6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne, along with Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, explore the Quantum Realm, where they interact with strange creatures and embark on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonathan MajorsAction | 100% |
Adventure | 96% |
Comic book | 87% |
Sci-Fi | 76% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
It used to be that it would take two, maybe even three or four years for a franchise to release its next installment. Now, with Disney and Marvel, it feels like there's a new MCU film coming every two, maybe every three or four, months. Indeed, it was just three months between Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 fresh in theaters, it was only another three months in between films. For a while now it's been feeling like a new Marvel movie can be found in the local multiplex or, at least, in the nearby second run theater at almost any time. That's a lot of content. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kicks off Marvel's "Phase 5" and suffers the same fate as so many of its recent time predecessors: it's just hopelessly rote, stock, and watered down. There's not much character here, and everything seems built on a prefab foundation. Sure, it has its own unique character and story beats, but it's more or less the same film in terms of technical structure, pacing, visuals, and so on that have been MCU staples in theaters and on Blu-ray for some time now.
Disney brings Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania to Blu-ray with a rock-solid 1080p transfer. Any flaws in the picture are just as microscopic as the Quantum Realm. The digital rendering presents the film with an obvious sheen and superior clarity, offering textural necessities with plenty of intimate texturing and revealing definition. Faces, hairs, and clothes are always in fine form, yielding superior visibility that draws the viewer into the world. The film blends in a significant array of digital environments, characters, and support pieces, and while these are inherently less crisp and perfect as the live action elements, they blend well and generally the casual viewer will not be able to tell the difference, especially given the Blu-ray clarity. Color presentations are excellent, especially during various battles where bright lights, explosions, and the like dot the landscape around the 43-minute mark, and while the scene is darker and the environment pushes heavily red, the color's expressive pop is unmistakable. In more balanced and superior lighting, colors express with vivid balance and intensity, especially clothes but also various support elements as well, be they live action or digital in nature. Black level depth is solid, skin tones look fine (if not slightly digitally pasty), and white balance is strong. As noted, compression issues are next to nonexistent, and there are no source flaws, either. This is a fine image from Disney.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania sees audio shrinkage for its Blu-ray release. Where the UHD offers a Dolby Atmos track, the Blu-ray includes a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless mix. This is Disney's standard practice, but what is not-so-standard is that this track does not sound held in check. While bass is certainly not prolific, the track never feels wanting for a significant boost to low end depth, which is a welcome reprieve from the flat, lifeless tracks of Marvel movies past. Action scenes spring to life with sufficient low-end weight and more than ample surround content. Listeners will be dropped into the action at all times, whether on frenzied battlefields or into more serene locales where slight atmospheric effects envelop the stage and the audience with ease. Musical engagement is wide and enjoys balanced surround usage, again with suitable low-end weight in support. Dialogue is clear and center positioned for the duration.
This Blu-ray release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania includes a few extras. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy
code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.
Remember the early days of the MCU when movies like Iron Man were really changing the game and offering something new, engaging, and bold, not just in the nascent MCU but in the larger cinema landscape? That was a long time ago, and with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania the MCU continues its slog through repetition that seems only concerned about tweaking the level of technical sophistication rather than trying to find dramatic resonance and novel moviemaking excitement. The film is perfectly fine in a safe and effective way. It's polished to a sheen and all of that, but it's just sort of there. It injects new story elements and adds new characters to the MCU roster, but it doesn't bring any heart to the proceedings. It's a product, not a living entity. The Blu-ray is fine, however, offering tip-top video, excellent-for-Disney audio, and a few extras. Recommended for fans.
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