Released: May 2022
Director: Sam Raimi
Run Time: 126 Minutes
Rated PG-13
Genre: Action/Horror
Distributor: Disney/Marvel
Cast:
Benedict Cumberbatch: Doctor Stephen Strange
Elizabeth Olson: Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch
Xochitl Gomez: America Chavez
Chewitel Ejiofore: Baron Mordo
Benedict Wong: Wong
Rachel McAdams: Dr. Christine Palmer
Sometimes, one has to wonder about certain film franchises. How would they look if the first movie wasn’t successful? Would these movies even exist? If the original Iron Man wasn’t as successful as it was, would the MCU exist in its current form, if at all? Probably not. Let’s say, for the sake of argument that Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America were still, but The Avengers wasn’t. How would the MCU look if that was the case? I imagine it would look very different. Imagine, if you will, a universe in which either Iron Man or The Avengers bombed at the box office, but DC’s movies were all successful. It would be a different landscape, film-wise. I bring this up, because Spider-Man: No Way Home brought Marvel Comics’ Multiverse to the forefront. The idea that the MCU that we’re all familiar with is just one of dozens or hundreds, if not thousands of alternate realities is an intriguing one. However: Like time travel, the Multiverse can present a host of narrative issues if it’s not handled properly. It can be used to retcon certain ideas or deaths, or it can be used to easily solve problems. That brings me to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The story of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness centers around a young girl, America Chavez, who has the ability to jump between universes. But she’s being pursued by what appears to be some kind of demon and she ends up landing in the current universe. Doctor Strange and Wong want to help the girl, but they need the help of someone who specializes in witchcraft, Wanda Maximoff. But things aren’t always what they appear to be. That’s as far I’m going with the plot, because to say anymore would spoil so much, and the story is rife with surprises. It was the same with No Way Home. The story is bonkers in the way that only a Sam Raimi movie could deliver. The story here is really interesting, and I like the fact that they don’t just use America Chavez as a plot device, even though it comes across that way, sometimes. She’s clearly integral to the plot. Whether or not she’s going to be integral to the overall MCU is going to depend on how much further Marvel wants to go with the Multiverse. It’s something that could get convoluted really quickly. The story with Wanda is really compelling, and you understand what’s at stake for everybody involved.
This isn’t Sam Raimi’s first foray into the superhero genre. Even Spider-Man wasn’t his first superhero movie. That would be Darkman, released back in 1990. Sam Raimi clearly has a grasp of how to make a comic-book movie. His Spider-Man 2 is widely considered to be the greatest comic book movie of all time. Many consider it to be the best Spider-Man movie. Sam has knack for interesting story-telling. It goes all the way back to his Evil Dead days. That kind of visual story-telling is what he’s really good at. It can be horrifying to watch at times, but just as funny in the next moment. He’s got a twisted sense of humor that permeates all of his movies.
When it comes to action, again, Sam Raimi knows how to do it right. The cinematography is beyond top-notch. Visually, this movie is spectacular. It has some of the best CGI I’ve seen in a movie in a long time. It’s also pretty inventive here. There’s a fight scene that involves musical notes which is just nuts. I will say this, if you want to move where shit gets wrecked, look no further than Multiverse. This movie hits the ground running with a really spectacular opening involving an alternate Doctor Strange and America Chavez. When Wanda gets involved, things get brutal. I’m not kidding. I can tell you this: Doctor Strange 2 is the closest thing to a horror movie that the MCU has gotten. The stuff that Wanda does to some people is incredibly horrific. There’s a surprising amount of body horror on display here. I’m surprised that Marvel allowed Sam Raimi to get away with some of this stuff. It pushes the PG-13 rating to it’s absolute limit. Sam Raimi is clearly not afraid to kill people in his movies.
Again, visually, this is a stunning movie. The universes through which Strange and Chavez are thrown are unique and stylistically interesting. One is a cartoon version, while another has them looking like paint. It’s incredibly bonkers, and I really love the fact that they just went all out on this movie. The acting is uniformly good. Benedict Cumberbatch is great as always as Doctor Strange, but he gets to play different versions of himself, so that’s pretty cool. Xochitl Gomez is surprisingly really good here, and she’s not an annoying side-kick. Benedict Wong has always been wonderful as Wong. He has the right amount of nobility, snark, and intensity that the role requires. Chewitel Ejiofore returns as Mordo, but not the same Mordo that appeared in the first Doctor Strange. The real star of this movie, however, is Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to reveal that she is the main villain in this movie, but the reasons for why she does what she does is incredibly human and relatable. She’s terrifying and the character is extremely powerful. She’s even more powerful than Strange himself, and he knows it.
This is not going to be a movie for everyone, let’s make that clear. This is a very violent movie, despite it’s tone. The balance between the violence and the film’s tone is maintained by an ability that very few directors possess, and Sam Raimi nails it. Earlier I mentioned that Multiverse was as close to a horror movie that the MCU has gotten. Let me say it now: This IS a horror movie, with fantasy elements. There’s no getting around it. Some of the stuff that you see in this movie is going to upset some people. I loved the hell out of it, but then, I’m the target audience for a movie like this, so of course I would like it. I don’t know how this will tie in with the rest of the MCU, as it seems pretty self-contained. As far as the greater MCU is concerned, I don’t know what Kevin Feige is going for now. The Infinity Saga left breadcrumbs for the audience to guess as to where the MCU was going at the time, which was Infinity War, but after Endgame, I don’t know what’s going on anymore. All these movie SEEM random, even though I know they’re not. Producer Kevin Feige has a plan, he always does. That’s why the MCU is as successful as it is. But right now, I don’t know what that plan is.
So, do I recommend this movie? Absolutely, especially if you’re a Sam Raimi fan like I am. As an MCU fan? It’s hard to say. I don’t know where this movie fits, but if you like bonkers MCU movies, this could be up your alley. Also, at 2 hours long, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. So what do you have to lose? 15 bucks and 2 hours?