Nerdly » ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Review *SPOILER FREE*

03rd May2022

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Review SPOILER FREE

by Matthew Turner

Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Xochitl Gomez, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Bruce Campbell | Written by Michael Waldron | Directed by Sam Raimi

Sam Raimi directs this ambitious Doctor Strange sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, in which Marvel’s resident magician has to save the entire Multiverse from a sinister threat. Thrilling, darkly funny and full of surprises, it’s a hugely enjoyable sequel that delivers on its own terms, while also fulfilling its obligations to other elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness takes place not long after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, with Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Wong (Benedict Wong) encountering America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez, pronounced “Soh-chee”), a teenage girl who has the power to travel between multiverses. When it transpires that a ruthless supernatural being is attempting to steal America’s power for themselves, Strange turns to Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) for help, but soon realises he may have underestimated his adversary.

The announcement that Sam Raimi would be directing the Strange sequel generated immediate speculation over just how much of his distinctive stamp would be in the finished movie. Happily, the answer to the question, “How much of a Sam Raimi movie is it going to be?” turns out to be “Quite a bit of a Sam Raimi movie, actually.”

To that end, Raimi finds time for several enjoyable horror-tinged moments, laying his stall out early with the wince-inducing dispatch of a fearsome octopus-like creature with a giant eye. Similarly, a third act problem gets solved in a manner that will have fans of Raimi’s genre movies positively gurgling with glee – at any rate, it feels like a significant risk for the MCU and it’s one that pays off.

Naturally, a film that details primarily with magic spells and demonic forces is always going to depend heavily on CGI, and it’s fair to say that there are a couple of moments that look unfortunately video game-like (so much so in one case that it feels like an advert for an actual tie-in game), but generally speaking the visual effects are extremely solid, complementing the story rather than overwhelming it. Just occasionally, the effects really come into their own – an inspired spell battle sequence is a delightful highlight – though that also backfires slightly because it leaves you wishing the film had used more of that level of invention.

Plot-wise, the central story provides a satisfying conclusion to the events of TV’s WandaVision, without requiring the audience to be fully familiar with WandaVision. It also ties into the MCU’s ongoing pre-occupation with the Multiverse (there are some amusing Spider-Man gags early on) while continuing themes and elements left over from the previous Doctor Strange movie. Crucially, the Multiverse factor means that even the elements that are clearly meant to foreshadow future Marvel projects don’t feel out of place or jarring here, as they often do in other MCU movies.

It would, of course, be churlish to reveal any of the film’s big surprises here, but suffice it to say that noted comics fan Raimi is clearly having a great time playing in the Marvel toybox and his gleeful enjoyment is palpable at times, using the excuse of the Multiverse to get away with all sorts of comic-book mischief.

As for the performances, Cumberbatch is reliably excellent, and he gets to bring a little more emotional depth to the character than we’ve seen before. Similarly, Olsen is terrific as Wanda, delivering a powerful performance that feels like the perfect culmination for her character arc.

On top of that, Gomez is immensely likeable as America, a character we’ll almost certainly be seeing again in the near future, while the film also atones for the criminal lack of Rachel MacAdams (as Strange’s love interest Christine) in the first movie by giving her a lot more to do this time around. In a nice little touch, there are also multiple nods to Doctor Strange comics in the supporting cast, including a few deep cuts aimed squarely at long-time comics nerds.

If there’s an issue, it’s only that, given the title, it’s somewhat disappointing that we don’t see a bit more of the Multiverse itself – there’s a tantalising glimpse of it that’s destined to test freeze-frame functions when it ends up on DisneyPlus, but that’s about it, give or take a universe or two.

That minor gripe aside, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a thoroughly entertaining sequel that delivers action, humour and emotion in the mighty Marvel manner, while adding a welcome dose of horror imagery courtesy of the Raimi touch. Stick around for the time honoured post-credits stings, which are generously split between catering to Marvel Studios and pleasing Sam Raimi fans.