Antman: Quantumania has a giANT Story Problem... | Video Essay

This video describes what I couldn’t understand while watching the movie. It felt like it was missing something and I didn’t get invested in the story as I watched it. I also think the serious tone really bogged it down. The humor in this one was slim pickings and when there were jokes they felt surface level. It was missing the Antman movie style and clever humor that made the first movie so great. Even the second antman movie, although it didn’t have the best plot, had the clever humor and fun tone that made the first movie so great.

The trailers pitched a much more interesting movie. Essentially, Ant-Man joins Kang, but the plan backfires and the two eventually have to fight. I'll elaborate. Bill Murray's character says that Kang is a very convincing guy, having joined him despite once being the leader of a resistance movement against Kang. Well if Scott and Cassie run into him first, they may actually join his side of the fight while Hank, Janet, and Hope are on the other; a house divided. Or at least Scott is convinced to help Kang if he can be cornered alone because Kang can offer Scott a chance to go back in time to finally just be a father to Cassie, just like what he offered Janet in regards to Hope, no time lost, it'd be as if nothing ever happened. This is all Scott's ever wanted after years of being in jail, a couple more under house-arrest with limited visits, and then losing another five years because of Thanos. Like, yes, he's the hero, he is right to not trust Kang, and as great as his life is now as a superhero, he'd give it all up just to be a dad again and actually get to watch his daughter grow up, even after helping saved the universe. Time travel's no big deal, they already changed time to beat Thanos, what harm is there in Kang making it so that Scott never goes to jail, and never gets picked to be Ant-Man? What's wrong with just a normal life? Maybe Kang can even assure that the timeline they go to doesn't have a Thanos or he's guaranteed to lose without Ant-Man's help anyway. Scott then finds himself in the possibility storm, and now he has to fight off a bunch of Scotts to achieve what Kang needs to get what he wants (Or maybe other Scotts from timelines that took Kang's hand are here to stop him because they know just how messed up it is, they want to undo their wish), and then maybe he even has to fight off the Pyms because the temptation is just too great. Meanwhile Kang is going to be able to achieve his goals, thereby not honoring his word to Scott (because to Kang, Ant-man's a literal ant under his boot (and yes I am too proud of that)), prompting him to come back to the light and make sure that they both lose while everyone else wins. Scott gets to be a hero in the end but doesn't get the happy ending, he doesn't feel he deserves it anymore and is trapped in the Quantum Realm. Although they know how to get back into the Quantum Realm safely from the second movie to rescue him, Scott dies from his fight with Kang, which is sad, but it gives a reason why Cassie has been set up as Stature beyond her own selfish desires of joining the team, as well as shows that Kang, even in this version of him losing, will kill our heroes on screen, not just being told that he can't remember all the Avengers he's killed. That's what the trailers were suggesting. That's the movie I was lead to believe it was going to be. Instead what we got was everyone either already knowing or learning pretty early on that Kang isn't a good guy and we gotta beat him up. Perhaps my naïveté got the better of me to think it would be a much more personal story, but whoever cut the trailers made this movie out to be far more grand in scope as well as personally gripping. Greatly affecting the future of the MCU, which in a way it does, while also giving Scott a very real and serious story in his own movie. I know that the other two Ant-Man movies are more comedic and secluded from the other MCU installments, and I love them for that, but most people would say to skip them during a rewatch or just to watch a quick recap thing and the post credit scenes, this was going to be one that you can't miss, good or bad, like Thor: The Dark World because that movie is one of the linchpins of the MCU, and we kind of knew that even before Endgame. The prospect of something in the microverse affecting the multiverse would have been epic, but as it currently stands, it doesn't feel like that necessarily happened. I don't know what this one Kang dying means for this council that allows them to go to work. From the sounds of it, it's like he was the worst of them since he had to be exiled, and so long as he still lived, he could time travel and stop them, but if he was the worst, well then, I'd like to see that one be the one everyone has to team up against, not one of these other guys. Kill one Kang who doesn't really do anything (He Who Remains), that's fine, kill another, we're gonna start having problems because if more die, Kang's not going to feel like a threat because we don't know this version of him. That's what made Thanos in Endgame a bit more disappointing because her wasn't the same one from Infinity War. Still had similar motivations, but was far less nuanced and interesting (which is why I was kind of hoping Tony wouldn't snap him because he'd be forced to live with losing all his resources and be forced to start from scratch or grow into an interesting character that could be an ally in the future, but it makes sense.) So yeah, I didn't hate the movie, I'm not trying to be upset that it didn't do what I wanted, that's crazy, but it could have been a lot better. Plus we lost all the side characters! All we got was a silent Jimmy Wu cameo. Where's the ex-wife, her cop husband, and the ex-cons? They weren't there in the beginning, and I didn't see them at Cassie's "birthday" party. We get Baskin Robin's man being a freak for like two minutes, but not the actual fun characters for even a couple of seconds? Oh well.

For me it would have made much more sense if Scott had actively chosen to work for Kang, when he’s offered more time with his daughter that is infinitely more relatable and interesting than him simply being blackmailed. Scott can later realise his mistake and have to fight Kang after he betrays Scott and doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain. When they fight Scott not only has more stake in it because he needs to make up for his mistake along with saving Cassie but if he were to fail this would feel so impactful for an arc that Scott could easily have. Even if they didn’t leave Scott stuck in the quantum realm (that has happened to him a few times already after all) they should have let Kang escape, that would help set up Kang as a more intimidating villain going forward that Scott could be wary of. Scott should have ended this film knowing he can’t get more time with Cassie through alternate means, he just has to accept the way things are and try to make the most of the time he can have with her going forward, not looking backward. This especially will have been an interesting angle to take after Endgame when everyone else like Cap etc could only think about their mistakes, Scott couldn’t have that arc in Endgame because of his circumstances at the time so it would have been interesting to see him grapple with a similar issue and yet achieve a different outcome, the Avengers couldn’t accept their failure and the snap so interfere with it, Scott could use the opportunity to grow and focus more on the future

What I heard is the film was originally serious and Scott Lang died at the end. But Bob Iger forced them to do reshoots a few weeks before its release to add a lot of jokes and an alternate ending.

What did you think of Quantumania???

It's a family adventure doesn't really need a protagonist those films are more about togetherness than one person, old school Disney style. Scott's arc I felt kinda ended in Endgame I felt they used him more as a reflection of the MCU heroes state, separated and oblivious of the danger to come . It's difficult to put this movie in a box with traditional films because it's clearly the start of something larger plus it has a large background of events going on. The MCU is actually starting feel very comic like I really don't know if that's good or bad but I find it interesting.

I haven’t seen the movie but hearing that Casey, Scott’s biggest supporter and motivator, is disappointed in him at all makes me never want to see it.

This movie protagonist was antman. He lost his way as a heroe and his daughter showed him the way once again. In this movie he became a true hero.

No way someone is genuinely criticizing the movie’s story instead of saying some stupid shit that isn’t a genuine problem is equal to the movie being bad. I applaud you regardless if ur right or wrong

Video essay like this early is enough for me w8 out Antman 3 on D+

they should have kept the first older cassie...also seeing as how Scott has a book i wonder if is there an avengers film about the blip inside the avenger's world..their avengers historic like film in our fun time film..wonder what it would be like and who they would cast..if tony stark could let anyone else be him

should have let Kang wins..and Janet Died..but knowing Bob Iger..JOKES AND THE MESSAGES MATTERS🤣

I miss when marvel movies could have jokes but also keep the story serious like Civil war or winter soldier.

Man Kang LOVED his monologues. Lol That was the death of him. " The next big bad since Thanos" lol Wanda would totally take Kang in a fight, especially since he got defeated by ants. One of the worst villains so far. They totally wasted Wasp. The best part of the movie was the end.

Brother, you lost me at “amazing visuals” although ima keep watching😂 love the content

MCU are starting to do what everyone fail, they are setting up the universe and building a movie around instead of the beginning with a great movie and sprinkle the universe narrative around it.

I don't think we watched the same movie, or you don't quite understand how chapter 1 works in story telling

They could have ripped off Nemo and didn’t take the opportunity

Your right biggest proof the movie begins and ends with the same setting and Paul in doubt it was just a stupid introducción yo her daughter

ok. you don't like Cassie Lang. Me either. But let's stop this coming up with rationalizations that make no sense. 1. Antman IS IN FACT, profiting off his avenging. The movie makes several points about it. 1a. Wasp on the other hand is using the pym particles to mitigate or end world hunger and homelessness. Scott is out selling books about being an Avenger. Not helping anyone in a time where the world is reeling from everyone coming back from the snap. Not saying he hasn't earned a break. That's WHAT he's doing. Objectively. 2. Kids are idealistic. They don't think of 2nd or 3rd order consequences. So they're not thinking about "what may happen if we help these people that are getting attacked by an army with superior weapons" they're thinking "we need to do something to help those people." Scott was about to go in and the movie shows you that but kids are more impulsive and he was thinking things out. Like an adult. 3. The movie even shows you the difference when the dude at the coffee shop realizes that he's the guy on TV selling books and not the hero who doesn't ask for anything. Not only does he not have his order ready before he arrives. He actually charges him after he knows who it is. I get that we really like Paul Rudd and not Detective Pikachu girl whatever her name is. But let's stop trying to make things up just to attack her on the sly. Just say you don't like her. I don't either.