Dog’s Movie House: “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” A Fun Trip Through New Marvel Possibilities!

“Dr. Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” takes place just after the events of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and Strange is having dreams about other versions of himself. He soon meets a young girl named America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) with the so-far uncontrollable ability to open portals to other universes. After saving her from being attacked by a giant octopus-like monster, Strange finds out that Chavez is being hunted across the Multiverse buy someone who covets her powers. That someone turns out to be none other than Maximoff, who has been experiencing devastating grief at the loss of her two children. (The fact that the kids were created out of the fabric of her mind during the events of “Wandavison” don’t make her grief any less palpable.) Wanda’s plan, with the help of a dark magic book called the Darkhold (again. . .see “Wandavision) is to travel the Multiverse until she finds one in which her two boys exist. Her obsession is such that she doesn’t care who she has to hurt or kill to get her way, including the powerful Chavez, who will die when the Scarlet Witch takes her powers. It’s up to Strange, Wong (the always delightful Benedict Wong) to stay ahead of the obscenely powerful Wanda until they can find a way to beat her. This leads to a bunch of Multiverse-hopping and some delightful cameos along the way.

Sam Raimi takes over from Scott Derrickson for this second installment of the “Dr. Strange” series and he immediately puts his creative stamp all over this film, especially in the movie’s back half. Known mostly for his work in the original Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy, Raimi actually got his start in low budget horror, crafting the classic Evil Dead trilogy that has become a time-honored horror classic. Those sensibilities are all over “Dr. Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness,” which feels at times like a full-on horror flick. Everything from ghostly specters to zombie versions of our heroes make the cut. Of course, being a Marvel film, it can’t take the movie to the gleefully gory extremes Raimi was known for early in his career, but the tension and atmosphere are present in spades. It’s the closest the MCU will ever come to any actual horror flick and that’s a good thing.

Raimi and screenwriter Michael Waldron craft a tale that is pretty easy to follow despite it’s many moving parts. The craziness of the various universes never reaches the zany levels of the excellent Michelle Yeoh vehicle “Everything, Everywhere At Once,” combining Raimi’s colorful and original visuals with a fairly straight forward story. This isn’t a criticism: it’s simply an apt description of the narrative flow of the film. In fact, it may turn out to be a benefit to casual moviegoers who might be put off by potentially confusing plot machinations suggested by the various trailers leading up to the film. I can assure you that, despite having at least two different versions of Dr. Strange in “Dr. Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” the film is very easy to follow. The visuals are nuts but the story is not.

The film is anchored by the performances of its outstanding cast. Cumberbatch is in fine form as his journey from arrogance to humility is fairly compelling. Strange seemed to have turned a corner during the two-film conclusion to the Infinity saga but this film shows he still has a way to go, especially when it comes to his own personal demons. He also has to think on his feet as, for the first time, he finds himself hideously outclassed in the magic department.

Olson is terrific as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlett Witch. It helps a great deal if you’ve watched “Wandavision” but it’s not necessary. There are enough references to her time in Westfield throughout the film to figure out Wanda took a wrong turn at Albuquerque in terms of her emotional and mental state. Her mission and obsession lead her to do some truly terrible things, but Olson never lets the audience forget her motivations come from a very relatable place. She wants to a mother, an illusion she crafted so deeply in “Wandavision” that her grief and obsession have become as all-consuming as a mother who’s lost her real children. It adds an emotional complexity to her character and it also makes her freaking terrifying in her anger when she doesn’t get her way. And let’s not forget the horrific joy you’re going to take in watching Wanda finally use the full extent of her powers as the Scarlet Witch for the first time. She makes everyone else, including Dr. Strange, look like rank amateurs.

Raimi and his team get excellent work from their supporting cast. Gomez is wonderful as America Chavez, a very important and popular figure in the comics.e She has wonderful chemistry with Cumberbatch and some of their exchanges are among the funniest in the film. Benedict Wong is always fun as Wong, who happens to be the new Sorcerer Supreme (Strange lost the position when he was snapped out of existence by Thanos for five years) and that dynamic between Wong and Strange is not only played for laughs, but as an important part of Strange’s emotional journey. Chiwetel Ejiofor is back as Mordo, although a different version of him, and his work is subtly great, and Rachel McCadams returns as multiple versions of Christine Palmer and her performance is an important part of exploring the dynamic between Strange and the only woman he’s ever loved.

Let’s talk about the cameos. Actually there a little bit more than cameos, but “Dr Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” introduces a few characters from the Marvel comic universe that opens the Cinematic Universe to a whole new slew of possibilities. I won’t give any away here, but suffice it to say the one appearance in particular had the audience gasping and applauding. And as for the criticisms as to what the fates of these characters are, I would say that in a creative world with unlimited universes, this simply opens up the MCU to a myriad of potentially exciting cinematic possibilities. And they aren’t just there as fan service: they serve the story and especially serve to show how powerful the Scarlet Witch has become. Opinions my differ, but I loved the inclusion of this version of the Illuminati and the possibilities it represents moving forward.

My only complaint (and it’s a minor one) is that the MCU has mirrored the comic book world almost a little too well. Disney had made the Marvel shows on Disney+ essential to the overall story of the Marvel films. I did say that you could enjoy “Dr. Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” without seeing the other shows, but you’ll enjoy the film a lot more of you’ve watched everything that’s come before (including the animated series “What If. . “). While that’s great for a comic book geek like me, casual viewers may be a little put off by having important character beats come from something other than the movie they’re currently watching. Marvel Studios needs to be careful going forward that they don’t spread their stories too thin among too many platforms lest they risk alienating a good portion of their audience. They’re not anywhere near that point yet, but it’s a possibility of which to be aware.

That said, “Dr. Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” is a fantastic, trippy, and sometimes terrifying journey into the magical side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With great performances, a compelling story, and some outstanding visuals and direction by an energized Sam Raimi, “Dr. Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” is worth seeing on the big screen more than once. (And don’t forget to stay for the post credit scenes!) 4 1/2 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer! So Sayeth The Kendog!

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