DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS

Welcome back, Sam Raimi - it's been too long.

 

 

***Slight Spoilers for the first act of the film***

After the time-bending, universe-hopping, dimension-collapsing shenanigans that we've seen becoming more prevalent in genre films and in superhero movies in particular (to the point of multiple MCU films and shows being built around the concept), possibly the most refreshing thing about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is how straightforward it is. Instead of taking a ton of detours for crossovers or setting up a bunch of future projects down the line, Loki writer Michael Wadron's script is a clear A-to-B "wizard on the run" movie.

(Relatively speaking, given it's still about said wizard being chased through multiple universes as he tries to save a teenager that can punch holes through realities.)

Since helping save the world in Avengers: Endgame, Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has found himself somewhat adrift in hist victories. At the wedding of his colleague and former lover Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), his reflections on roads not taken are interrupted by the trans-universal arrival of America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) on the run from horrific creatures trying to kidnap her to steal her powers. When Strange and Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong) turn to another magic user and former Avenger for help, they find that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) has become corrupted by the Darkhold, a book of unfathomable dark magic, and is hellbent on doing anything to reclaim the family she lost - even at the cost of America's life.

While Multiverse of Madness delights in hopping around realities and playing with a few variants of well-known characters (as well as a few puckish inclusions of fan-favorite guests), it remains laser-focused on the central drama of two characters who are the mirrored exceptions to their other-universal selves, and takes great relish in examining a couple of the darker corners of the ramifications of their actions. Sam Raimi (director of The Evil Dead, Spider-Man 1, 2, & 3, and Drag Me to Hell) was brought on-board after Scott Derrickson, who'd helmed Strange's origin film, elected to step away from the sequel. Raimi not only demonstrates he's lost none of his skill in bravura effects-filled set pieces (this is the guy who did a big castle siege with stop-motion skeletons back in the early '90s, after all, and practically invented the modern superhero set piece in his Spidey films), his signature visual stylings mesh incredibly well with the high concept material. He also gets to go full horror in a couple scenes, as he peels back what a fully unleashed Wicked Witch of the West archetype laying waste to the place could look like splashed across the MCU.

However, for all the talk of Raimi's chaotic energy, the guy's clear understand of effective story structure (down to act breaks being accompanied by big ol' universe jumps just to keep them clear) and character-rooted narrative is still very much on display. The intersecting arcs of the main characters are well-informed by previous films but still effective inside the breezy 126-minute runtime, telling a complete story but gesturing toward plenty of road left to travel (rather than being all setup for a more interesting potential sequel). He's also lost none of his gift for talented actors dramatizing pointed dramatic choices even as they play across high camp genre trappings. Olsen and Cumberbatch obviously have a lot to work with given that they get to do double (or more) roles, but show incredibly talent for chewing scenery while never undercutting the emotional needs of the moment. Wanda is an incredibly sympathetic character while also being utterly terrifying, and Cumberbatch continues to the streak of being a fantastic foil for young co-stars that he codified in Spider-Man: No Way Home. McAdams gets significantly more to do in this than the first film, thankfully, and Wong continues to be an MVP of basically any scene he's in.

There's some big choices with big characters that will likely break hard along the "love it or hate it" spectrum, and Raimi's frenetic tonal sensibilities are a clear departure from the carefully cultivated mood of most MCU entries - but that's part of what I love about it. Danny Elfman throwing an electric guitar wail into the score as two wizards are literally dropping the bass on each other may not belong in a Doctor Normal movie, but is exactly the kind of wild shit I expect from here.

And if seeing a couple of the "kinda messed-up but MCU standards, but still in line with a harder PG-13" beats ends up making some young horror fans outta the audience? So much the better.