Jacked In Reviews ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ (2022)

Unlike previous MCU instalments, Multiverse of Madness sees Sam Raimi at the helm, the legendary director who, if it weren’t for his vision that brought us Spider-Man (2002), superhero movies might not have been what they are today.

In short, ever since the director for this movie was announced, expectations were pretty high.

Now, on with the movie. We are met with an alternate Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) having a Spanish back and forth with a young girl by the name of America (Xochitl Gomez) – whilst being pursued by a giant, interchangeable, ferocious beast. After Strange decides to sacrifice this young girl for the greater good, we realise he is nothing like the Doctor we know and love. Unfortunately, his plan is cut (or impaled in this case) short when the creature’s tail pierces right through him. And with that America opens a star-shaped portal which transports her to another universe… The Marvel Cinematic Universe.

From there we see how our original Doctor Strange is getting on and the aftermath the “blip” has caused on his life. As we see him attend the wedding of Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) as merely a guest, it seems his five-year hiatus has hit him where it hurts.

Not long after this, a giant one-eyed beast who is in pursuit of America interrupts the Wedding’s afterparty. Strange, of course, saves the day before he and America are then introduced. After learning of what has brought America into his world, Stephen decides to seek out Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) for a better understanding of the Multiverse.

Unfortunately, Wanda is no longer the friend to Stephen she once was and is actually behind the beasts pursuing America. It seems after the events of Westview (Wandavision), Wanda has become obsessed with finding a reality in which her fictional sons exist… By any means necessary.

So, yes, if you stay away from the Disney+’s Marvel series you may be a little lost at this point, but don’t worry, you’ll quickly catch up.

Unable to control her powers, America opens up portals to other universes as and when threatened, which happens not long after Wanda tries to capture her. From there we have an adventure through the multiverse with Strange and America. Where he meets alternate versions of himself as well as some pretty recognizable faces that once belonged to 20th Century Fox…

The first gasp hits the audience when John Krasinski finally steps into the stretchy shoes of Reed Richards AKA Mr Fantastic and the second when Patrick Stewarts Professor X rolls out in, not only a comic book accurate wheelchair, but with the subtle entrance music of the X-Men 97 theme tune playing him in.

Not long after this, we get some of the most brutal onscreen executions featured in the MCU and some pretty terrifying moments (but hey, it is Raimi at the helm after all) before the final showdown between (un-dead) Strange, America and Wanda.

To sum up the movie in its entirety, it seems to have all the ingredients which make it run like your average MCU movie, but at the same time, has director, Raimi’s style all over it throughout. Especially zombie Strange’s sequence which is delivered in the darkly comedic way that the filmmaker does best.

It’s certainly not the game-changer like that of Spider-Man, but it does go a lot further than that of its predecessors. It incorporates horror elements into the MCU for the first time ever beautifully and hopefully, the movie has opened more doors for the experimentation of genres in this franchise going forward.

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