Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to hit theaters this weekend, and the review embargo has now lifted. Although the social media reactions were (mostly) positive, they're very rarely a strong indicator of what to expect, and critics have now weighed-in with more in-depth verdicts on Marvel Studios' first Phase 5 film.
So, what's the consensus? Well, reviews are still coming in, but Peyton Reed's threequel currently sits at 62% on Rotten Tomatoes with 71 reviews counted (that score will fluctuate, of course).
From what we can gather, Quantumania is an enjoyable enough sci-fi adventure with likeable leads and a strong villain in Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror, but most of the reviews seem to take issue with the generic plot, hackneyed dialogue, and general lack of engagement with the story/characters.
Another common criticism is how poorly realized the Quantum Realm is, and, yet again, many felt the visual FX were sub-par.
Our own Rohan Patel was impressed, calling Quantumania the "Best Ant-Man film yet and a strong start to Phase 5." But Why Tho also enjoyed it, awarding 8/10: "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania brings the pint-sized hero’s trilogy to a close, supersizing the action without skimping on the emotion."
In the mixed-positive category, we have a 3/4 from Awards Radar, who says "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a science fiction heavy adventure that continues the introduction of Kang, while merging the MCU with a Star Wars and even Rick and Morty vibe." Screen Crush, meanwhile, believes "Your reaction will probably be determined by what you want out of the movie," and gives it a 6/10.
The Seattle Times... not quite so generous: "Prepare to be slammed by special effects, hammered by an ear-battering soundtrack. Oh, and you’ll be left mewling for mercy after an onslaught of Truly Bad Dialogue." Likewise, the New York Post, with a 2 star verdict: "Sorry to Raid on your parade, “Ant-Man” fans, but the third chapter is a pile of dirt."
I didn't get a chance to write-up a full review yet, but you can check out my Twitter reaction below.