Film Review – Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Oh, now you’ve done it. Now you’ve gone and done it. After years of speculation that Phase 4 of Marvel’s behemoth Cinematic Universe would delve into its comic-book lore and enter into the multiverse has come to pass, and it’s all Doctor Strange‘s fault. Although, not really but we won’t spoil anything for anyone who hasn’t caught up on the wealth of Disney+ content now periodically being uploaded to the platform. Anyhow, the rift between multiple realities has been opened and lord knows what comes through it. A Tom Cruise Iron Man variant? Mutants? Deadpool? The MCU imploding in on itself and ceasing to be? No spoilers but suffice to say there’s a LOT to immerse yourself in here.
It’s actually something of a minor miracle that the Multiverse of Madness has made it this far: early on, director Scott Derrickson – who did a somewhat underappreciated job of bringing the first film to the screen with all its metaphysical jargon and alternate reality images, some of which were mind-blowing and help shoot the series into Infinity War and Endgame – left the project (good old “creative differences”) and, in a shock move, Sam Raimi was hired, returning to the superhero world fourteen years after Spider-Man 3 and all its issues. Strangely (tsk), though Derrickson surely would have made a fine film, Raimi‘s sensibilities and unique imagery make him the perfect candidate to weave through all of the moving parts on display here. His horror leanings, too, more than match Michael Waldron‘s fast-paced, dialogue-heavy yet supremely entertaining romp through our Earth and the others surrounding it.
The weight of expectation, as ever, is what ultimately lets the film down here, a fate that has befallen many a Marvel film given the sheer fan interest in what has gone before, what comes next, and, of course, What If…? Here, interest was less on Strange and more on Wanda Maximoff, now fully embracing the Scarlet Witch that fans have wanted, with legal ownership having reverted back to Marvel. Her arc in the comics is legendary and Waldron, in amongst all of the shenanigans at play, manages to pay-off her story brilliantly with pathos and humility, leaning into her grief whilst telling a story of isolation, loneliness, and misguided ideals that is as resonant and profound as it is touching. Guided by Elizabeth Olsen‘s subtle, nuanced turn that’s as good as anything we’ve seen in the MCU. Honestly, she is next-tier brilliant.
As for Strange himself, Cumberbatch is as solid and dependable as ever even if he doesn’t get quite get to go as deep as many had perhaps hoped in the follow-up, particularly after his dusting, but he’s never less than engaging and his relationship with Xochitl Gomez‘s America Chavez brings a much-needed freshness. The film shoots for the stars with its upside-down, topsy-turvy shenanigans and strikes gold more times than not but it’s undeniably messy and strewn with ideas, and on this rare occasion could have actually done with a longer runtime, but thankfully with Raimi at the helm, it just about works. Alas, when all is said and done, it does what it says on the tin, tickles fans’ fancies for what is to come and not too much else. Come for the multiverse, stay for Olsen’s magnificence.
★★★
Comic-Book, Action | 2022 | Walt Disney Studios, Marvel Studios | Dir: Sam Raimi | Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stulhbarg, Rachel McAdams
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