In 2016, Marvel Studios released Doctor Strange, the fourteenth installment in the shared cinematic universe of comic book superheroes and opened up the doorways to the mystic arts of magic and sorcery into the MCU. Directed by Scott Derrickson, the film, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton, follows the journey of neurosurgeon Stephen Strange, who under circumstances of an unfortunate career-ending car crash, and learns of the hidden magical arts to heal wounds (body and soul) as well as a battle against a rogue sorcerers named Kaecilius. Doctor Strange was well-met by critics and moviegoers (with only a few minor complaints); finding many praising the feature for its cast, visual effects, and musical score and grossed over $677 worldwide at the box office. From there, the character of Doctor Strange appeared in several superhero-team up adventures, including Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now, almost after six years since the release of the first Doctor Strange film, the character of Stephen Strange prepares his next solo film with the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Is this long-awaited Strange sequel worth a look, or is it lost in the intertwined network of multiverse conflicts?
THE STORY :
Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is trying to get a handle on his purpose, working how to process his time of being an Avenger / superhero to the world as well as looking at his former life has carried on without him, including his ex-lover, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), who`s getting married to another man. Plagued by bizarre dreams of a mysterious figure in the multiverse, Strange soon makes contact with one America Chavez (Xochiti Gomez), a teenager on the run from deadly power looking to claim her ability, which is to create doorways throughout the known multiverse. Joined by Wong, (Benedict Wong), Strange is intent on protecting the enigmatic newcomer to this dimension, only to learn that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), whose witchcraft power have manifested to their fullest potential to become the legendary “Scarlet Witch “is behind the pursuit, looking to take possession of America`s powers to gain access to the motherhood experience she`s desperate to protect. Battling across the multiverse and in uncharted and unfamiliar territories, Strange seeks to protect America from Wanda.
THE GOOD AND THE BAD :
Of course, as many of my reader fully know that I am a big fan of the MCU. Of course, there are some installments that I think that are better than others, with some needing improvement on its context, characters, or presentation, but overall I believe that this blockbuster superhero shared universe continues to be a powerhouse franchise. Back in 2016, I was quite excited to see Doctor Strange because it was going to feature a new character in the MCU and to have a skilled actor such as Benedict Cumberbatch (loved him as Sherlock Holmes in the show Sherlock) was definitely going to be a treat in watching the movie. In truth, it actually worked that way, with Cumberbatch delivering a solid performance in the role of Stephen Strange as well as the surrounding supporting cast (i.e. Mikkelsen, Swinton, and Ejiofor). Perhaps the only downside to the feature was it was (in lack of a better terminology) a straight-forward superhero origin tale that was akin to the first Iron Man movie as well as having a pretty forgetful villain character, despite being played by such a talented individual such as Mad Mikkelsen. Additionally, we felt that Doctor Strange was a great introduction to the character and a new wrinkle in Marvel's more established universe of superheroes. has been a great complement to the main protagonist of . This is evident in his interactions/involvements in Avengers: Infinity War and Spider-Man: No Way His Home. Overall, I think it's the character of the doctor. Stephen Strange is a fantastic addition to the MCU superhero roster (even as of this writing) and shows no signs of appearing in this shared universe of heroes, gods and monsters.
Not surprisingly, it tells me about the crazy Multiverse Doctor Strange, the 2022 superhero blockbuster, the 2016 Doctor Strange sequel, and the 28th article on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. .. As mentioned earlier, after completing the first Doctor Strange movie, I was very excited to see where the Stephen Strange character was going. Of course, his involvement in both Avenger movies and Norway Home was great, but I was curious where the sequel to Doctor Strange would take a good doctor. Dive deeper into the mysterious hidden world explored in the 2016 movie, and explore the Multiverse ... something was hinted at in the credits. Of course, when the MCU Phase IV saga lineup was announced, the sequel to Doctor Strange was also part of that group and aroused a lot of interest. In addition, the Multiverse of Madness had a ton of sidelines that transcended the film, which made the film highly hyped (eg WandaVision, What If ?, Loki). The movie trailer also promoted the movie. It shows Strange transitioning to various multiverses, with Wanda Maximoff appearing as a hostile villain. Given all the hype surrounding this particular movie (and the hit Spider-Man: Noway Home), I was excited to see this movie ... the summer movie season begins. I saw it on the opening night, but due to work schedules and personal circumstances, the review of this movie was delayed. So now (about two weeks after its release), I'm ready to share my thoughts on the latest Doctor Strange movie. And what did I think about it? I'm glad. Despite some pacing issues and a bit of an unstable storytelling element, Madness's Multiverse Doctor Strange brings the classic action and drama of a superhero variant to the bizarre and horror of this blockbuster. Another solid addition to the MCU, fused with the elements. It may not be able to beat some of his best MCU releases, but it was undoubtedly a very unique dive into the madness of the Multiverse.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is directed by Sam Raimi, whose previous directorial works include such films like the Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007), The Evil Dead, and Oz the Great and Powerful. Given his track record of helming such projects in the 90s and 2000s era of filmmaking, Raimi hasn`t directed a major blockbuster endeavor since 2013`s Oz the Great and Powerful. Granted, Raimi has shifted (from then until now) into more of a producer role, but I find it quite interesting that the director now sees the return to the mainstream filmmaking world, especially for a Marvel superhero movie. Naturally, given how the first Doctor Strange was presented, I was a little bit dismayed that director Scott Derrickson did not return, but, with Raimi at the helm, Multiverse of Madness (MoM for short) does succeed in cultivating in a very interesting (and slightly strange) superhero movie. Of course, all the nuances of what many would expect from an MCU are still present throughout the movie, which is a combination of “larger-than-life” superhero antics of action, comedy, and drama; a commonplace nuance for the MCU brand. That being said, Raimi, who definitely has his own unique style of filmmaking, gets the chance to present from start to finish something very interesting for a Doctor Strange movie. The directing style is immediately noticeable. While Raimi's direction is sometimes a bit difficult to fully articulate, the visual flair, comedic moments, and multiple dramatic sequences that flourish are definitely felt, making MoM a unique experience. Raimi dances "to the beat of his own drum" and MoM is even better at it. There are moments that are completely goofy (an example of this is his memo fight against two humans, which is absolutely fantastic), there are scenes of horror (more on that below), and Raimi has There's an amazing superhero jubilant sequence. That's a pretty good thing to see and experience in the movies compared to some other MCU entries.
Of course, MoM has long been promoted as one of the first MCU films to delve into some horror style elements; something that this shared superhero franchise universe has never journeyed into. Naturally, there are not truly R-rated horror of blood and guts, so parental figures needn`t worry about Doctor Strange 2 isn`t one the same level of a slasher flick or a dark supernatural spook feature. That being said, the film doesn`t shy away from the more PG-13 violence, so maybe the younger MCU fans might want to hold off watching this movie. Yet, the horror style elements do actually work, with Raimi channeling his Evil Dead vibe and producing some terrific moments that prey upon the sheer power and madness that the Scarlet Witch unleashes upon the multiverse and some terror scenes that definitely pushes the boundaries of MCU superhero boundaries.
In addition, like previous MCU installments, MoM has a lot of innerworkings of connection the larger shared universe to this particular film. As mentioned above, the movie has had a lot of build up and, much like a lot of projects within the MCU Phase IV saga, talks about the multiverse concept and how the variations of different possibilities play out. Raimi has fun utilizing this particular material and gives the film`s writer (penned by Michael Waldron) plenty to toil around, including a few surprising moments and fan-service cameo-like appearances. Exploring the weird and unordinary beings, places, and characters is something that Raimi relishes and gives MoM a great platform sandbox to play around in. Plus, having the narrative of the feature depicting the character of Wanda Maximoff (a supporting character in the MCU) as the main antagonist is pretty interesting plot device and seeing her character up against a main staple character like Stephen Strange is something fascinating to see come alive on-screen. The story of MoM, while having its fair share of problems, does seem to work with all the inherent pedigree that Marvel has initially setup within the MCU, yet Raimi and his team make the movie work; spinning a strange but interesting motion picture that has a plethora visual spectacle as well as a satisfying presentation that ultimately works. All in all, whether you love or hate the movie, there is no denying the simple fact that Raimi left his mark on the MCU, with his direction and overall production of MoM.
source:disney
In the presentation category, MoM has all the flairs and visual aesthetics one would expect from a superhero blockbuster, with a few heighten tweaks that help make the feature standout from the classic comic book romp. Much like the previous Doctor Strange movie, MoM features plenty of psychedelic visual flair throughout the entire movie and that`s kind of the “bread and butter” for a Strange type movie like this. It is because of this that the film itself has quite distinct look and feel in comparison to the rest of the MCU entries, which helps stand out and MoM takes advantage of all the visual flair and “strange” aesthetics. Thus, along with Raimi`s sense of overall direction for the feature, the background layout and design setting are what you would expect, with a lot of strange oddities and locales that look familiar in realism, yet have a different feeling within a fantasy-esque depiction. This, of course, means that the movie`s “behind-the-scenes” key players, including Md Joni Hossain, Clint Wallace, Charles Wood (production design), John Bush (set design), Graham Churchyard (costume design) as well as the entire art direction team and visual graphics artists, deliver some solid work on their respective areas, which cultivates in making MoM have its own blockbuster flair throughout the entire proceedings. Additionally, the film's camerawork by John Matheson is very good, helping to enhance the film's visual aesthetics and enhancing the blockbuster presentation throughout the feature film. The score, composed by Danny Elfman, is outstanding from start to finish. Of course, Elfman's score is (generally) expected to be good, but the soundtrack on offer is big, bombastic, and gorgeous....perfect notes and melodies at precise points in the constituent music throughout. Hit.
Unfortunately, there are some shortcomings that MoM cannot fix as they face criticism throughout the feature. Perhaps the biggest problem I had with this movie is the overall story. I certainly liked it, and it was definitely "weird" how the narration puts that story in the weird, funny weirdness of how things unfold. Aside from that, the narrative is also its biggest weakness as the film struggles to find the right rhythm as it finally unfolds. Maybe it's because of the screenplay written by Michael Waldron. As mentioned above, MoM's story is so much fun that Raimi brings his directorial style and influence to the overall madness that the film offers. Waldron's stories are playful and entertaining, but they certainly contain a significant proportion of misleading moments, unexplained sequences, and certain narrative elements that become ambiguous over time. Again, I repeat this ... I like the story presented in MoM, but some parts of the script story are a bit overwhelmed and it looks like the movie isn't as fleshed out as it was intended. Some characters have been pushed aside and It's completely omitted from the movie, and like some scenarios hanging from some previous articles, it raises the question of whether this particular movie will appeal to all of them (at some point). When the movie ends, it leaves us completely unable to answer certain big WTF questions, especially from the movies and TV series leading up to MoM. Also, MoM's script design seems a bit simplistic when you actually look at the film's story, which is both good and bad.
What is presented works, but could be slightly extended in some areas. also felt the film's script was a little wonky, especially in the dialogue department. Again, the film classically contains greater superhero frivolity than dialogue-driven moments in life. However, MoM's written dialogue (sometimes) feels pretty clunky and goes into the camp / hawky territory. Of course, it can also help with the wacky and crazy adventures Strange and Chavez experience, but it can all be a bit ridiculous and doesn't fully correspond to what the MCU has established in previous efforts. Again, I fully understand that every director needs to "stamp" this shared superhero world, but Raimi's attempt rises (along with Waldron's script). It may drop instead of doing. MoM is definitely an ambiguous project and the results work, but they are not accurate in terms of the actual benefits or how to make it smoother.
Perhaps the only major criticism that came from Raimi's direction is the pacing of the film's central portion. The feature only has a running time of 126 minutes (2 hours and 6 minutes), which makes the movie feel long by the point, a notable problem with MoM's second act. Especially in this part of the film, Raimi's directing could have been refined, or at least the film edited down to a shorter running time. Another problem is the general abundance of CGI. Of course, we knew this would be a problem. Especially with all the fantastical elements of being both a Marvel superhero movie and a Doctor Strange movie (which was pretty much established in the first feature film). In most cases, the visual effects (as mentioned above) were pretty good, but the CGI scene was a bit overwhelmed, with a few apparent green screen effects (just in case). Not a complete trading breaker ... Be careful…. It still stands out.
The cast in MoM is great and bring their own charismatic bravado to the proceedings, with relative newcomer joining the expansive MCU universe with this movie as well as returning acting talents to reprise their characters from previous installments. Leading the charge in the film is actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the central main protagonist of Dr. Stephen Strange. Known for his roles in The Imitation Game, Sherlock, and Star Trek Into Darkness, Cumberbatch has certainly made a name for himself throughout his career; providing a great catalogue memorable characters in his arsenal and some terrific performances he portrayed. Cumberbatch`s interpretation of Doctor Strange is such a character that delivers a lot of phrase (as I mentioned in my opening paragraph), with the actor`s likeable charm and thespian acting talents giving this particular sorcerer / superhero player in the MCU a run for its money. Plus, as seeing in several other MCU projects (Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: No Way Home), Cumberbatch is fantastic when paired against other acting talents and their superhero on-screen counterparts. So it's not surprising that MoM's Cumberbatch will bring Stephen Strange back to life and take this powerful wizard superhero to a new level. Cumberbatch is very comfortable in its role and gives the character a particular sense of theatrical quality. Create a strong and memorable hero throughout the movie. His journey at MoM looks forward to the entry of MCU superheroes. So while his character arc is somewhat predictable, Cumberbatch boosts Stephen Strange with his charismatic performance, and he's wholeheartedly right (like Downey Jr. Hemsworth and Evans). And its role is wonderful.
Who actually shines a little better than Cumberbatch in the film is actress Elizabeth Olsen, who returns to reprise her MCU character of Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch. Known for her roles in Wind River, Godzilla, and Sorry for Your Loss, Olsen has certainly becoming a sort of rising star, with the actress being featured more and more promptly. None more paramount than her reoccurring performance in the MCU has Wanda Maximoff, who has been featured in several superhero team up films (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame) as well as getting her own Disney Plus TV show in the form of WandaVision. So, it goes without saying that she has become more of a prominent character in the recent MCU installments and her appearance in MoM is one that gives her character an opportunity to create a new layer within Wanda`s narrative thread within the MCU. Of course, Olsen relishes the chance to toil around with Wanda`s darker side persona and MoM gives that perfect platform. Olsen gives enough craziness and depth to the characters, especially the latter of the film, to make them believable, and gives Strange and his allies good foes to fight throughout the film. Just like we did, Wanda gives her character a little more roundness and adds new wrinkles to her personality. is a wonderful, wacky, crazy and wonderful Scarlet Witch on MoM.
Among her cast of mains in this film, actress Sochi Tolgomez is welcomed into the MCU as a young teenager named Chavez in America. Known for her roles in The Baby-Sitters Club, Shadow Wolves, and Her Gentefied, Xochitl is a relatively unknown actress, but her casting in an MCU blockbuster has been one of the best ever. One of her ambitious projects. That's why I think Xochitl plays her character pretty well and throws a lot of new perspectives on this crazy situation happening across MoM. Of course, it's easy to see that American characters are there to act as a kind of "MacGuffin" to help things, but Xochitl does a pretty good job in the American role and definitely names it. I think he's wearing it himself in the movie. Hopefully the character will reappear in future MCU projects.
Unfortunately, the movie lacks the depth with a few supporting characters throughout the movie, with especially noticeable in actress Rachel McAdams (Wedding Crashers and The Notebook), who returns to reprise her Doctor Strange character of Christine Palmer. While I like McAdams as an actress and she quite capable of producing memorable characters in her career, her character of Christine Palmer was a bit underwhelming in the first Doctor Strange and sort of happens again in MoM. Of course, it`s not for a lack of trying on McAdams`s part as she does what she can with the material given to her, but Christine gets sidelined for most of the feature and is merely a narrative plot device when the story is need of her. Thus, once again, Christine Palmer gets an underwhelming positioning in a Doctor Strange movie, and it becomes another disappointment for a potential female side character. The same can be said for the character of Mordo, another magic user sorcerer from Kamar-Taj who help train Stephen in the previous film. The character is again played by actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave and the Martian), and while Mordo's performance is solid (thanks to Ejiofor), his appearance in the film is more than just a "storytelling machine." Gears". MoM construct. Again, it's not up to Ejiofor's role, as he returns to the role with enough panacea and full-blown bravado through dialogue, but the character of Mordo's appearance in the film is a minor middle ground. It's just a role and a bit irrelevant (at least for me).
The rest of the cast, including actor Benedict Wong (The Martian and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) as Doctor Strange’s companion / Sorcerer Supreme leader Wong, actor Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire and A Serious Man) as Strange’s former surgeon colleague Dr. Nic West ,and young actors Jet Klein (Z and WandaVision) and Julian Hillard (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It and WandaVision) return to reprise their WandaVision roles of Tommy and Billy Maximoff. ... Children of Wanda. Of course, some people play slightly bigger roles than others, but for the most part (for total roles) they excel in their respective roles within the film, and the supporting characters and narrative parts of the film. In addition to these characters, there are a few cameo-like appearances scattered throughout the film that add up to big surprises.All the hype/anticipation surrounding the film Some were hinted at online by rumors, while others were completely surprised by their appearance. It's not clear who these cameo characters are and when they will appear in the movie, but it's definitely eye-catching and I'm sure Marvel fans will appreciate their appearance in the movie.
Finally, as is often the case with MCU installments, MoM has two Easter egg scenes in its credits. I'm not going to ruin either, but it will be of particular interest to Strange in future episodes. What is that ... You can see it by watching the movie.
THE FINAL THOUGHTS OF THE MOVIE :
Across the vastness of the multiverse, Stephen Strange discovers the peculiar and unimaginable as he protects a young girl from the menacing efforts by the Scarlett Witch in the movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Director Sam Raimi`s latest film takes what was established from the previous Doctor Strange film (as well as other projects) and presents a very unique superhero film that has splashes of blockbuster Marvel aesthetics, horror elements, and a special affinity towards the director`s personal signature of filmmaking. The result, while struggling in a few areas such as narrative plot holes and character developments / involvements, definitely works in the film`s favor, especially thanks to Raimi`s direction, the horror-like elements of the feature, the visual presentation, the scoring, as well as several cast members (i.e. Cumberbatch and Olsen) and the surprise cameo appearances. Personally, I liked this movie. Yes, there were a few problems that I had with the script / context as well as few pacing problems, but I felt that the film was quite enjoyable and delivered on the horror-ish elements as well as expanding upon the multiverse mantra; bringing together a rather “strange” (in a good way) adventure for the good doctor and his companions. So my recommendation for this superhero movie is a solid "recommendation" - I'm sure it will please both MCU fans and causal moviegoers looking for a nice visual distraction from the blockbuster variety. As previously mentioned, the ending of the film opens the door to Doctor Strange's third solo film as well as several derivative/spin-off projects (films or TV series) that take place during or after the events of the film. leave it open. So it goes without saying that something could come to pass in the future... one way or another, I'm looking forward to it. offers another solid entry in. It projects another "stepping stone" into the vast multiverse, presenting a shared superhero universe of darkness, madness, and sometimes the oddities of heroes, gods, and monsters.
4.0 Out of 5 (recommended)
Released On: May 6th, 2022
Reviewed On: June 7th, 2022
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is 126 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, frightening images, and some language
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