Super Heroes Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and The Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves 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 possible. Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige and Stephen Broussard, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania also stars Jonathan Majors as Kang, David Dastmalchian as Veb, Katy O’Brian as Jentorra, William Jackson Harper as Quaz and Bill Murray as Lord Krylar.
For in-depth thoughts on Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, please see my colleague Tia Fabi’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania offers a great increase in quality over the already stellar accompanying Blu-Ray. With almost the entire movie showcasing a swirling array of marvelous colors, you are grateful to have HDR to find the depth within each hue and display it with great accuracy. The HDR brings every color to life in a way that will make you want to throw this on as a reference disc. Whenever there is a wide shot that shows off the landscapes of the quantum realm, things get especially dazzling. There are also some bookending scenes in the real world that look lovely and vibrant. Skin tones appear more natural with crisp detail apparent on faces such as stubble, scrapes and age lines.
The elements in the film taking place in shadows or pure darkness are more distinct and finely delineated thanks to deep black levels. This is especially helpful in the sequence where Scott is in a void with multiple versions of himself replicating, as you avoid banding in the darkness. The highlights in the film are also more firmly defined with white levels more pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Fine detail in the fun costumes and inventive production design are very clear with this increased resolution. This 4K UHD presentation is top notch on all fronts with gains in every conceivable category. The Blu-Ray holds its own, but Disney bests it with the 4K UHD Blu-Ray release.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with a pretty great Dolby Atmos presentation that brings this world to life well. After the narrated opening in the real world, the movie quickly moves into the quantum realm which takes things up a notch as you truly get a sense of the variety of sound on display. Elements are rendered with precise directionality from the more action-packed scenes to interpersonal moments of dialogue. Environmental details are plentiful and are dispersed well in the rear and overhead channels. The overhead channels take on a substantial amount of information which adds a distinct sense of space to this fantastical tale.
The soundtrack and the momentous score permeates the room with force while never faltering when it comes to fidelity. The sounds of traveling through the quantum realm and scenes of massive fights provide an all-encompassing soundscape that radiates throughout all the speakers. The low end could potentially be provided with a bit more heft, but what we are given is not majorly lacking. Dialogue is presented perfectly clear without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. Disney has done a pretty good job with the audio here. There are optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Peyton Reed and writer Jeff Loveness provide a really informative commentary track in which they discuss the inspiration for this storyline, the cameos small and large, the fun details added to certain environments, the elements of the script that evolved quite a bit, the links between the films, working with digital environments and more.
- All In The Family: A nearly eight-minute featurette which takes a look at the importance of family in this narrative, how this entry serves as a culmination of the events of the previous films, developing Cassie more with the introduction of Kathryn Newton, the emotional depth of certain storylines and more.
- Formidable Foes: A nearly 12-minute piece which focuses on Jonathan Majors, Bill Murray and Corey Stoll; the motivations behind the character’s actions; the variations of Kang; the special effects and more.
- Gag Reel A two-minute collection of flubbed and forgotten lines, goofing around on set, ruined takes and more that is quite delightful.
- Deleted Scenes: Two unused scenes totaling three minutes are included here featuring an extended “drink the ooze” scene and an extended celebration of Veb getting holes. There are some unfinished special effects, so you can see David Dastmalchian doing the motion capture work.
Final Thoughts
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania seems to encapsulate what the MCU has been over the past couple of years. The film has some really cool moments, but there is also a lot that simply does not work with a mixture of great and questionable CGI – whoever approved non-armor M.O.D.O.K. should be fired. Paul Rudd is not given the chance to showcase his natural charm as much as usual, but the film makes up for it by giving Michelle Pfeiffer more of the spotlight. We miss some of Scott’s real-world friends, but the movie executes the theme of family well enough. The film is pretty fun in the moment, but it simply doesn’t stick with you like the MCU of yore. Disney Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a decent assortment of special features. Recommended
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD on May 16, 2023. The film is currently available on digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Disney Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.