Film Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

In a space between two different universes, America Chavez and Doctor Strange are chased and attacked by a demon that kills the latter. Chavez creates a portal and transports herself and Strange’s corpse to Earth-616, the universe on which most of the Marvel films are based. Chavez meets Strange and Wong and informs the threat the world faces because of her ability to travel the multiverse. When Strange consults Wanda about this urgent matter, he realizes that it was her who attacked Chavez to get her powers so that she can reunite with her family that she created in the tv show WandaVision.

Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange/Stephen Strange in Marvel Studios’ DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo by Jay Maidment. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

I am not sure if the plot is inspired by any comic book storyline but if I assume this to be an original screenplay then I will say this is a superb story to continue the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During all this process, making us watch WandaVision last year totally worked because that limited series completely developed Wanda’s character that build a lot of rage that came from her own madness. The connectivity in the MCU has always been impressive and as usual, this film also played the card exceptionally well.

A kind of story presented to the audience, I opine to have watched more superheroes involved due to the fact that Wanda’s threat to the human race should have alerted most of them if not all. Strange didn’t bother to seek assistance from anyone because this was actually a threat on a massive scale nor did anyone sense and showed up himself/herself. Being situated mostly in the same city, one must be thinking about where most of the saviors go in a particular superhero film when the city is under threat.

Introduction of America Chavez to the MCU is quite raw and director Sam Raimi should have touched on her origins in a proper way. Standing on memory lane is certainly not enough. And due to the fact that Chavez’s character remains unbaked, it was more awkward to watch such an important storyline, a game-changer in the MCU, was constructed between Strange and Wanda for Chavez.

One aspect that I felt betrayed and annoyed about in the film was killing all the members of the Illuminati. You just introduced them to the audience and gave us chills to watch the return of Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier. If that wasn’t enough, the makers fulfilled the everlasting wish to see John Krasinsky as Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four and Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter. To my surprise, they even brought back Anson Mount as Black Bolt that he played in Inhumans, a show that met with extreme disappointment. And Sam Raimi killed them within twenty minutes. Despite the fact that those were alternate characters from different timelines, it was still cruel to kill the characters like that. I expected an exciting start by Illuminati in the MCU but all in vain.

I personally felt that the film was running hurriedly. Also, Sam Raimi’s direction gave the audience a little edge to hang on because the rollercoaster ride in the MCU films is almost alike. This film was a bit birdy but sloppy with less number of sequences shot with some care. In this film, Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch is the winner as she impresses by executing her tragic character so well. Wanda has to be the best-developed character in the MCU that was written and continued with meticulous care.

Overall, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a sublime effort in carrying the torch of the MCU. It was a difficult script for a very significant moment in the universe. I won’t say that the film surpassed all the expectations, a hype that was built through the trailers but it was not even bad at all. This sequel was way better than the first Doctor Strange film.

RATINGS: 6.7/10

Film Review: Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor Strange is just another comedy film from the showcase of Marvel Cinematic Universe, produced with the purpose of expanding the universe by bringing its viewers to the circus for mere entertainment. The production studio makes sure that the definition of entertainment from the vocabulary of a Disney-led universe should be:

a) Just another superhero trying to be funny/silly and performing slapsticks for the sake of applauses from the critics and viewers

b) and the filmmaker’s uncontrollable masturbation over the silver-age pages of the Lee/Ditko comics.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE FILM?

Erm, ‘almost’ everything. Disagreeing with comics accuracy is the biggest sin.

 

1) Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange looks the best screen test ever but in camera reel, the actor is not well defined with the character detail. First thing first, BC’s building American accent doesn’t fit with the character. He would rather have spoken in the usual way he does. Secondly, the stiffness of the pain-and-gain is beyond average from the turn of the frame from ego to hero. The third is the nature bound character which urges him to act like a monkey fed with peanuts, some silly slapsticks and lame humour adding nothing to the story but for your haha’s’ in the circus show.

 

2) Tilda Swinton, alright you are one of the best British actors in the cinema, but the makers completely lost their mind in selecting her for the role of Ancient One. First of all, AO is a very elder male character and second, he is of an Asian origin from the fictional Himalayan land of Kamar-Taj (based on Tibet). I believe in diversity but why on earth you want to change the fundamentals? This is not the first time MCU has banged a character.

 

3) Wong played by Wong is more than a librarian. In comics, he was Strange’s loyal servant, but in the film, he is his teacher. 

 

4) Baron Mordo played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, is a ridiculous portrayal in the film. Mordo helps Strange in fighting against Kaecilius whereas, in comics, Mordo to Strange is what Luthor to Superman. Mordo is counted among Strange’s greatest villains and here in one scene, he helps the doctor inform the wifi password.

 

5) The main antagonist is Kaecilius in the film played by Mads Mikkelsen. The irony is that he was a henchman to Mordo in the comics who used to deliver messages and hence proved that MCU is still weak in bringing the best of villains in the films (besides Loki). In comics, he isn’t a major name in the list of Strange’s strangest villains but…

 

6) The Cloak to Strange in the comics is the Genie to Aladdin. The cloak acts what the master wishes but in the film, the cloak is seen responding to the others. Why? Just for *thinking* entertainment?

 

7) Dr Christine Palmer, played by Rachel McAdams, to my knowledge wasn’t a love interest to Strange in comics. Forget love interest, she wasn’t even a doctor but a nurse. This character is very similar to Claire Temple (played by Rosario Dawson in the Netflix shows based on the Defenders).

 

8) The fate of the AO is completely different from the comics.

 

9) The film lacks a critical grip of focusing on his training. As Strange focuses on slapsticks in the basic training, AO polishes him in mere 18 months as compared to 14 years in the comics.

IS THERE ANYTHING TO PRAISE IN THE FILM?

Yes, the only plus, in fact, the biggest plus of the whole film is the visual effects. There is no limit in mastering a remarkable creativity and has a very good inspiration from Nolan‘s Inception. Both the mid-credit and post-credit scenes are potential messages to what MCU are up to in the future.

 

Doctor Strange overall is just another circus show with popcorns and peanuts in your hands.

 

Ratings: 4.5/10

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