Kang versus Lang kicks off phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This new wave of Marvel will be centered around the Kang Dynasty, and Ant-Man is the perfect person to help start this new adventure.

The Cast of Characters

Paul Rudd returns as the titular superhero Scott Lang, along with Evangeline Lilly as Hope/The Wasp, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne. The role of Scott’s daughter, Cassie, has been recast, with Kathryn Newton taking on the part.

After a slight scientific mishap, the movie, for the most part, takes place in the Quantum Realm. This is a world beyond ours that exists outside of the space-time continuum. The world is almost alien-like, resembling a Star Wars film. In fact, most of the movie felt like a Star Wars adventure, with multiple scenes showcasing parallels between the two franchises owned by Disney.

The Story

Cassie and Scott are separated from Hope, Hank, and Janet. Our father/daughter duo meets the realm’s “townspeople” and learns of “The Conqueror.” As this neighborhood of creatures is attacked, Scott and Cassie help to fight and, in turn, are captured.

Janet helps to guide our trio on the trip inside the Quantum Realm to help save Scott and Cassie. Through their journey, we learn what happened to Janet when she was stuck there for 30 years.

For the most part, the Ant-man films have been fun filler movies within the universe. Quantumania changes that. This film establishes Phase 5. It seems like Marvel is putting Scott Lang at the forefront of the fight to come. He started this story, and he will probably be the one leading the charge. And it’s honestly a nice change of pace. Scott feels more mature in this film. Sure, he’s still goofy, and the story is still fun and filled with comedy, but he now knows his worth and the vital part he plays in keeping the world safe.

The comedy has always been solid in the Ant-Man films. This is no exception. What the writers do well is tow the line between hokey and smart. They can tell the punchline without it being too over-the-top. Kathryn Newton has been in her fair share of comedies and fits this writing style. She’s the perfect choice for Cassie because she can be mature yet still play in the same comedic sandbox as Paul Rudd.

It’s a pretty decent run time coming in at two hours. With that, they can build a world, tell a story, and set up Marvel’s next “big bad.” The background of some characters could have been a little more rounded, and we should have been able to jump into Janet’s experience a bit sooner, but for the most part, the story is steady.

Kang

Jonathan Majors as Kang is a chilling villain. He commands the screen. Majors is so charismatic you can’t stop watching his every move. He also has a sort of innocence, so he feels very trusting, which is horrifying. Everything is done with ease showing his true power.

Do You Need to Watch Loki to Understand the Movie?

No, not really. You can get by just watching Quantumania. However, watching Loki on Disney Plus won’t hurt; it will be a big help. The series gives more of an understanding of how time works and shows that not everything moves in a straight line. That being said, It doesn’t give too much insight into Kang. I think most people were worried that the movies wouldn’t make sense if they missed a show on Disney Plus. Disney recognized that, and while, yes, the shows give you more of an insight into what’s happening, they’re more character studies and aren’t appointment television.

Conclusion

This was fun. It’s a wild ride that takes you on a marvelous journey. Jonathan Majors is a star. Watching him as Kang is going to be a ride. The fight scenes are fantastic, the new characters are oddly adorable, and the cast is stellar. The first part is entertaining, the story falters in the middle but picks up at the end. It still has the loveable Marvel banter, but it seems they were trying to make a more “serious” film, even though alien beings are talking about holes for twenty minutes. It’s a whole thing you’ll see. Honestly, Ant-Man is the perfect person to kick off Phase 5.