Dr. Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens the doorway to the multiverse, including alternate versivons of himself, whose threat to humanity is too great for the combined forces of Strange, Wong, and Wanda Maximoff.
The production for Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness hasn’t been the smoothest. After director Scott Derrickson left this sequel project due to creative differences with the studio, director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) swung in with his signature style to manage the master of the mystic-arts. It may have been to the film’s benefit. Doctor Strange 2 is far superior to its predecessor film across the board. There’s so much to enjoy about the film if you’re a comic book enthusiast. While there are a few setbacks, it’s still another great addition to this long series of comic book adaptations from Marvel Studios.
This film is a visual masterpiece. From start to finish you’re submerged with bright colors and spectacular visual effects that you’ll remember for a very long time. The film was shot with IMAX cameras like recent MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) films so that adds more to your visual experience than the average film. It all makes action scenes pop out at you that much more, and each scene was fascinating except for one that felt a little unnecessary. The rest were nearly jaw-dropping. There was still something new to explore within the action and Derrickson delivered hands down which was a blast. The plot within the action made sense, and I recommend seeing this film on the biggest screen possible.
It also elevates the use of powers and magic from all the leads and supporting characters too. These are not just blasts that Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is dishing out at his enemies. It is visually apparent the necessary amount of focus and dedication it takes to conjure these spells, especially with all the hand motions tied with it. Wong (Benedict Wong) as the sorcerer supreme is also upgraded in this film. When he’s in the middle of battle it’s clear he’s been training diligently since the last time we saw him. The new addition of America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) did not disappoint either. She was a remarkable character full of personality and I can’t wait to get more of her. Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) however stole the show! She was truly frightening at times, and with a clear goal of destruction at all costs. She didn’t care about the amount of damage that was done, as long as she accomplished her goal. Seeing her in all her glory was scary, and she is definitely in the conversation for the best of villains in the MCU.
While all that sounds great, it came in clunks. During other parts of the film, the pacing was off, especially when important scenes of dialogue contained too many jokes. Again this is an issue that Marvel hasn’t solved yet. Which always ruins a moment of great exposition with a corny joke thrown in to cut the tension. There are moments where this is salvaged quickly by the great acting, but it still stands out and the scene does not flow as smoothly as it could. This is also titled the Multiverse of Madness, but there isn’t much exploration of the multiverse, which is a huge letdown. There was so much to dive into in this arena, but it ended up being a missed opportunity.
There are a number of great surprises that will leave fans overjoyed. And this is by far the most violent MCU movie to date. Sam Raimi was dancing on the line between PG-13 and R rating, because he definitely cuts it close. There are a few moments that will leave you shocked by how Marvel/Disney has stepped up their game as far as what’s permitted in their films. There are so many layers to this film and some succeed far more than others. For every great moment in the film, there’s always something that pulls it back from even more greatness. Continuity issues in battles, being anticlimactic, and even at some moments boring. Those negatives are only sprinkles within the entire film, and overall there’s still so much more to enjoy.
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