2022 Summer Movie Season - Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness: Review & Analysis

Doctor's Orders!!!!! Second Doctor Strange Flick Is A Bag of Fun, Frights, and Prerequisite Requirements!!!!!

Review By Brandon Porter

Welcome To The Multiverse

Story Description 

Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has dealt with many challenges since the fateful day he became the sorcerer supreme almost 6 years ago. But his latest one could be the most tumultuous of them all. Just months after stopping a cataclysmic event involving the still unknown multiverse, Stephen finds himself thrown into another brush involving the mysterious collection of multiple realities. When the task is clearly too big for just him and the inhabitants of Kamar-Taj, Strange enlists the help of former Avenger Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), fresh off of her escapades in Westview where she donned the moniker The Scarlet Witch, to help quell the coming threat. With danger at every turn and weird occurrences popping up every second, Strange must rely on his wit, his allies including Wong (Benedict Wong) and a mysterious young girl named America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), and every trick he has in his arsenal to save his reality and the ones he is likely to encounter. 

Strange and America Chavez Deliberate Their Next Move
In Kamar-Taj.

Film Review

It has been a solid 5 months since the monumental release of Spider-Man No Way Home. Aside from the film being a cinematic juggernaut, the third film in the MCU Spider-Man trilogy film was our first proper introduction to the idea of the multiverse as a central storytelling agent. Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness is the chronological next chapter in this practice that sees Doctor Strange in another brush with the multiverse that will see him battle the dangers of the worlds beyond. With new and returning faces both expected (and potentially unexpected), the Sam Raimi-led endeavor looks to build on the momentum of its spiritual predecessor and deliver a mind-bending and terrifying trip through the world of endless possibilities. After traveling through the multiverse with some new and old friends, Multiverse of Madness is a brain trip, a horror show, and an emotional odyssey all rolled into one. It is easy to assume that a film that involves multiple universes would be overly chaotic. The good news is that while the film is chaotic it doesn't come at the cost of the narrative or the story at large. First, let's go over the performances of the main players. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers big time as Doctor Strange this go around displaying a side of the character we haven't seen much of. We are used to seeing the cocky, sarcastic and blunt version of the character. However, Stephen Strange, this go-around has a vulnerability to him that plays on his regret and fears. It's a great new turn for the character that really adds depth to him. Speaking of depth, Elizabeth Olsen is a bonified powerhouse in this film. Building off the momentum of Wandavision, Olsen's latest portrayal as Wanda is equal parts heartbreaking and downright sinisterly terrifying. What makes this performance work is that while her actions are unjustifiable, her motivations are fully understandable. Olsen does a masterful job at making you fear her while also making you feel the full weight of her despair and sorrow. This is truly a career-best performance and she should be applauded for giving her all and crafting an incredibly complex and nuanced character that you feel for and feel scared of all at once. Newcomer Xochitl Gomez is a bright light in her MCU debut as America Chavez. Gomez hangs with her more experienced counterparts rather well and carries emotional scenes with relative grace and ease. This may be the start of her MCU journey but from what I've seen, it's a welcome debut that I look forward to seeing more of moving forward. Benedict Wong does well as Wong this go around while Rachel McAdams does a great job with the expanded role that she has been given. There are a few other "major" players within the film but for the sake of not ruing the surprises, I will say there are some fun scenes that are awesome to see but also raise some questions as to the ramifications of their appearance.

Traversing Through The Multiverse. Seatbelts Recommended 

This does bring me to one of my complaints about the film. While the movie is a fun ride, it does come at the cost of alianating some people who have not been keeping up with the ever-changing MCU, particularly in regards to what's been happening with it on streaming. The movie has heavy ties to Wandavision and even a few other MCU-centric Disney+ series which is great for those who have been keeping up with everything on that platform. For those not fortunate enough to have access to that content, the emotional impact could very well be lost given how the events of those shows so heavily impact the narrative within the movie. You should still be invested in Raimi's cinematic vision but not as much as someone who is up to date on all things Marvel in both visual spaces. The film is still a lot of fun with tension-filled action, heartfelt emotion and skin-crawling terror. The mix of these make for a good time from start to finish. In hindsight, Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness is an entertaining, terrifying and emotionally earnest trip that is worth taking. It brings a lot of great things to the table. But some of it won't mean much to those not familiar with the new items added to the menu in recent time. 

Rating and Final Thoughts

Frights, Heartwrencing Moments, and Surprises Aplenty Fill This Multiversal Mayhem Fest
That Rewards Others Who've Been Keeping Up With The Larger MCU But 
Could Leave Those Without That Knowledge and Context Out To Dry.

So..Where To Now?