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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Wednesday 15 February 2023
Review: A Marvel villain comes into focus in ‘Ant-Man 3’

By LINDSEY BAHR are sometimes just one cra-
AP Film Writer zy special effect away from
Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man” being Silly Superhero Films.
films have generally served “Quantumania” also gives
as a kind of palate cleanser Pfeiffer a lot more to do as
to the world-ending stakes we, and Hank and Hope,
of the larger Marvel Cine- learn a little bit more about
matic Universe. Paul Rudd’s Janet’s 30 years in the
Scott Lang is just an ordi- Quantum Realm and the
nary dude, or so they keep various compromises and
telling us, who still can’t re- allegiances she made to
ally believe that he’s part stay alive. Pfeiffer is an un-
of the Avengers at all. He ambiguous delight and the
gets to be the wide-eyed real center of the movie
middle-aged fanboy of the despite what the title might
group in those films. In his claim.
own films, he’s just living a This image released by Disney shows Paul Rudd, from left, Kathryn Newton and Evangeline Lilly in Ant-Man just finds himself
blue-sky life in San Francis- a scene from “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” in the middle of the mess,
co as an affable single dad Associated Press which starts to drag on in a
and ex-con who was once muddle of sci-fi furnishings
fired from Baskin Robbins shift family, Hope Van Dyne maniacal sorrow by the of unrest in the Quantum that individually are prob-
and who has occasional (Evangeline Lilly), Janet great Jonathan Majors). Realm, with scrappy rebels ably quite inspired and in-
enemies to defeat. Van Dyne (Michelle Pfei- And the results are mixed. battling against a powerful teresting but together just
In this third film, “ Ant-Man ffer) and Hank Pym (Mi- Reed has returned to direct ruler with an army of face- blend into a dreary mess.
and The Wasp: Quantuma- chael Douglas) sit around with a new writer, Jeff Lo- less soldiers. But Kang, for what we can
nia,” in theaters Thursday, the table for takeout pizza. veness, who has also been But he takes that conceit assume are bigger story
he’s coasting on his own They use their particle tech- tapped to write “Avengers: further and gives the reb- needs, needs to be more
post-Blip celebrity with a nology to blow up the tiny The Kang Dynasty” and it’s els some personality and serious.
best-selling memoir out, lots pie. hard not to empathize with humor, including William Majors is certainly chilling
of fans around town and a “I just saved us $8,” Pym de- both for the logic gymnas- Jackson Harper as the and captivating, but Kang
generally sunny disposition clares proudly. tics required to back Ant- mind-reading Quaz. The seems like a mismatched
when he’s not breaking his But Ant-Man is part of the Man and his gang into this villain’s a killing machine, foe for a standalone Ant-
teenage daughter Cassie larger chess board of the conflict. M.O.D.O.K., that looks Man film and the result is a
(now played by Kathryn MCU, so naturally he’s Loveness, who cut his teeth (knowingly) straight out of “Quantumania” that is try-
Newton, always an enjoy- doomed to be sucked into in comedy and has an af- a “Mystery Science Theater ing to be too many things.
able presence) out of jail the multiverse mess, setting finity for comic book and 3000” movie and it is quite One thing it is not is a Wasp
for civil disobedience. up pieces for more Aveng- B-movie absurdities, gives entertaining. It’s both a nod movie, though. Lilly gets a
There is a fun, light, sitcom-y ers films to come with the Ant-Man his own “Star to the fun of the ridiculous- lot to do but not a lot of —
touch to these early scenes introduction of a new vil- Wars”-adjacent adven- ness in sci-fi and a reminder or any — character devel-
in which he and his make- lain, Kang (played with a ture. There’s quite a bit that Serious Superhero Films opment. q

Idris Elba on James Bond: ‘I’m not going to be that guy’

By JON GAMBRELL James Bond. ish spy. Those had grown due to come out in Ameri- In recent weeks, Elba has
Associated Press Speaking Tuesday to the louder after Daniel Craig’s can theaters on Feb. 24, appeared at the World
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- World Government Summit demise as Bond in the 25th then stream on Netflix be- Economic Forum in Davos,
ates (AP) — Actor Idris Elba in Dubai, Elba brought up film in the franchise called ginning March 10. It also Switzerland, where he and
says he’s going to stick with the persistent discussions “No Time to Die.” co-stars Andy Serkis and his wife Sabrina Dhowre
being the tormented de- about him taking over as Asked about his upcom- other actors from the tele- Elba received an award
tective John Luther not Ian Fleming’s famed Brit- ing film based on the British vision series. for their work on food secu-
series “Luther,” Elba clearly Elba, 50, is known for a va- rity in Africa. Elba also has
took himself out of playing riety of television and film worked as an anti-crime
007. roles, ranging from Stringer ambassador with his “Don’t
“It’s very dark,” Elba said Bell on the American televi- Stab Your Future” initia-
of the series. “We’ve been sion series “The Wire” and tive in the United Kingdom,
working on the television the recent movie “Beast.” where he grew up in east
show for about 10 years While on stage, Elba dis- London.
and so the natural ambi- cussed an upcoming film During his talk, Elba urged
tion is to take it to the big he’s working on with the nations to invest more in
screen, and so we’re here American actor and wres- creative industries, saying it
with the first movie.” tler John Cena called “The can provide an economic
He added: “You know, a Heads of State.” engine that provides jobs
lot of people talk about “He plays the American to their youth. In particular,
another character that be- president. I play the British he said creative jobs could
gins with ‘J’ and ends with prime minister,” Elba said. greatly help countries in Af-
‘B,’ but I’m not going to be “We get into a caper. I’m rica.
British actor Idris Elba arrives on stage during the World that guy. I’m going to be very excited about doing “I believe that Africa, espe-
Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday,
Feb. 14, 2023. John Luther. That’s who I that because leadership cially as a continent, needs
Associated Press am.” comes in many different to hold a narrative, change
“Luther: The Fallen Sun” is forms.” a narrative,” he said.q