Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness  (2022)
PG-13 ‧ Action/Adventure ‧ 2 Hours 6 Minutes 

Written by Michael Waldron

Directed by ‎Sam Raimi

THE CAST

Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, Rachel McAdams

THE STORY

Doctor Strange meets a familiar stranger from another earth. Thus begins an adventure through the multiverse to save an innocent and to save his own earth. 

THE REVIEW

Disney is known to keep their films’ major events and plot twists secrets, but for Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness they have taken their secrecy to new levels in that the general description the film’s plot posted all over the internet is not even accurate. 

“Dr. Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens the doorway to the multiverse, including alternate versions of himself, whose threat to humanity is too great for the combined forces of Strange, Wong, and Wanda Maximoff.”

That’s not even close to an accurate description of this film.

What is? Well, the film starts off straight into action and I can’t even tell you what happens without giving away a major spoiler for the rest of the film. 

What I can tell you is that Disney skated the line with a PG-13 film that they early on called the first horror film in the MCU. The film doesn’t really hit the level of horror, but there are some really chilling and scary moments. I really do wish they had been willing to sacrifice some box office money and make an actual Rated R movie because this movie was ripe for it. Instead of being a horror, it is just the normal Marvel Action film with some horror elements for some sections of the film. 

The film is full of fan service. Some things that they have been clamoring for years. And yes, I think we will get some explanations on how some of the recaptured Marvel properties like Xmen and The Fantastic Four will be integrated into the future.  If you’ve watched the Marvel What If… Series on Disney+, I think you will have some extra enjoyment of this film. 

For me, the film starts off very exciting but then drops off immediately. We then have a very slow build for the duration of the film. In the first 20 minutes I wasn’t even sure I was going to like the film, but then it got better with every passing minute. 

This is a movie that will command a second or third viewing because it has so many Easter Eggs and cameos. I really want to dissect a lot of what we saw. 

The scale of this film is huge. It expands the potential universe in ways that are hard to imagine. It is probably the most interconnected film of any other film. Do not a bring with you to the movie someone who isn’t’ familiar with a good portion of the MCU. They won’t know what is going on a lot of the time and you’ll spend time explaining things and missing out a lot of enjoyable moments. 

Doctor Strange is a flawed superhero. His ego controls him at times. Wanda is very flawed, but that can be expected considering her roots as a villain. Wanda has had so much happen to her and this film is as much about her flaws as it is Doctor Strange.

Is the film good? Yes. Is it the best film yet? No. It has some really interesting moments, we get some better insight into Doctor Strange, realizing that as arrogant and hard to like  as he is at times, we get the best version of Doctor Strange out there.  

THE BEST

Three BEST things about the film

1. It gets better and better every minute of the film. 
2. I like that they don’t waste time with backstory and just sump into the film. 
3. The cameos. So many cameos and easter eggs. 

THE WORST

The three WORST things about the Film

1. I can’t imagine someone watching this that doesn’t already know the universe. Not a good introduction movie.
2. I wish the movie had gone for a Rated R horror. It backs off and it could have been SO GOOD.
3. Some of the special effects were surprisingly not very good that it took me out of the film for a moment.
   

THE LESSON

Trusting other people to take control is hard.

THE FINAL WORD

The most interconnected MCU film we’ve had yet. Genre bending, universe expanding, and full of fan service. It is a film that must be seen in a theater. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness gets a Like It.

THE TRAILER

THE REVIEWER

ABOUT SILAS

When he’s not reviewing films or interviewing people for the Black & A Half podcast, Silas Lindenstein can be found in the greater metro Seattle, WA working as a real estate agent helping people buy and sell homes, or performing stand up comedy to fellow nerds. He has a wife and three children and desperately wants to learn to make the perfect homemade pizza.