Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Comics Movie Reviews
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
By Hervé St-Louis
May 23, 2022 - 11:41

Studios: Marvel Studios
Writer(s): Michael Waldron
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams, Hayley Atwell, Anson Mount, Lashana Lynch, John Krasinski, Patrick Stewart, Jett Klyne, Julian Hilliard, Charlize Theron
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Produced by: Kevin Feige, Mitchell Bell, Richie Palmer
Running Time: 126 minutes
Release Date: May 5, 2022
Rating: PG13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
Distributors: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

There are disturbances in the multiverse and strange forces are chasing America Chavez, a girl with the power to open portals to other dimensions that exists in only one universe. Escaping one monster with another world’s Doctor Strange, Chavez lands in the Marvel 616 world and suddenly, the interdimensional pursuit continues. But this world’s Doctor Strange is there to protect her, along with Wong and perhaps the Scarlet Witch. But is she foe or friend?

It took me some time to review this film although I saw it early on. It was a mess and very disappointing. Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) was destroyed as a character. Granted I found that she was let off easily in WandaVision and did not have to pay the price for the consequences of her acts, here, she was a one-dimensional villain with none of depth and the nuances seen in her own streaming series. She was no better as a character than when she first became insane in Westcoast Avengers and later in the Avengers Disassembled storyline.

I was expecting a strong story coming off Spider-Man Now Way Home. This was not it. It was a cheap Marvel movie no better than Thor The Dark World or Iron Man 2 and 3. None of the sharp twists that we saw in the first Doctor Strange movie were at play, when he brilliantly trapped Dormammu in a dimensional prison. The theme of the Doctor attempting to create everything reminds me of Iron man in previous movies attempting the same.

All of the guest members of the Illuminati played by beloved actors and actresses (Hayley Atwell, Anson Mount, Lashana Lynch, John Krasinski, Patrick Stewart) were wasted ridiculously in this film.

The effects were a bit much and I must mention how ugly the third eye on Doctor Strange looked at the end. I understand that this is a Sam Raimi movie and that this is what the genre is about, but man was this thing bad.
Rating: 4/10