Ant-Man: Quantumania can’t break Marvel’s bad habit of copying Star Wars

Every summer blockbuster that comes out, it is more apparent. Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom MenaceOne of the best movies in the past 40 years. Not just for its pioneering use of (light) digital photography and effects, or for reviving a decades-old franchise, but because George Lucas’ direction provided a model for big action scenes that modern blockbusters still copy to this day. And that’s especially true of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which echoed Phantom Menace’s third act throughout the Infinity Saga films. One exception is Quantumania, Ant-Man & the WaspThis is a slight advancement by taking the ending from Star Wars Episode II – Attack of the Clones instead.

[Ed. note: This story contains spoilers for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.]

The Phantom Menace wasn’t the first movie to end with three parallel battles fought in three different places (there are even shades of this in Return of the Jedi), but it’s the movie that cemented the format’s slickness in a CG-enabled sci-fi setting. A young Anakin Skywalker lights up Trade Federation ships above Naboo while the Gungans fight to repel the battle droids from the planet’s surface. Qui-Gon and Obi Wan Kenobi battle the Darth Maul. What makes the finale so successful? Phantom MenaceThe best part about these characters is their ability to not get bogged down in the complexities of their conflicts.

Lucas’ first prequel is a master class in letting specific characters shine during the action — whether you like those characters or not. Jar Jar Binks takes out an entire army of droids by accident, and young Anakin says stuff like “I’ll try spinning, that’s a good trick!” It’s a constant lighthearted tonal balance that reminds the viewer not to take any of the laser-fire chaos too seriously, and makes for an excellent contrast to the deadly serious (and forever phenomenal) “Duel of Fates” between Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul. But even in the fast-paced lightsaber fight there’s time for characters to have their own moments, like Maul stalking back and forth while Qui-Gon quietly meditates or Obi-Wan’s frantic pacing while he can’t help his master.

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It’s a genuinely exciting sequence that, when one pulls back, makes almost no concrete sense. We can more or less connect any two of the battles to each other, but never all three, and there’s no real indication that they’re happening anywhere near each other or whether or not that’s important. Neither the ticking clock of the scenario or the consequence of any win or loss really matters because the editing is so slick, and hides the seams so well, that you never actually have time to question anything that’s happening. You’re just along for the ride.

This method of several varieties of intercut action scenes has been Marvel’s go-to template for “epic action” for years now. It’s the exact setup of the original Black Panther’s finale, but versions of it are also in movies like The Winter Soldier: Captain America, The AvengersPlease see the following: Avengers: Infinity War. Basically, any time the MCU has too many cast members and needs to prove that a battle is really big, the series doesn’t look to movies likeThe Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersOr Save Private RyanInspiration is always the best. The Phantom Menace.

The problem is that none of these finales have ever matched Lucas’ prequel for rhythm, visuals, or fun. Star Wars’ specific worlds are replaced with generic characters fighting on generic canvases. Talokan, Wakanda and Wakanda both have fascinating architectures and styles. But the end of Wakanda Forever: Black PantherThe event takes place at the bottom of the open sea, aboard a small boat, somewhat close to a deserted beach.

Image: Marvel Studios

Quantumania: Ant-Man & the Wasp changes things up — even if the results are remarkably similar. The third Ant-Man movie is the start of Marvel’s Phase 5, a new set of Multiverse Saga movies that leads up to two Avengers movies: 2025’s The Kang Dynasty and 2026’s Secret Wars. Scott, Hope and Cassie set out on a journey through the Quantum Realm to find a path home. Janet, Hank and Hank realize they must stop Kang escaping to ensure their safety and that the rest of the world is safe. The small band of heroes is initially outnumbered by Kang’s giant force before they’re joined by some of the other strange-looking multicolored creatures of the Quantum Realm who have decided to fight Kang too. Despite their combined efforts, all hope seems lost until an army of ants charges in with superior numbers and firepower and takes down Kang’s army. Finally, all that’s left is Kang himself, which leads to a climactic battle between Scott and Kang. However, this isn’t what happens in Phantom Menace. However, it is a lot like. Attack of the Clones.

Although the prequel Star Wars movies share many similarities, Clones is a much more confined battle that mostly follows Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padmé as they try to find a way to escape the arena on Geonosis. The Jedi Order arrives, an oddly-looking group of aliens sporting multicolored lightsabers, and the group is soon outnumbered. Our heroes lose the battle against the flood of enemies even with all the help. Until a huge army of clone troopers arrives with more firepower and superior numbers to stop the tide. Finally, all that’s left is Count Dooku, who Anakin attempts to deal with on his own — with significantly worse results than Scott in Quantumania.

Lucasfilm

Moments can even be in QuantumaniaThat you feel lifted up. Clones, pulling out a few extremely similar shots, like Kang’s unexplained clone-ish armies lining up while being circled with ships in an unintelligible CGI fortress — a near perfect match for Clones’ ending.

To compare QuantumaniaYou can find more information here Attack of the Clones doesn’t do the Marvel threequel any favors. But it’s all good. Episode II’s problems, the battle isn’t really one of them. Sure, some parts are a little blander than they could be and the effects don’t quite hold up, but it’s an exceptionally well-staged set piece that effectively communicates its action, its geography, its stakes, and the distinct personalities of its characters during the chaos.

Attack of the ClonesNever matches the character-specific highs. Phantom Menace, but it doesn’t lose sight of them or let them blend together either. Padmé finally gets to show herself as a capable fighter when standard diplomacy fails, and we see her and Anakin connect in ways that are more convincing than their Naboo picnics or Tatooine getaways. Boba Fett finally gets to experience the death of her father. Dooku is still determined to live, while Yoda shows the most confident move against Palpatine. Every person gets something they only could, each moment feels distinct but also like part of a larger battle.

Image: Marvel Studios

However Quantumania, like Marvel’s Phantom MenaceLike the finals, it lifts your appearance. Attack of the ClonesIt is without charms, or its character. None of the movie’s action beats feel unique to the character performing them, beyond the shrinking and growing, and no one comes up with a plan that seems uniquely in character rather than just dictated by their powers. Quantumania starts with Scott learning his daughter has been arrested at protests multiple times, but by the end of the movie, the characters barely feel like they’ve gone anywhere or changed. We don’t get any character development, even if something so simple like Cassie pulling out her shrunken car from the police during the dramatic fight.

None of this is to say that Star Wars shouldn’t be emulated, just that if Marvel’s going to do it — as Kevin Feige is open about — the company should feel more pressure to match Lucas’ visionary approach, and should do it a little more completely. Despite all of the issues the prequels faced and all the CGI problems they created for blockbusters over the years, their execution is still precise. They’re driven by their characters and even the most chaotic action is rooted in their perspectives, humor, and personalities. They’re what movies of a certain scale need to be.