DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

2016 saw the release of Doctor Strange which introduced the titular superhero to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although many criticised the plot, which followed the same narrative path as other origin stories, resulting in a predictable watch, the extraordinary visuals were praised and described as the best in the MCU. Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as Strange was also well received. Since his first film, Doctor Strange has made various appearances in the MCU, including in Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame and, most recently, in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now, a sequel has been released, six years after he made his first appearance, named Multiverse of Madness. However, does it match the quality of its predecessor?

In Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before. Journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.

Although I mostly enjoyed what director Sam Raimi had created with Multiverse of Madness (making his first feature film since Disney’s Oz: The Great and Powerful in 2013 and his first Marvel film since Spider-Man 3 in 2007), it is a flawed addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Its main problem is that it doesn’t work as a standalone film and does expect you to have seen the previous films in order to understand what’s going on, which isn’t an issue for me as I’ve seen all of the films and their spin-off shows, however, I can imagine that the average cinema-goer will be puzzled. The main plot surrounds Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) who is grieving for her lost husband and children following the events of WandaVision, which was a spin-off series that is on Disney+. Again, those who haven’t seen the series will be confused by Wanda and fail to understand her actions and motives. However, I can’t imagine fans of the MCU being disappointed with what Raimi has created with Multiverse of Madness as it contains many of the elements that makes a successful Marvel film including thrilling action, a compelling story that sees the main protagonist battling a worthy foe and extraordinary special effects. The latter aspect stands out the most as the sequel explores the multiverse through dizzying and dazzling visuals. This is where Multiverse of Madness is at its most interesting, however, most of the film focuses on the intense rivalry that forms between Strange and Wanda who becomes the villainous and powerful Scarlet Witch. 

Although the story for Multiverse of Madness is mostly compelling, it does follow the same plot of the main hero battling the antagonist. While it’s filled with surprising twists and random appearances from new characters and new versions of old characters, they aren’t given enough screen time to leave much of an impression and are underwhelming as a result. I think that, after the appearances of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in No Way Home, I can imagine that the head of Marvel Studios wanted to bring back more characters into his cinematic universe, however, while I was excited about one of the casting choices when it was revealed halfway through, their screen time was very brief. While the idea of a multiverse sounds exciting and lead to a wide range of endless possibilities, I think that the producers at Marvel have dug themselves into a bigger hole as it means that the deaths of characters in previous films in the MCU (including Tony Stark’s heroic sacrifice in Endgame) are made redundant as the multiverse means that there are other variants still living in other universes. Although there may be another Stark living as Iron Man in another universe, the possibility of Robert Downey Jr. returning to the role is unlikely. I think that introducing new characters into the MCU is an interesting idea, however, in Multiverse of Madness, the appearances of a new team of superheroes are unsatisfactory as, while they’re involved in the action, it’s very brief and anticlimactic. 

Multiverse of Madness features a talented cast, with Cumberbatch continuing to impress with his portrayal of Doctor Strange. In the last six years, the character has been through a lot, including being snapped out of existence in Infinity War before returning in Endgame’s epic climatic battle, and Strange is immediately brought back into the action within the sequel’s opening sequence which sees him defeating an octopus demon in New York City. However, the situation is made worse after Strange asks Wanda for help with the latter becoming the former’s enemy. Cumberbatch succeeds in capturing Strange’s strengths, including his magical powers, and his weaknesses, such as certain decisions he is forced to make in order to stop Wanda. Olsen is equally as impressive and, while Wanda’s actions are seen as evil, those who have watched her story from her first appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron, will understand what she’s been through and that, behind the alternative personality of the Scarlet Witch lies a grieving mother and widow who lost her husband, Vision, in Infinity War and sons in WandaVision. Benedict Wong returns as the wise Sorcerer Supreme, Wong and is involved in more of the action alongside Strange. In the first film, Rachel McAdams was underused as Strange’s love interest and fellow surgeon, Doctor Christine Palmer. In Multiverse of Madness, she is given more to do and is involved in more of the action. While most of the actors all deliver a strong performance, it’s newcomer Xochitl Gomez who stands out and impresses the most as America Chavez who received the ability to travel between dimensions by punching open doorways as a child. Chavez is one of the most interesting characters in Multiverse of Madness due to her unique traveling ability.

One of the main criticisms aimed at most films in the MCU is that they lack the director’s unique vision. An example of this is when the Oscar winning director of Nomadland, Chloé Zhao, was hired to make Eternals. It could have been an interesting addition to the MCU, unfortunately, many were disappointed that it lacked Zhao’s unique vision. When Raimi was announced as the director of Multiverse of Madness, a lot of people were excited, as he’s best known for his work on the Spider-Man trilogy, however, others were worried that his vision wouldn’t shine through, with his version Multiverse of Madness resulting in another Marvel movie. However, I think that Raimi’s fans will be pleasantly surprised as Multiverse of Madness features some of his filmmaking trademarks, including a dark and scary tone. Although it’s not a full-on horror like Raimi’s The Evil Dead, the Multiverse of Madness is filled with a dark and unsettling atmosphere. 

As someone who mostly enjoys the film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I found Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to be a mostly entertaining watch and was rarely bored as the 126 minute runtime is filled with bright and colourful visuals, exciting action and surprising twists. However, those who aren’t fans of Marvel will find themselves more confused than entertained.

7/10