Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

 ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ – Mad enough for Me

 

I’m a bit tired of the word “multiverse” getting thrown around in superhero stuff right now. Whenever I hear the word, it reeks of corporations gearing up to inundate their movies with superfluous cameos with little in the way of substance, but a lot in the way of promises for other movies.

 

Thankfully, with Sam Raimi at the helm “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” fares better than most in this regard. This movie comes the closest out of almost any Marvel movie I’ve seen to actually having a distinct tone from other products.

 

Though unlike its closest contender, “Moon Knight,” I’m happy to say that “Doctor Strange” avoids many of that show’s biggest pitfalls in regards to adaptation choices, save for the fact that Elizabeth Olsen is still playing a character that should be Romani.

 

The story follows Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Stephen Strange - the Marvel Universe’s resident sorcerer and consultant for all things magic, as he finds himself having to protect Xochtil Gomez’s multiverse-jumping America Chavez. Wanda Maximoff, played by Olsen, has made it her mission to steal America’s powers in order to find a reality with the children she erased from existence at the end of “Wandavision.”

 

This facilitates a fair bit of action, comedy, and surprisingly enough, horror. Sam Raimi is well known for his turn as director and producer on several horror projects, and his sensibilities shine through the film’s atmosphere, jumpscares, and frequently unnerving imagery.

 

Aside from that and a cameo-filled second act that just barely avoids wearing out its welcome, there isn’t much here that’s going to convince you to watch if you aren’t already on board with Marvel – or vice versa. The fight choreography is acceptable, the music is alright, and while the editing can be endearingly goofy at times, it’s all-around competent.

 

I’m a comic book fan, so of course I enjoyed it. But the thing about being a comic book fan is that you always wish that the movies made about your favorite characters go a bit further in terms of weirdness than they usually do.

 

It is in this regard that I’ve recently found myself being disappointed. Alas, in order to keep talking about “Doctor Strange,” I can’t talk much at all about other examples – otherwise I’d just end up listing off comic runs and ideas that I want to see adapted.

 

Sam Raimi does end up going weirder than most – the climax of the film relies on a conceit that is at once frightening, clever, and cool in perfect tandem. But ultimately the film still seems inordinately focused on setting up future movies or winking to fans.

 

This is especially notable in regards to the cameos, which are enjoyable in their own right, but end up feeling as if they’re simply there to generate online buzz. I’ve seen so much discussion about how this film is setting up “Secret Wars,” “Young Avengers,” and “Midnight Sons” that it makes me wonder if anyone even watches these movies to enjoy the movies themselves.

 

And in my humble opinion, if it is setting up any of that, then it’s not doing the best job. 

 

But in the end, I can’t hold the sins of its fanbase over “Doctor Strange” when it’s a perfectly competent movie bolstered by some of the more interesting creative decisions the franchise has seen.

 

The whispers that Sam Raimi taking a more hands-on approach than other directors has led Kevin Feige to take a similar approach for “Fantastic Four,” is excellent news – Marvel’s first family should be as weird as possible. And if I must talk about “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” in regards to how it reflects on the MCU going forward, it’s more positive than not.

 

So go see “Doctor Strange.” It’s probably not gonna change your life, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s boding well for the future.

 

B, temper your expectations the slightest bit