Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Review
By Anubhab Chatterjee, 15th may 2022
Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen and director Sam Raimi spook the MCU in this strange and wild blockbuster
After more than a decade and dozens of movies and TV shows, the last thing Marvel needs is more complexity. However, Doctor Strange in “Multiverse of Madness” now in theaters conjures up a head-scratching mix of backstories you may or may not remember, multiple genres and tones, a new set of characters — and even is a replacement version of an existing role. Is this the movie where Marvel is starting to lose its audience? No, obviously. In the hands of director Sam Raimi, The Multiverse of Madness is a very safe balance between uncanny eerie and poignantly human drama (and a massive box-office hit).
I have to admit that back in 2016, I had my doubts about the first Doctor Strange movie, Crazy Cloak (sorry Cloak). But the Marvel magic remained, and audiences flocked to the franchise’s signature mix of jokes and flashy imagery, even if the actual film was a decidedly average origin story. It must have been reassuring for folks at Marvel and their overlords at Disney to know that as they ventured into the weirdest corners of comic book canon, we’d go with them.
And so right here we are, with Doctor Strange 2, the strangest Marvel film yet. We open with a ponytailed Cumberbatch outrunning a hearthplace demon in a CG-psychedelic cosmic realm, earlier than transferring directly to unique universes in an journey that consists of mystical mountain fortresses, evil variations of your favourite characters, a paranormal musical duel and those made from paint.
And zombies.
The madness is commanded by director Raimi. He began his career with the sizzling Evil Dead series and wowed horror fans with the shocking Drag Me to Hell, but also directed the pre-MCU Spider-Man film trilogy with Tobey Maguire. Indeed, Multiverse of Madness touches on both its horror and superhero experiences: the film’s first few segments could be inspired by a comic book from the 1960s, when a monster threatens a woman pushing a stroller on a colorful New York street . But as the film progresses, the horror increases.The villain’s monstrous power is signaled through terrors and sinister horror-movie flourishes that escalate into the most macabre final battle you’re likely to see in a family blockbuster (here’s what you need to know if you can take your kids to to see it).
Superhero movies have gotten incredibly intense over the years, especially in this year’s The Batman. But where this serial killer cultivated a dark atmosphere of unrelenting horror, Multiverse of Madness is a far more entertaining breed of horror. Longtime Raimi fans will recognize familiar elements. These include cursed books, camera slams on slamming doors, and other stylistic techniques. But the hints of the horror genre are only window dressing compared to the emotional driving force of ‘s narrative, which is based on a relatable human history. Marvel’s villains aren’t always up to the task, but this film solves that problem by simply giving the good guys impossible choices and then enjoying the consequences as they fight.
When we dr. Coincidentally, when we last saw Stephen Strange, he rearranged the fabric of reality so Peter Parker could live a peaceful life again in Spider-Man: No Way Home. But her spell inadvertently ushered in a new chapter of Marvel blockbusters powered by parallel universes. slosh over each other. That’s as complicated for fans as it is for characters, given the dizzying overlap between movies and TV shows. Alongside the sequel to No Way Home, Multiverse of Madness takes on the well-known MCU spin.of multimedia continuity to a new level: there’s the inevitable post-credits scene setting up the next film, and even some cross-brand synergies in the form of an Avatar 2 trailer playing before the screening. It also references the events of two Disney Plus TV shows: Loki is building the multiverse, while Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda in WandaVision is holding a town captive in a sitcom and having magical babies, right? Luckily, you don’t need an intimate memory of either show to follow the action in the Madness multiverse. The film takes its continuity lightly, using the concept of the multiverse to make it big with cameos and twists on Marvel lore that are sure to draw cheers from packed theaters. But those funny moments aren’t far behind.
Though the film’s nominal hero feels a little lost, a strong central chase keeps the narrative moving, and the blend of adventure, horror, and action is balanced with a swagger worthy of cocky superhero Doctor Strange. Marvel’s formula for success could be a formula. , but this injection of weirdness keeps them fresh. What doesn’t kill a franchise only makes it weirder.
Star Network 