Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the latest Marvel movie in its ever-expanding universe. To fully understand it you’ll want to watch Wandavision too. Although it’s not necessary, it’ll give better content. Benedict Cumberbatch returns along with Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams and Chiwetel Ejiofor from the first movie. Elizabeth Olsen also stars as Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet Witch. It’s directed by renowned horror director Sam Raimi.
Of course, this isn’t the first superhero movie Sam Raimi’s directed. The original Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire saw Sam Raimi at the helm. Unbelievably this is his first movie since Oz the Great and Powerful in 2013. Given how long it’s been since his last movie, is it a triumphant return?
Before we go into that, take a look at the trailer below:
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is divisive. There are no two ways about it. It’s the riskiest and boldest project in the MCU yet. Most of this is due to how the story unfolds. However, it’s also because the movie is Sam Raimi at his absolute craziest. Fans of the Evil Dead trilogy will undoubtedly find reasons to smile. The horror moments are up there with some of his best and he finds a way to balance it well with the comedy. That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s seen the Evil Dead.
His camera work is uncontrolled. He employs tropes he’s a master at to create terrifying set-pieces. Younger audiences may find some scenes frightening. Other than the acting I’d say the directing is the best thing about the movie. It’s Sam Raimi galore (scary, campy, heartfelt). He’s where he belongs in the world of wizards and witches and I hope this marks his proper return to the world of superheroes.
Elizabeth Olsen gives one of her best performances. I’ll never tire of watching her as Wanda Maximoff, especially after her recent turn in Wandavision. One minute you root for her, the next you don’t and it repeats and repeats. This is the Scarlet Witch fans know from the comics. She’s unsanitized and she will make you question your love for her. Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch is obviously having fun. As seen in the trailers, he’s playing more than his normal MCU version. He has a poetic throughline where Dr Strange is questioning his happiness. I’ve yet to be let down by his performance.
Another character and actor I’ll never tire of seeing is Wong (Benedict Wong). I’ll take as much Wong as Marvel give us and I’ll always want more. As the Sorcerer Supreme, it’s fun to watch him lord it over Stephen Strange. Wong blesses us with a lot of humour but we see a more serious side to him. Benedict Wong has no issues in switching between the two. More Wong please, Marvel!
Let me preface before I say the next thing: I love America Chavez in the comics. She’s intimidating, she’s funny, she’s loyal and she’s someone you wouldn’t want to annoy. She is undoubtedly one of my favorite characters. That’s why it saddens me I didn’t get as much from the movie’s version. I didn’t dislike Xochitl Gomez but I didn’t see much of America Chavez in her. Given this is an origin story for her my opinion can change in the future and I hope it does. After all, this is an America Chavez who isn’t sure of herself. Xochitl never gets to properly be the character from the comics. Hopefully my opinion changes during future appearances.
My biggest issue with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness though is the script. Some of it is good but every so often it falls flat. The finished movie comes across as a Frankenstein edit of different movies. After several test screenings, extensive reshoots reportedly changed a significant portion of the movie. It didn’t help Covid caused issues with filming and forced this and Spider-Man: No Way Home to change. This results in Ned Leeds replacing America Chavez as the magic user in the latter movie.
Some of the reshoots are evident within the movie.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is messy but it’s also a fun ride that doesn’t need to be perfect. It swings high and sometimes misses yet I’m still thinking about it days after. If that isn’t a good sign, I don’t know what is. If you can, go into it as spoiler-free as possible. There are sequences that are all the better for it.
