Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Review

It’s hard to not have sky-high expectations for Marvel movies. They’ve set the bar so high and somehow keep raising it higher every time one of their movies comes out. For me, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become such an enjoyable community experience. I’ve never walked out of a cinema screening of a Marvel movie without seriously straining my throat from shouting and chanting with fellow fans. I will also say that Strange is my absolute favorite character from Marvel comics. It was such a delight to see Benedict Cumberbatch make him come alive on the big screen as he played out his tragic origin story. Strange’s next adventure is titled the Multiverse of Madness, whose premise is connected to the end of Spiderman: No Way Home. Everyone’s favorite doctor is now grappling with the after-effects of a spell gone wrong, as he’s taken on a journey across super-powered realities. After teasing it for so long, this is the first time we’ve seen Marvel indulge fans about all the possibilities the Multiverse could bring.

The movie wastes no time getting into the thick of the action, in fact, one of the opening shots of the movie features a chase scene as America Chavez escapes a creature hunting her for her powers. She tears a hole in reality and falls through it to arrive in our Marvel Universe. Here she’s saved by Strange who’s dealing with a crisis of his own, the marriage of Christine Palmer. I think everyone who religiously follows Marvel saw this coming with “What If” establishing the fact that in no universe do the two end up together. It didn’t, however, make it any less easy seeing Strange deal with the love of his life getting married to someone else. Chavez and Strange end up exchanging pleasantries and discussing the nature of the crisis over pizza. Realizing that he’s in way over his head, Strange enlists the help of Wanda, who reveals herself as the villain hunting Chavez.

With Sam Raimi taking the reins, the movie feels very experimental in the direction it eventually takes, but it’s something Marvel could use. They have produced so many superhero movies that end up going through the same motions as the previous ones, and it’s hard to not feel burnt out. The horror aspect of the story works greatly in the movie’s favor, as Wanda feels like a force to be reckoned with. She’s gone through quite an arc following Vision’s death in Infinity War. With her moral compass gone, Wanda ended up doing some pretty questionable things in Westview, eventually coming into her own as a full-fledged villain in Doctor Strange 2. Although it does end up undoing her character development and the resolution of WandaVision, it was still cool to see such a cool reality-warping villain on screen. Elizabeth Olsen does a great job at capturing the character’s grief, anger, and regret as the movie unfurls. There’s also a certain relatability to be had with a character that has lost everything and doesn’t mind bending the rules a bit to achieve their happiness.

The movie also serves as sort of an origin story for newcomer America Chavez, who’s a resident of an alternate reality altogether. Strange eventually takes her under his wing in order to help her understand her powers better. Her bratty persona mixes well with Strange’s, who finds himself in the unwitting role of a guardian. Their chemistry is what gives the movie its heart and I for one loved their relationship.

The movie’s not short of fan service and cameos as the mysterious Illuminati make an appearance. Their purpose in the movie is confined to just that, unfortunately, as the entirety of their organization ends up as cannon fodder for an unhinged Wanda. Although I would’ve wanted to see more of them, I stand by Raimi’s directorial intent with the Illuminati. Seeing Marvel’s strongest heroes get squashed by Wanda one after another established her as one of the most nefarious villains yet.

The visuals of the movie are also worth applauding but who am I kidding, this is Marvel we’re talking about. They’ve set the standards for CGI in the industry. Nevertheless, some of the scenes look seriously impressive. The penultimate fight sequence is one of my favorites across the MCU as Strange uses the dead body of an alter self to control the spirits of the damned and go up against Wanda one final time.

There’s a lot to criticize about this movie as well. One of my smaller qualms is the outfit change for Doctor Strange. His previous costume lent a lot to his character in my opinion. There were a lot of bandages around his shoes, hands, and belt, that for me, was a reminder of the character’s becoming in Kamar-Taj. His newer outfit takes a lot of these cool, albeit smaller details away, making it seem a bit devoid of personality. The only cool addition are the streaks of red that line his coat, which make the character stand out a bit more.

One of my bigger issues is with the direction of the movie itself. Having such a major character take the role of the main villain takes the attention from Strange, who feels like he’s playing second fiddle to Wanda. The movie ultimately doesn’t pack as much of a punch as Spiderman: No Way Home, which I feel played to its strengths when tackling the multiverse concept.

In the end, though, I felt pleasantly surprised with Doctor Strange 2. If Marvel is to continue with their dominating march of the superhero genre, they must continually engage in such experiments to keep things fresh for their audiences.

Rating the Film:

Visuals: 4/5

Plot: 2/5

Characters: 3/5

Music: 2/5

Originality: 4/5

Seater Score: 3/5