Judging by the record-breaking numbers of ticket presales, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is probably the most anticipated movie of the year, Marvel or otherwise. Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role as the Master of the Mystic Arts once again, audiences having last seen him in another multiverse-spanning film, Spiderman: No Way Home.
The trouble begins when America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) drops in from another universe, being pursued by a monstrous creature. From there it gets well, strange, very quickly. Fortunately the new Sorcerer Supreme, Wong (played by Benedict Wong) is along for the ride.
Elizabeth Olsen also makes an appearance as Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, having recently dealt with some rather serious personal issues in the Disney Plus show, WandaVision.
The movie stands on its own two feet, easily enough. It is connected to, but not so intertwined to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that you have to absolutely see all related shows or films to make sense of it. Important events are mentioned in passing to help the casual moviegoer understand things, but the film does not get bogged down trying to weave itself into the larger MCU tapestry. Although, we have yet to see where Multiverse of Madness fits in, and what its ramifications are down the line.
The Multiverse as a narrative conceit has been dealt with before. The first Doctor Strange movie set up the possibility, and then the idea was explored more in the Disney Plus show Loki as well as the aforementioned No Way Home. It is tricky as it’s novelty will not last forever and can easily devolve into a lazy way to move a story along or resolve a conflict.
While there were quite a few very welcome surprises, the film could have benefited from embracing the possibilities of the multiverse where anything that could happen, did happen. It was a thrill to be sure, but a tad short of maddening.
The film’s marketing and hype however may be the biggest monster it has to face. The concept of the multiverse is so large and so liberating. If there are infinite possibilities, then why not use the more improbable ones? Ever since it was first announced in 2019, fans have concocted dozens upon dozens of theories and predictions on events, appearances, and surprise cameos. Some were downright odd or unlikely, but others were easier to get behind. And because that slow percolation of wishful thinking has been in everyone’s head for years, the movie is bound to fall short of some people’s hopes.
It is when things turn gritty that we see the hand of director Sam Raimi the most. Known for the original Spiderman trilogy with Tobey Maguire, Raimi also gained a following for his horror movie credits such as, the Evil Dead series, Drag me to Hell and 30 Days of Night. Sorcery and dark magic seem a perfect fit, and he undoubtedly knows his way around an eerie scene or jump scare.
Perhaps this is where Multiverse of Madness distinguishes itself from the MCU movies that came before it. Is it a flat out horror film? It comes close, but no. This is still under the flag of the House of Mouse, to be sure, but it does push the envelope of what is comfortably watchable for a superhero film fan base. It delves into the darker corners of the mystic realm that Doctor Strange inhabits.
This movie reminds us that being the Master of the Mystic Arts is no picnic. It’s not all about saving the day in time for lunch. Doctor Strange deals with the occult, the forbidden and hidden knowledge about the things that go bump in the night, and then some. He deals with the profane as well as the sacred, and when the consequences are tallied, the bottom line is not always pretty.