This review may contain minor spoilers. If you’re wondering though: there is an important mid-credits scene, and a post-credits scene that resembles an outtake.
One of the most pretentious things a comic book fan can say about an adaptation is that “it’s not how I would’ve done it” — all adaptations are ultimately a person’s own interpretation of the source material, so for one thing that should go without saying. However, Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, while an effective and chilling sequel to Scott Derrickson’s 2016 movie, definitely struggles to feel more like a natural follow-up than a set-up for a dozen future MCU projects, a clear reminder of the creative differences that led Derrickson to leave the franchise.
The film sees Stephen Strange and the Sorcerer Supreme Wong encounter a fugitive from another dimension, the young America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), who is being hunted for her innate ability to traverse the multiverse. After seeking Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch’s help, events take a dark turn, and America and Strange are forced to flee to another universe, while her pursuer takes everyone else at Kamar-Taj hostage. Along the way, Strange encounters various doppelgangers, and discovers the greatest threat to all of reality might be… himself.
Overall, it’s a continuation of WandaVision, an origin story for America, and a build-up to the next Avengers, with Strange as our point-of-view; perhaps the closest analogy would be Captain America: Civil War, if Civil War hadn’t included mainstays from Cap’s comics like Bucky, Sharon Carter and Zemo, and was truly just Avengers 2.5. Let’s be upfront: despite the use of dreams as a plot device, classic Doctor Strange villain Nightmare is not in the movie, and the final choice of main foe is likely to be a huge bone of contention among fans. The variant of Mordo native to Stephen’s universe does not even appear here, which is a huge letdown given how many years it’s been since his introduction.
As for classic love interest Clea… well let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed, but the film’s romantic subplot instead centers on Stephen’s regret not marrying Dr. Christine Palmer (a returning Rachel McAdams.) Her presence reflects Raimi and writer Michael Waldron’s genuine interest in their protagonist, emphasizing his loneliness in much the same way Spider-Man 2 was preoccupied by its hero’s struggle to accept his solitary life, as well as the moral quandaries and risks magic raises. It thematically ties together with how Strange may be the greatest threat to the multiverse, and how, despite all the cameos, the movie is fundamentally about the delusional fantasy an alternative reality can be.
Raimi and Waldron also let Marvel have their cake and eat it, gleefully putting every character through the meat grinder: make no mistake, Raimi has not mellowed in his old age, and he really pushes the limits of PG-13 with the unfolding carnage, creating some of the most graphic shots in the MCU to date. Multiverse of Madness was hyped up as the MCU’s first horror movie, and it gets so gnarly by the end that you might find yourself becoming genuinely giddy at how much it was allowed to get away with. (Stan Lee and Steve Ditko fans will fondly recall how they depicted Strange first and foremost as a master of black magic.)
The director remains a master of unnervingly camp imagery, and despite the film’s (refreshingly short) 125 min. runtime, he always slows down the pacing for long enough that the superheroics become genuinely eerie, or that the jump scares do startle you. (Likewise, his preoccupation with weird close-ups remains unmatched.) However, there are a few times filming seems to have been rushed, and sound like they would’ve benefited from ADR, while other scenes bear telltale signs of reshoots. Consequently, some of the emotional moments don’t quite land as hard as they should, although this is perhaps part of the difficulty of dealing with the multiverse: when all bets are off, maybe nothing is.
Unsurprisingly for a Raimi film, Bruce Campbell has a comedic cameo that’s characteristically mean for the director, but oddly cruel coming from Strange’s character. For the most part though, the humor is pretty great, with Strange, Wong and the Cloak of Levitation becoming firm frontrunners for the world’s best trio. Cumberbatch is as engaging as ever, effortlessly portraying all the different versions of Strange, while Elizabeth Olsen remains a formidable co-lead, pulling our heartstrings, and baring her teeth as the increasingly ruthless Scarlet Witch. Xochitl Gomez is a delight as America, who is the heart of the film: I genuinely look forward to seeing her in future projects, and how her friendship with Strange evolves.
The VFX, make-up, and designs are sublime (I found myself genuinely entranced by the wrinkles on Gargantos the giant octopus’s suckers, and the embroidery on Strange’s new robes), but the best supporting player here is easily Danny Elfman’s fantastic score: it respectfully weaves in Michael Giacchino’s theme and motifs from other Marvel projects, while bringing a truly sinister edge (particularly with guitar) during some of the more surreal moments. A standout moment, where Strange improvises weapons out of musical notes, seems to have been handwritten for Elfman, and I cannot imagine how his reunion with Raimi could’ve been any sweeter.
Ultimately, Multiverse of Madness is a good time, and a far better second chapter than Iron Man 2, Thor: The Dark World or Age of Ultron, although I remain uncomfortable with how it is much more of a crossover event than a Strange solo movie, and even then with how it functions as a sequel to WandaVision, though I’m sure certain fans will feel vindicated after watching this. (I must also add I’m surprised Loki head writer Michael Waldron returned to pen this movie, but not WandaVision creator Jac Schaeffer.) Still, it could’ve been a lot worse: that godawful rumor Tom Cruise was playing Superior Iron Man was my biggest concern going in, and I am very happy to confirm he is nowhere to be seen.
