TED REVIEWS: DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

By: Ted Campbell May 31, 2022

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” thrusts the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) into new dimensions (literally) in a thrilling and terrifying film that kicks off the summer with a bang!

In this film, Benedict Cumberbatch returns to his role as the iconic Marvel Comics character, Dr. Strange, having appeared in last year's "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which introduced the idea of multiple universes to the MCU. Joining him are Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Benedict Wong as Wong and newcomer to the MCU, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez — a young superheroine who can open interdimensional portals.

Director Sam Raimi takes the reins for this one by showcasing his distinct style that makes use of unconventional shots and creative sound choices. His background as a horror director, as shown in the “Evil Dead” trilogy also shines through here.

“Multiverse of Madness” is easily the closest the MCU has gotten to creating a horror film. There are a handful of frightening sequences and a shocking amount of gore for a PG-13 movie. This darker style of film will certainly turn away some viewers, however, I find it to be a needed change of pace from the pure action of past Marvel movies.

I was surprised by the strength of the acting in the film. Olson keeps the momentum she started in WandaVision and takes the character of the Scarlet Witch into new directions. Xochitl Gomez delivers a strong performance, which is all the more impressive considering she is 16-years-old and this is her first major Hollywood role. But it was Benedict Wong who stole the show as Wong by managing to balance seriousness with humor. With Wong now the Sorcerer Supreme, more focus is put into his character, who has a storyline of his own.

“Multiverse of Madness” is not without its faults. One major issue is that the pacing of the film is rather odd. The first 20 minutes or so of the film fly-by at a brisk pace and the pacing stays too fast until roughly the 40 minute mark, where it evens out to a comfortable tempo.

Another flaw is that the film relies heavily on the audience having watched the show “WandaVision” — a miniseries produced for Disney+ that spans the gap between "Avengers: Endgame" and the rise of the Scarlet Witch. While this isn’t a problem for hardcore Marvel fans, casual viewers may be left confused. The film directly continues plotlines from the show without much explanation provided.

Overall, I consider “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” to be an entertaining spectacle that features some thrilling sequences. It is essential viewing to anyone who has already invested their time into the MCU film franchise. It is also a fun movie to just sit down and eat popcorn to.