Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

[Eric Atreides]

Discuss

[Wormow]

Okay. I don't really know how I feel about this movie, so this review is going to seem a bit messy... 

 

Non-Plot Comments:

• Just like NWH, the entire plot for this movie pretty much leaked close to a year ago. Interesting how that happens. 
• I don't really care for many cameos, I wasn't a big comic book movie fan pre-Age of Ultron so a lot of these multiverse cameos don't mean much to me (even though I have since seen a lot of the older movies) but I do appreciate that they're extremely fun for the fans.
• Raimi's Spidey films are my least favourite of the 3 spidey set of films we've had so far

 

Okay, so

• This movie is very overtly Raimi, so you're either going to love it or hate it. I personally find that style kind of dated so a lot of played a bit silly to me, but others may like it. 
• The movie's pretty fast paced, it's action after action scene and yet we don't really end with any major, cool or creative Strange vs. Wanda battle scene, which was disappointing. You have two of the most powerful characters in the MCU and they never have a mind blowing battle. The only decent action scene is the musical one between Strange and Sinister Strange that blends with score - more of that is what I expected.
• I already accepted that this movie is kind of character assassination for Wanda a year ago when the plot originally leaked, and well, that still stands. She's full camp villain from start to end, and her ending is so extremely abrupt, and happens so easily? I don't know. I'm sure this is going to be one of the major topics coming out of the movie, so I'm sure we'll be hearing this debate for months/years to come. 
• Strange has... I don't know. I don't think he has much character development in this movie. He does have some awakening at the end and thanks his variant love interest, but I don't think he really changes much during the course of the movie. 
• This movie seems to be a swan song/goodbye to Christine, and I actually love that. It would be such an MCU thing to do to bring back a variant Christine, but they didn't, and they had their sweet goodbye, as they both moved on. It was good and touching.
• The Illuminati - again, they're fun. No one at my theatre but me cheered for Cap Marvel/Maria, so boo everyone! Black Bolt got more cheers. Honestly, they're kind of filler. They're introduced and killed pretty quickly. I did like Reed's outfit though.

 

Overall, I feel like this movie is very surface level. It touches on a few themes without really exploring any of them deeply, and a lot of the dialogue just seems really simple or cheesy. Again, I feel like a lot of Raimi's movies are like this so if you're into that, then you'll have a blast. Just not for me. I think Raimi's style and writing is a hallmark of the early 2000s and I'm just not a fan.

[Taruseth]

Right now I'd barely, barely give it an A--.

 

It was nice entertainment, fast paced - which I liked.

 

It really needed a proper Strange - SW fight.

The music was overall really good and the cgi etc. was done good too, outside of dead dr Strange, that sometimes looked a bit weird, but that also might just be me.

 

Olsen's performance was amazing and I liked Wanda as evil, she does make a terrific villain. 

Cumberbatch's performance was really good too, but there were so many chances to give the character a proper development through out the movie, even if they'd had to add a couple minutes for it, really would have made it better.

 

[ddddeeee]

My first impression is that the first half is rough and that the second half is everything I wanted from this.

 

My biggest takeaway is how delighted I am by how much of Raimi's dorky wholesome drama made it through. Bar a few lines, the movie is completely devoid of cynicism. The conflict isn't solved by who can punch harder, it's solved by a frightened, insecure man learning to be open to others.

[aabattery]

pizza papa always gets paid

[imbruglia]

marvel really needs better writing on story.. shame.

[Menor the Destroyer]

Not very good. Direction was strong but the script was a huge letdown. Wanda's villain turn was hilariously rushed and unconvincing and Olsen's performance was so OTT it was impossible to take seriously. Musical notes battle was really fun though -- needed more scenes like that. 

[Webslinger]

As an ambitious new chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a messy but enjoyable affair whose best moments sing in ways that feel genuinely unique for this franchise. For much of the film’s running time, it feels like there is a push-and-pull at play between two visions of the film: the studio-mandated MCU continuation that melds storylines and includes plenty of nods to the previous continuity, and the wacky, inspired Sam Raimi film that feels like it has almost as much in common with Raimi’s preceding filmography as it does with the MCU. The latter accounts for the majority of the film’s more memorable and effective moments, as Raimi brings a zippy energy to the proceedings and clearly seems to be having a great time tossing in winks and nods aplenty to his roots as a proud and inventive horror-comedy director. Unfortunately, Raimi’s influence is diluted somewhat by a paint-by-numbers chase the MacGuffin plot and a crossover of different segments of the MCU that feels strangely underdeveloped despite the potential inherent in its concept. The more MCU-typical segments aren’t bad (far from it), but they feel rushed and less inspired than they ought to, and it exposes the gaps in character development between this film and its predecessor. (The fact that it’s also opening mere weeks after handily superior fellow multiverse jaunt Everything Everywhere All at Once also might not help matters as far as the film’s plot and themes are concerned.) There’s definitely a sense that if Raimi had been allowed to play more freely, this film could have been even more fun; even as is, though, it’s still a pretty good time. Benedict Cumberbatch remains a stellar casting choice in the title role, making up for the less interesting character arc this time out by adapting himself to Raimi’s sensibilities and allowing himself to have some fun. Cast newcomer Xochtil Gomez is a welcome presence as the multiverse hopper Strange is tasked with helping, fitting into this universe with quips and solid handling of her character’s emotional beats. There is also fun work from an array of past and new cast members who I shan’t mention, at the risk of divulging information some viewers might find better left unspoiled (some of the big appearances are easy to figure out in advance, but others definitely caught my audience off-guard). If there’s a disappointment among the characters, it’s Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, whose role in this film feels like it captures just a fraction of the power she displayed in last year’s Wandavision; as someone who loved that show and the directions it took, I was let down by how sloppily the script transferred her emotional arc from the series to this new film. Wobbly as its script and themes are, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is ultimately quite fun under the direction of Sam Raimi; wherever the script and the usual MCU machinations fall short, Raimi compensates with abundant playfulness and breakneck energy that left me satisfied despite any other reservations.

 

B

[filmlover]

This is highly entertaining, but also really messy. At a time when "it's too long" seems to be a common complaint with movies it almost seems, uh, strange to find one where it definitely would've benefitted from a 2.5 hour running time, cause it moves at such a breakneck pace that none of the story elements get the chance to breath or be properly developed. But the action sequences really deliver the goods, and it's great to see that Marvel has allowed Sam Raimi (returning almost 20 years to the day to the genre that he changed the game for) to indulge in plenty of his trademarked filmmaking techniques while still remaining true to the now-established tone of the MCU. Benedict Cumberbatch seems more engaged here than he has before as the character, and Xochitl Gomez is a fun addition. Also welcome to see Rachel McAdams being utilized much better here than she was in the previous solo Strange movie. Elizabeth Olsen is solid as ever and makes for a compelling sinister figure, even though the directions the movie takes Wanda in are certainly questionable at times. The cameos are fun (Krasinski as Reed Richards means the "Blunt is Sue Storm" rumors are now true, right?), and I look forward to seeing the much larger role Charlize will likely be playing going forward. It may be a bit of a letdown coming off of the euphoric highs of No Way Home, but this is still a fairly enjoyable outing that keeps the franchise and its ever-growing universe moving forward. B

[Brainbug]

I had a total blast with this.

 

First, this is not a horror movie lmao. There are many great nods to great horror films (Mainly Evil Dead ofc, but the "The Ring" scene was also neat), but theres nothing really scary here. Zombie Strange at the end was exactly the kind of Raimi Army of Darkness vibe that i needed. Also, i found it very good that there are not too many jokes in this. The atmosphere is more serious, which works great.

 

Wanda is now my 2nd favourite antagonist/villain in the MCU after Thanos. I realize that her writing could have been better, but her as an antagonistic force - it was just so awesome. All those rather brutal deaths, the fact that shes truly relentless and her powers make her so entertaining and at the same time initimidating. That neck snap was raw.

 

Also really liked the music and the perfomances all around here. My favourite scene was probably the Music notes battle between the two Stranges, amazing stuff. Visually, its easily one of the best Marvel movies for me. Wanda was smocking hot, wich helped as well.

 

Things i didnt really like: Some of the dialogue was a bit cheap and the Illuminati were a total joke, though thats not too much of an issue from me since i didnt know them beforehand and was just in awe at Wanda destroying them.

 

9/10, great entry in the MCU, enough for an A for me.

[Kalo]

I really wanted to love this movie and I came out of the movie theater mostly pleased. but the more I think about it, it the biggest issue I had with the film just kept coming back into my head and the more I thought about it the more it angered me.

 

Now this is a pretty good Doctor Strange movie. he goes to the multiverse and there some weird shit, I was expecting that. although he really only spends much time in one other universe (two I guess, but the one at the end was still quite brief) I liked America Chavez and I loved the musical duel between Stranges. and I am one of those fans who fan casted John Krasinski as Mr Fantastic so I'm gonna be pissed if he ain't the new "real" Mr. Fantastic cause it was awesome to see him in the role.

 

now for my issue. they totally ignored Wanda's character arch in WandaVision! and made her a throw away villain. Elizabeth Olsen is great with what she has to work with, but her transition from anti-hero to villain makes no sense and it is so abrupt that I can't buy her going around killing people like that. I don't really have a problem with her going full villain but this was super rushed and was not earned. I think it would have been better for her to be the big bad for the next team up film not this. or at least give more insight then just she was corrupted my the dark-hold! I can believe she was. but there was no transition to this what-so-ever. and Wanda is far to of a beloved character to get the shaft like this. anyways she probably isn't "Dead" or least she will come back I think, but they created a mess for them to work with here.

 

So Strange Stuff A-

Wanda Stuff C

 

I'm giving it a B+ for now because of enjoyment of the film and I do like Rami's style and loved how scary it actually was, but they messed up probably my favorite character in the timeline right now (tied with Star-Lord anyways).

[Daxtreme]

My full review :

 

 

I loved this movie even if it's a mess. Aside from a few questionable scenes (like the tunnel scene where they just stand around and wait like fucking idiots for no reason), I was thoroughly invested. It's relentlessly entertaining, action packed, and a hell of a ride. 

I was a bit scared because I didn't 100% trust Sam Raimi to deliver. I was afraid it'd be too much like his Spider-Man movies, while what I wanted was Evil Dead Sam Raimi. And the latter is what we got in terms of style, but with a slight touch of his Spider-Man era, and it worked for me.

 

Pacing was a little too fast (and too much happened off-screen) but damn this movie just flies by and throws everything at the screen. It's basically an adventure-action movie with a few horror elements thrown in that are quite surprising for an MCU PG-13 movie. Definitely pushing the family-friendly rating to its limits. It's a bit wild and tonally inconsistent too but then again, I watch so many Hong Kong movies, "tonal consistency" isn't even in the dictionary for some of those, so I'm used to it. Anyway, as some of you know, I kinda like messy movies when they're ambitious, and this fits the bill to the T.

 

Elizabeth Olsen kills it. I don't know what people or even I were expecting but sending her character on an unhinged, brutal rampage has to be the best decision a Marvel movie took in a long while, at least for me. Absolutely worth it for the cheese and over-the-top villainous performance reminiscent of a by-gone era. So good! Continuity with WandaVision is a bit iffy but nothing that can't be rationally explained.

 

I liked how confident it was in its own self and didn't mind subverting some expectations that will surely leave some viewers who expected something else frustrated. Sam Raimi must have had huge fun making this. The original Evil Dead is still Sam Raimi's best movie overall but I might rank this one his second best. Loved it. This is a great example of what I'm looking for in Superhero movies: grandiose, almost over-the-top character work and superhero-fueled megadrama (this movie is at its core about personal relationships), effects-driven action, relentless adventure, some references, good acting, and some well-placed humor.

 

A

[Daxtreme]

9 hours ago, Kalo said:

I really wanted to love this movie and I came out of the movie theater mostly pleased. but the more I think about it, it the biggest issue I had with the film just kept coming back into my head and the more I thought about it the more it angered me.

 

Now this is a pretty good Doctor Strange movie. he goes to the multiverse and there some weird shit, I was expecting that. although he really only spends much time in one other universe (two I guess, but the one at the end was still quite brief) I liked America Chavez and I loved the musical duel between Stranges. and I am one of those fans who fan casted John Krasinski as Mr Fantastic so I'm gonna be pissed if he ain't the new "real" Mr. Fantastic cause it was awesome to see him in the role.

 

now for my issue. they totally ignored Wanda's character arch in WandaVision! and made her a throw away villain. Elizabeth Olsen is great with what she has to work with, but her transition from anti-hero to villain makes no sense and it is so abrupt that I can't buy her going around killing people like that. I don't really have a problem with her going full villain but this was super rushed and was not earned. I think it would have been better for her to be the big bad for the next team up film not this. or at least give more insight then just she was corrupted my the dark-hold! I can believe she was. but there was no transition to this what-so-ever. and Wanda is far to of a beloved character to get the shaft like this. anyways she probably isn't "Dead" or least she will come back I think, but they created a mess for them to work with here.

 

So Strange Stuff A-

Wanda Stuff C

 

I'm giving it a B+ for now because of enjoyment of the film and I do like Rami's style and loved how scary it actually was, but they messed up probably my favorite character in the timeline right now (tied with Star-Lord anyways).

 

I totally understand, it's a bit out of left field. I loved it but I can absolutely see how it could piss some people off. 

[jb007]

Dr. Strange had a solid interesting plot. Part 2 plot is just plain boring. Wanda as the bad girl just stinks.

 

The last few Marvel offerings have been below average including this. No way Home was the anamoly.

 

Rating: C

[SLAM!]

I gave Multiverse of Madness a B. It’s not the best movie ever or anything, it comes across as a smorgasbord of craziness, it’s relentless in its pacing and exposition and not in the best of ways. That critique about storytelling is my only concern though. I appreciated Sam Raimi’s style because it made the film different and unique in comparison to other films. I’m not a horror fan at all, but Multiverse of Madness makes me want to go back and watch Raimi’s Evil Dead movies. And the special effects and technical work—duh—all turned out very well. Also, Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez is a great addition to the MCU, and I hope that actress has a fantastic career ahead of her.

[baumer]

Absolute garbage. I could not get into this film at all. I didn't like Wanda as a villain and that just set me off right away.

 

5/10

[clockwork]

So I finally got a chance to see this, I really liked it. I was surprised they revealed Wanda as the villain so quickly in the story (or maybe it just felt quick to me) because I thought we wouldn't see her full force until midway through the 2nd act.

 

I'm kinda 50/50 on Wanda in the movie; on the one hand I really liked Elizabeth Olsen's performance, on the other hand I'm not sure I liked the way the character was handled. She pretty much went crazy because of reading the darkhold. I would have rather there be a slower build up to her becoming unhinged than have her be buck wild from the get-go.

 

Another nitpick I have is the special effects were so-so at times, noticeably in the fight with the Cthulhu-like demon. The magic in the movie at times felt like a case of quantity over quality, probably the most creative magic scene imo was the musical fight. It was brief but I certainty wasn't expecting it and it stood out more than the standard explosions and knockbacks that are everywhere in this one. Also I felt the absence of Tilda Swinton here, wish she would have made a cameo or something.

 

So like I said earlier, I really liked this movie and it's still crazy to me that it took 5 years for Doctor Strange to get his sequel. I do hope the next movie tones things down just a bit, a crazy as this sounds I think there was a bit **too** much magic here. Also lets give the multiverse a break for a while. B+

[keysersoze123]

The problem for this movie was it needs audience to watch wanda vision to get why wanda went bat shit crazy after being on the good side till end game. That should not be the case. They should have done a quick 5 minute preview of what happened and set her motivation. Just mentioning westview would mean nothing unless you are marvel fan. I did not watch wandavision(I am not that into marvel and  I find these tv series just not my taste at all) but at least I knew what transpired. 

 

That said what worked for the movie is that its not that long and does not waste any time getting into action. Humor wise its definitely more toned down that average MCU movie as well. CGI is a mixed bag but the action scene with the dark strange works and climax finished fairly fast once chavez connects wanda with her kids. Obviously wanda is not dead but I hope they dont just "redeem" her after the carnage she caused. The scenes with iluminati was meh as well. They were just sheeps waiting to be the slaughter. Not a single character including otherwise powerful Captain Marvel holding off scarlet witch for that long. 

 

At least this makes perfect sense why it collapsed after its initial mega opening. There is not much beyond for the hardcore fanbase. I expected more from Raimi. May be he is past his peak. 

 

Overall I would say B- and I am glad I waited until D+. I am personally not excited by any forthcoming MCU movie. I really enjoyed Black Panther but without Chadwick its not holding any hook. I am not sure how they make another Avengers movie without RDJ/CE. I dont see CH holding ship as Avengers leader for sure and I am not buying BC in that role either. 

[Menor the Destroyer]

3 hours ago, keysersoze123 said:

The problem for this movie was it needs audience to watch wanda vision.

Watching WandaVision is also a problem for enjoying this movie -- just in a different way. Also I don't know that I would blame Raimi here, there's only so much he can do with a weak story. 

 

I think the next Avengers team will have a different dynamic. It's not just going to be shoving new characters to try to replace the roles of Iron Man/Cap. 

[John Rambo]

This is a Wanda movie not DS. Really liked the way how they tried to infuse some dark/horror kind of elements...worked well 

 

The only problem i had was cameos were not upto the mark and how they were portrayed seemed to be unbelievable...also missed a major rumour about an actors cameo which turned out to be false 😐

 

Elizabeth and Benedict as-usual nailed it. 

 

8.5/10