Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness not only lived up to the hype, but the subtitle of the film as well. A tour-de-force by Marvel Studios, this spoiler-free review can best be summed up with a simple sentence: the best Marvel film since Avengers: End Game. For those who loved Spider-Man: No Way Home, which introduced theater goers to the multiverse, my apologizes for that statement. But this is not only the second half of a two-part story (you do not have to see Spider-Man to follow this movie, by the way), it is elevating the concept of how maddening the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going to become.
For those who do not know, the multiverse is a concept in Marvel comics labeling the parallel dimensions, timelines, and alternate realities. In short, there are millions of alternate realities and each one could have a duplicate of ourselves, each one a variant from what he are familiar with. In one universe Doctor Strange could be evil. In another, Doctor Strange could be a woman. In another, well, you get the idea. And this is the concept Marvel Studios ran with. Here, we are introduced to superheroes that have never made it to the big screen before, alternate renditions of familiar characters, and a few surprises along the way.
One newcomer who shines brightly is America Chavez, a young girl from another universe who has the ability to punch holes and open doors to alternate universes. When a monster chases her from another world, Strange intervenes and finds himself curious what is so special about her that creatures have to be summoned across multiple universes to apprehend her. This launches the epic that would push Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, into an adventure where he explores the motives of his alternate renditions -- not all of whom are the good guys. Xochitl Gomez plays the role of America Chavez with perfect adaptation from the comic books. (With her entry into the series, I also smell Marvel Studios setting up a Young Avengers television series or movie in the near future.)
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| Elizabeth Olsen not as Wanda, but as the Scarlet Witch. |
Sam Raimi, who established a reputation for creating demonic horror films with such classics as The Evil Dead, took the helm and performed his tasks admirably. And I dare say, with challenges most directors would not have had to ordeal with. Three weeks into filming, production came to a halt due to the pandemic. The release date was pushed forward. Then the film was completed, only to have retakes shot months later.
I have to give it to Marvel Studios... every sequel is different from the others. The Multiverse of Madness is different from the first Doctor Strange movie. And the studio is not afraid of trying something new for the sake of telling a story. Critics may differ whether this is a great superhero film or a corporate slog, but the box office dollars in the coming weeks will verify whether this was the correct trajectory for the Doctor Strange movies... after all, the film was made for fan boys like us.
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| Known as Shuma Garuth in the comics, Goliath in the movies. |
