Review: 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'
Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 9:00AM by Nathaniel R
In the recent What If? series on Disney+, which is based on the comic book series of the same name, Marvel's writers could fashion any kind of variation on traditional heroes (and villains) and storylines without any actual consequences for the large familiar canon. Zombie avengers? Sure! Peggy Carter as Captain America? Why not! The What If? series of the 1970s was not quite the beginning of the Multiverse in comics but it was close enough. These thought experiments were always pitched as alternate realities (as opposed to pure fiction) though it took awhile before the effects were felt. The multiverse essentially became a shortcut to any type of retconning any storyteller wanted to do; Contrary to all that dialogue in Loki, Marvel has no "sacred" timeline given all the reversals, resurrections, reboots, and switcheroos. The multiverse virus was even more of an epidemic in DC comics, Marvel's top competitor.
Unfortunately if What If is essentially fan-fiction without the fans, then Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is arguably stingers without a movie. The latest MCU movie is positively awash in cameos and teases for future installments, resulting in a film that feels very much like an incoherent feature-length mid-credits scene...
That might sound harsh so we amend: There is an actual movie threaded in between the teases and set-ups for future franchises. And it's a good one, too! Or, at very least, there's a 10th episode of WandaVision. Fans of WandaVision (I include myself in that designation) will enjoy checking back in to see what's going on with Wanda's complex perpetually troubled reality-bending journey. We last saw her floating in meditation studying the mythical evil magic tome known as "The Darkhold". That final stinger image from WandaVision is essentially the prequel to all that transpires in the second Doctor Strange movie.
As for 'all that transpires'... well, we shan't spoil the plot. The title gives you the accurate tone and setting. It's worth praising the trailer for NOT giving the game away for a change. Most of what you see is from the first 30 minutes of the movie or, if it's from the back half of the movie, it's scrambled enough into the tease that the movie does hold quite a few franchise surprises (if you're into that).
Best in show is Elizabeth Olsen by such an impressive margin that it almost ought to have been called Scarlet Witch in the Multiverse of Madness though Strange is admittedly our lead and protagonist. Olsen gets better each Marvel outting and now sells Wanda's various traumas, confusing history, current mental state, and over-arching indifference / disdain for reality all at once. Most importantly she can sell a comic book panel ready word balloon like "That hardly seems fair" with such stylish flair that its shiver-inducing in context. She's meeting it exactly where it lives within the heightened broad strokes of the genre.
For his part Benedict Cumberbatch appears to be having more fun in the the leading role than in previous outings (largely thanks to the multiverse variations of Strange) but it still feels a teensy bit like a Great Thespian Slumming than a full investment.
The other characters (and there are alot of them) don't have anything do other than tease future movies. This sadly includes the much-buzzed introduction of Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Marvel's Latinx lesbian superhero. Gomez is energetic and obviously game but the movie gives her shockingly little chance to make an impression, despite being in quite a lot of it. She is given no discernable personality and has only three notes to play: young girl in danger, frustated hero who can't control their powers, and font of exposition as our tour guide of the Multiverse.
Aside from the word of mouth hit Everything Everywhere All At Once, and the madly creative animated joys of Into the Spider-Verse, I confess a distaste for the Multiverse as a concept. In the Multiverse of Madness often plays as if they were making it up as they went along since there are essentially no rules once this concept takes hold. Rules are very important for thrilling action. We need to know what heroes are capable -- hell, what reality itelf is -- to understand the scope of the danger, the odds against the heroes, and invest in the outcome. Combine that 'get out of jail free' storytelling mode with the more familiar Superman problem (The Scarlet Witch being almost infinitely powerful) and the stakes that we are told are infinite can feel oddly weightless instead.
All of the joy to be had amidst the far-too masturbatory parade of characters and the gobbledygook plotting, comes courtesy of either the wickedly committed Elizabeth Olsen or for-hire director Sam Raimi. His skill with camerawork and his affection for horror/comedyare on ample display. His horror instincts in particular get a thrilling workout, particularly in the climactic battle. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is genuinely creepy at times and extremely violent. (This is not a film parents should take their children to, despite all the superheroes.) Though the abundant filler action sequences are hit and miss, they usually manage one splash page worthy image. And Raimi's gifts in this department when it counts should not be underestimated. Three of the action sequences are well above average for Marvel films, one having great silly fun with the innate nonsense of sorcerer vs sorceror, one harnessing Raimi's horror bonafides (you've probably guessed it involves zombie Strange given the trailer) in big-screen worthy ways, and one set in the familiar Kamar-Taj (Strange's training ground city) which sets the table well for the rest of the movie.
But, as with Eternals, you can feel the arranged marriage of corporate demands and auteur interests. They're not always happy together but they can learn to make their union work. They do here a handful of times. One of the best beats in the movie is an unnerving callback to Wanda's introductory scene in Age of Ultron, when MCU referencing demands and Raimi's gifts manage to land in perfect sync. It's hard not to wish there were more thrills as satisfying. But there's always next time if they're smart enough to rehire Sam Raimi and loosen his reins.
Oscar Chances: Visual Effects... and a longshot for Score/Sound?
Grade: The core Doctor Strange & Scarlet Witch stuff (36 minutes?) A- ; Everything else (90 minutes?) that surrounds it, interrupts it, distracts from it to further advertise the Marvel Cinematic Universe: C-; Final Grade: B-/C+?
Reader Comments (5)
still eager to see this one. I take the MCU as an endless soap, and I kind of avoid the bits that do not interest me that much... but Raimi + Dr. Strange? I need to see that, anyways.
I think Benedict is a solid actor, but I find his take on Strange to be a ho-hum. I really wasn't into the first movie and even his appearance in No Way Home fell a little flat. However, he does tend to land the big moments quite well, like his big dramatic moment in Infinity Wars.
That being said, I've been anticipating this film since March 2021, when Wandavision ended. Olsen is incredible in that role, and I'm excited to continue her journey. Even if she's only a supporting character here, I think it will be worth it to sit through the Strange stuff to see her.
Elizabeth Olsen is absolutely incredible in this. She will be on my mind for a very long time. I truly hope she can gain some traction to only not be nominated by year's end. But I do want her name in the conversation.
after seeing it... a C+
Completely agree that the fan service derrailed an already disjointed, rushed narrative, and the the film ultimately survives exclusively for the Wanda / Strange stuff... I kind of disliked how Wong went badass everytime, only to underline he's "inferior" to Strange. However the vow running joke was hilarious and really did pay off.
Not a fan. Multiverses are meant to be fun, but instead after a very brief spin through the universes, they land on a world that is remarkably similar to the one we know. It's hardly 'madness'. I liked when Raimi was able to do this thing, but that just wasn't frequent enough. It's just so leaden. And, yes, gobbledygook.