Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Early Review

When we thought we were done with the multiverse following Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange gets unwittingly pulled back in with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. When it comes to the seemingly infinite possibilities created by the multiverse, a boatload of speculation inevitably followed, especially after the events of No Way Home. But just like the latter, its focus was on story rather than spectacle. However, it definitely delivered at both in a satisfying way without the extended running time that countless audiences were clamoring for. Not everything has to be 3 hours to work, it’s all about what a film does with the time it has. One of the best parts of this film was its pacing. With a sandbox such as the Marvel multiverse to play with, it’s easy to get lost within its own premise. Luckily, this was not the case here with a director such as Sam Raimi steering the ship. Though it may not be madness per se, the film still had a few tricks and surprises up its sleeve while retaining much of the trippy visuals for which the original Doctor Strange was known for.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sees Dr. Strange (Cumberbatch) continuing to move on with a life that is passing him by. He was an Avenger but there was still a void within him as his still arrogant personality did not allow anyone to get too close to him for what he considered to be their protection. That was at least until a teen named America Chavez (Gomez) showed up in his life seemingly out of nowhere, thrusting him into an adventure where the fate of the multiverse lay in the balance. Meanwhile, the remaining pillar of the story was Wanda Maximoff (Olsen) who had since moved onto a life of isolation after she assumed her comic book moniker of the Scarlet Witch at the conclusion of WandaVision. Getting a glimpse of the result of that transformation and the cost that came with it, what we know about the character certainly made her a wildcard in this story. Her true motivations quickly became abundantly clear in a transformation that was an absolute highlight.

As far as Strange and Chavez were concerned, her connection to the multiverse made her a target as their multiverse activities did not go unnoticed as a larger threat loomed large. This part of the film was where it truly shined as it found its groove. Billed as the first MCU horror film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did not disappoint. A breath of fresh air compared to the usual fare, it is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats while adding jump scares and a surprising amount of body horror with a body count to the mix. Boasting the horror and blockbuster sides of Raimi, that tonal balance of everything in between was on the messy side for the most part but was still a blast to watch. At the end of the day, this was a MCU film as the climax marked the epitome of Strange and Wanda’s introspective journeys across their recent film and/or series appearances for which the plot leans heavily on. A thin character with little to no backstory at least for now, Chavez was merely a means to facilitate that.

It wouldn’t be a Doctor Strange film without trippy visuals and this was still the case with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Raimi’s style could still be felt through and through. From the color palette, to the cinematography, to the editing, the film buys into its horror inspiration. However, the transition between its horror and traditional MCU sides was not as seamless which may or may not have been intentional. Nevertheless, a great score catered to both of those sides, fitting the epic moments and the general wackiness nicely. The special effects were also well done in creating the series’ kaleidoscopic visuals and bringing multiple forms of magic and the results of that magic to life. And though the multiverse part of the film went in some interesting and inventive directions, it ultimately wasn’t as big of a focal point as it may have been made out to be as the film showed some restraint.

The best part of the film was the excellent performances from Cumberbatch and Olsen and their dynamite chemistry as Strange and Wanda. Cumberbatch once again brings the charm and charisma as Strange as he is given more to do here with the character this time around. Behind the quips and attitude was a man in pain and looking for purpose and connection, needing to grow to get there. It could be argued however that he was outshined by Olsen as Wanda who understood the assignment and absolutely commands the screen, delivering one of her best performances as the heart of the film. Gomez as Chavez was fine but was just there more than anything else. In terms of other characters, Benedict Wong was a delight as Wong while the film makes better use of Rachel McAdams’ Christine Palmer.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness isn’t like other MCU properties for better or worse. It’ll be divisive but swings like this should be applauded. Sam Raimi should come back for more.

Also, stay tuned for 2 post-credit scenes in the middle and at the end of the film.

still courtesy of Marvel Studios

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.