Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Review: Raimi Makes The MCU Genuinely Scary
The Marvel Cinematic Universe meets horror in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Directed by Sam Raimi — whose last venture into the world of superheroes was with Spider-Man 3 — from a script by Michael Waldron, Doctor Strange 2 is visually surprising. It dares to do what other MCU films have not, improving its effects and cinematography in a way that distinguishes it from its predecessors. The action sequences are fun and, paired with the film’s visual style and horror elements, it fares well enough, though the personal voyages are lacking.
Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is having bizarre dreams, seeing America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and a ponytailed version of himself running towards something and away from the gruesome demon chasing them. What Doctor Strange soon realizes is that it isn’t a dream at all; what he is experiencing is another universe altogether. It doesn’t take long for the sorcerer and Wong (Benedict Wong), now Sorcerer Supreme, to meet America in their world. She is being chased by creatures working for somebody who is attempting to steal her powers, which allow her to travel between every multiverse dimension. She joins Wong and Doctor Strange, who attempts to recruit Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), now the Scarlet Witch, as they work to find the Book of the Vishanti, an influential book containing magic that would allow them to stop their new adversary before the multiverse is put in any danger.
On a subjective level, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness leaves a lot to be desired. Doctor Strange is constantly being asked, or asking himself, whether he is happy. It’s a valid question, but the problem is that the personal stakes for Stephen Strange — at least beyond being a superhero — are practically nonexistent because the first film failed to firmly establish such things and the MCU hasn’t been doing a good job of following up on his emotional through-line. Doctor Strange 2 would like audiences to believe that the sorcerer does regret not accomplishing enough to save his relationship with Christine, a regret he seems to harbour throughout the film.
But it would have been more emotionally beneficial if the MCU had better laid the groundwork for it. It’s more of a shrug here than anything substantial, needing the depth and feeling required to make it resonate. The same goes for America Chavez’s arc. While the character gets some fantastic scenes that show off what she’s truly capable of, America’s story is short-changed, with most of her backstory relegated to one quick scene. While there is never a dull moment, the sequel moves fairly fast in an attempt to push through its plot, leaving most everyone’s character development by the wayside.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is more of a showcase for Wanda, an extension of the story that began in WandaVision. She’s come a long way since Avengers: Age of Ultron and this film shows off the full extent of her powers, which have grown since the end of her Disney+ series. Exactly how she uses them and why will surely excite audiences, though her actions here are better understood by having watched WandaVision first. Unlike the other characters, however, Wanda’s story comes full circle and Elizabeth Olsen gets the most to work with in terms of giving an emotional performance. Crucially, Rachel McAdams gets a lot more to do in this film as Christine Palmer than she did in the last, which is a refreshing and better use of her talents.
Visually, the film takes things to another level. Raimi weaves in horror elements that are simply fantastic, elevating the film from a corny multiverse adventure to an eerie and somewhat unsettling horror trip. One scene sees America, Doctor Strange and Christine standing, waiting before a shadow rushes past and a figure, blood-drenched and angry, appears in front of them. It’s a fabulous jump scare moment and it’s scenes such as this that help build the tension throughout. It’s most definitely a Sam Raimi film in that regard. Cinematographer John Mathieson does some great work with the multiverse, distinguishing each world from the others with pops of bright colour or with dark, steely greys in places that have seen better days. A scene that sees America and Doctor Strange breaking through the various multiverse dimensions is tremendous, giving audiences a taste of what is out there in a unique fashion. Although the multiverse makes for a good playground, it still doesn’t feel like it’s being used to its full potential. It’s as though Marvel wants to play in the multiverse sandbox without taking too many risks or going all in.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is solid overall, if not particularly game-changing. The film is focused primarily on its plot that it forgets to give the characters save for Wanda any real development. The pacing moves quickly and, while there is never a boring moment, there are several points where the story could have slowed just a bit to allow for more relationship building among characters. It’s a major weak point in an otherwise serviceable film. The sequel introduces enough information to progress the MCU’s future while telling a relatively close-ended story, but what sets Doctor Strange 2 apart are its aesthetic and horror elements, which makes one glad Raimi decided to helm it.