Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a superhero romp. A superhero arrives, seems all-powerful, then runs into an unstoppable foe. In resolving that change, the hero mends something in themselves to ultimately save the day, all while finding equal parts comedy and heart.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a great film, even if it is twisted around a trite plot. Even though it comes with the pitfall of predictability, it also stands as a grand example of the company letting filmmakers be themselves, and shows how clever, visually arresting filmmaking can transform a formulaic plot into a fascinating journey for multiple characters. The film finds refreshing uses of the concept after so much alternate-universe wackiness in multiple Spider-Man films.
What better way to show how far the universe of films has come in the past two decades than to have Sam dancing and Raimi stretching out his weird filmmaking legs.
Doctor Strange 2 is more Raimi-ness than Spider-Man 3 because it takes a while for the director's signature pulpiness to emerge. By the end of the film, I believed that Raimi had to knock out a number of requirements before he could make the movie he wanted.
AdvertisementI find myself laughing at how DS2 packs all of these requirements into the film's opening 24 minutes, freeing Raimi to go off for the rest of the production.
The review takes care to leave the film unspoiled, but it does include minor plotspoilers.
DS2 makes a bold decision to move that early plot point along as quickly as possible, instead of dragging out its character-specific sea change with WandaVision-like nuance. It is an unfortunate casualty to pave the way for a fun, dark, and generally enjoyable twist to usual Marvel Studios fare.
When the film opens, Dr. Stephen Strange is poised to lap up the public adulation that Iron Man and OG Captain America can no longer claim. He immediately flexes these muscles in frantic, back-to-back action sequences, and each stands out from cookie-cutter Marvel Studios battles. In his first film, Raimi toyed with the idea of Strange and his friends changing reality as they see fit, and his camera lens is up to the task of balancing the weird with the grounded bombast and jokes.
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After these shows of arrogance, Strange is brought down a peg by the film's central conflict, and this sends him on an epic journey with America Chavez. The title of the film suggests that she is heavily involved in where this film goes.
DS2's reality-bending elements look and feel different, and arguably better, than DS1's reliance on perception-shattering weirdness. Raimi is interested in portraying the film's weirdness by tightly zooming into Strange's face and watching him wriggle inside of it.
DS2 created chemistry between the characters of Strange and America after a shaky start. Raimi's dedication to equal parts discomfort and wink-and-nod schlock creates platforms for each character to step onto and understand the other. I think it does better than DS1 did with Strange and Christine Palmer, with Rachel McAdams returning and stealing as many scenes as possible.
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