said, there are a few complaints. /Film's Jeremy Mathai calls it "loud, super-sized, and constantly dialed up to 11. Too bad so little of it feels new, visually creative, or, uh, just plain interesting. Not even Jonathan Majors can save this hollow, repetitive exercise."

CNET's Sean Keane thinks there's "way too much going on — it's tough to connect emotionally to any of it. Kang is a charismatic, intense baddy and visually awesome, but the threat he represents is too abstract."

Most of the early reactions are positive though, with critics noting the visuals, humor, and stakes. Some feel it's the best "Ant-Man" film yet. Of course, that doesn't mean a whole lot — early buzz for "Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" was also very positive, but the reviews were a step down.

io9's Germain Lussier calls it "a huge sci-fi adventure with gorgeous world-building that feels almost little un-Marvel in how much world-building there is." For Fandango's Erik Davis, the third "Ant-Man" movie is a "psychedelic rollercoaster full of frightening [and] hilarious oddities." CineXpress's Fico Cangiano writes that it's "the best of the trilogy. Higher stakes, dangers [and] repercussions."

A family affair

Michelle Pfieffer Michael Douglas Ant Man Wasp Quantumania Marvel Studios

The favorite part of "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" for The Wrap's Andi Ortiz is the father-daughter dynamic between Paul Rudd's Scott Lang and Kathryn Newton's Cassie Lang. "Every time he calls her 'peanut,' I just kind of want to cry," he writes. The "family dynamic is dependably wonderful," EPN's Victor Lucas adds.

Lucas also loves Michelle Pfeiffer, as did Uproxx's Mike Ryan who says: "For a good portion of the movie Michelle Pfeiffer is the main character, which is awesome." For io9's Germain Lussier, Jonathan Majors "completely rules" but Pfeiffer "steals" the show. Adding to the praise for Kang, CineXpress's Fico Cangiano thinks he's "one [of] the best MCU villains. As soon as Jonathan Mayors comes in, [it's] his show. Kang is a scary lean-mean multiverse big baddie."

Fandango's Erik Davis thinks M.O.D.O.K. — a mutated individual with an oversized head, played by Corey Stoll who was Yellowjacket in "Ant-Man" — is a "riot."

The Kang Dynasty begins

Kang Jonathan Majors Ant Man Wasp Quantumania Marvel Studios

A few critics are also happy that the new "Ant-Man" movie isn't bothered with setting up future entries even though it's part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fandango's Erik Davis notes he "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." For Collider's Steven Weintraub, this is a "strong start to Phase 5" and he "cannot wait to see where this all goes."

For EPN's Victor Lucas though, this is a "big movie carrying a ton of franchise weight." Uproxx's Mike Ryan notes we're going to get a lot more of Jonathan Majors' Kang, but he's not sure if "about the whole, 'you think Thanos was bad? Meet Kang!,' strategy. He's fun here, but to be the big bad over multiple projects?"

The Wrap's Andi Ortiz says he is "excited to see him square up with more Avengers." That'll happen in a couple of years in "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty," coming May 2025 to theatres.

Full reviews are out on February 14. "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" releases February 17, 2023, in cinemas worldwide.

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