Mainstream movie-goers have embraced the superhero film as a genre of its own. Besides the regular offerings from major studios Marvel and DC, other studios have dipped their toes into the genre, spinning tales of characters with spectacular abilities on a mission to save the world. The major studios, Marvel in particular, have spent years creating an ever-expanding universe that builds to a blockbuster team-up movie. But, by now, fans and casual viewers alike know what to expect from the modern superhero film. And really, how many times can one be exposed to the same story in which people with CGI superpowers fight a CGI villain? Where Marvel Studios in particular shines is when they strive to create another genre of film, and then just add the superheroes. The best example of this is 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which felt more like a spy thriller than a superhero sequel. And Marvel has done it again, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the studio’s first horror movie.
Director Sam Raimi is no stranger to directing either horror or superhero films. Raimi is best known for his work on both The Evil Dead and Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy. Doctor Strange is truly the perfect hero with which to combine these genres because, as Master of the Mystic Arts, his comic book tales boast a wealth of bizarre and scary storylines with which to pull from. Doctor Strange has also previously been the epicenter for Marvel to play with some of the more unearthly elements on screen from the decades of comic’s lore.
Following his previous exploits in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, the former neurosurgeon turned sorcerer is back at work protecting reality (although notably without the Sorcerer Supreme title). While attending the wedding of former fling Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is interrupted by an octopus demon from another universe, accompanied by dimension-traveling teenager, America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez).
The title of the film may be Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but the true star is Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch. Continuing the character’s story from the Emmy Award winning series Wandavision, Olsen brings another outstanding performance to the franchise. Wanda has been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2014, but the success of Wandavision has skyrocketed the character’s popularity. Therefore, it’s not much of a surprise that she is the focal point of this movie. Olsen absolutely knocked this performance out of the park. Wanda has steadily become one of the more emotionally complex characters in superhero media, and Olsen portrayed the elements of the character’s enormous power coupled with unfathomable grief flawlessly.
Another standout female character was newcomer America Chavez. America has been a powerful member of several comics superhero teams for several years. Her onscreen debut was highly anticipated for members of the LGBT community, as America not only identifies as a lesbian, but is the daughter of lesbian parents. The inclusion of America Chavez is one of the ways Marvel is striving towards inclusivity and diversity in their recent projects.
The most interesting aspect of the film was the elements of true horror. This is not the superhero film to take your eight-year-old to. Die-hard horror fans might not find the minor jump-scares and zombie elements the scariest thing ever created on film, but they are definitely a stark departure from Marvel Studios usual wisecracking hero formula. Marvel films from the last few years have really allowed the director to take the opportunity to put their own creative mark on their part of the universe, and Multiverse of Madness was no exception. Despite the constraints of being a part of an ongoing, interconnected universe, Sam Raimi finds opportunities to use his unique cinematographic style and vibe.
With an infinite universe comes infinite possibilities for spin-offs, sequels and fan service. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could’ve spent its two-hour runtime following the key cast of characters from one universe to the next, meeting every cameo possible under the sun. But the movie didn’t do that. With enough fun cameos to keep fans sated, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness delivers an emotional story, with character growth and development for several of the marquee heroes. The plot is contained within the film, while still leaving some threads hanging for fans to theorize about, making it a solid addition to phase four of the MCU.
4.5/5 STARS