With everything happening in the country right now, not many people get the time or money to run to the cinema to watch the latest movie, even when it’s one from the MCU. However, this writer ended up at the cinema the day Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness came to theatres, to see a cinema packed on a weekday morning. Excitement thickened the air even before the screen lit up; but did the highly-anticipated instalment of the MCU deliver? 

If you’re yet to watch this movie, a word of caution before you proceed, that word being: SPOILERS!

In case you didn’t take that warning seriously enough, here’s some spoilers for you.

Sorry not sorry

Still here? Great. Let’s get to the real stuff. 

My own reactions to the movie may be a tad different to those of the rest of the audience, since I opted to go trailer-less and spoiler-less into this movie. This was achieved through great self control and one memorable occasion of plugging in earphones and humming very loudly in the cinema (yes, that actually happened, pre-movie trailers are a menace).

While Dr. Strange was instrumental in previous Marvel movies, his last (and first) solo film was in 2016, six years ago in a world that had no clue what COVID-19 is. In short, it was a really long time ago. However, something that stayed in our collective memories (or at least mine) were the visuals. The mirror dimension portrayal in the 2016 film was such an aesthetic marvel (no pun intended) that Dr. Strange scenes became a favourite simply for their visual splendour. 

Multiverse of Madness delivers spectacularly on that front, with the visual complexity one of the best that the MCU has seen. Whether it’s showcasing colourful universes, the mirror dimension, the place between worlds, or the horror-esque scenes nearing the film’s climax (more on that later), the visuals always came through. Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange(s) is always a treat to watch, which helped the film along. 

As chaotic and disarrayed as the different universes in the multiverse were, so was the plot of the movie. While some people were disappointed in the mess the plot had become (due to a change in directors, rescheduling, and switching places in the grand scheme of the MCU) the disarray played perfectly into the “multiverse of madness” theme. 

However, remember what I said about the last solo film being a long time ago? This fact comes into play in another (intended) key aspect of the plot: The romance.  Christine Palmer, a character we haven’t seen in six long years, makes a comeback. This writer had forgotten all about the romantic interest; when the good Dr. West says he didn’t get the girl, this writer said, “What girl?”

This girl, who is getting married to another man, not that this stops Strange

The romance for Strange did not mesh with the rest of the movie; how does pining for a woman even come close to being important when you’re a character grappling with the fact that you erased half of all living creatures in the entire universe to save it? Nevertheless, Palmer only served as a point for Strange to come to key realisations about himself, in every universe. The emotional weight, which should be enough to drive Strange across universes, was not felt. 

Instead, the emotional heavy-lifting came from the Scarlet Witch, who caught this writer by surprise in her arc which showed her turning against Strange instead of allying with him. The juxtaposition of the Witch’s power and corruption against her maternal longing makes for a haunting storyline which was delivered with frightening intensity in another show-stealing performance by Elizabeth Olsen. 

The Scarlet Witch arc does seem rushed and sketchy, but the performance and visuals become her saving grace. The unexpected turn around delivers on shock value, further  fuelled by just how good of a villain she makes. Scarlet Witch draws on her old nemesis Thanos, insisting she’s ‘reasonable’ even while scorching humans into flesh melting off bones. 

This particular marvel character has suffered so much, most keenly highlighted in her line: “I blew the head off the man I loved and it meant nothing, don’t talk to me about sacrifice.” It was almost a mercy killing by this point when she met her demise, as her visible pain and sadness carried most of the emotional heft of this film. However, we are left wondering if this is the last we’ll see of this character, so soon after she came into power.

Witchcraft is dark and sinister in the multiverse of madness

However, in this particular arc, where the romance would’ve been expected, we’re given no information about white vision. It’s as if the WandaVision droid never existed. The only reference to Vision is given early on in the film, when Wanda mentions that Vision thought the multiverse to be dangerous. 

Speaking of the multiverse, the titular concept of the film, and the excuse for much of it’s visual flair, is dismally underexplored in the movie. The only true glimpse we get into the magnitude of this discovery is the dialogue when we’re told that in the infinite multiverse, there exists a solution to every problem, every disease. Unfortunately, other than that single moment, the multiverse might as well have been a series of mirror dimensions, as it was all visual spectacle with no intellectual weight, and the only emotional weight being the various cameos littered throughout. 

One must admit the multiverse got a healthy sprinkling of cameos; if the purpose of the multiverse was to combine all the nostalgia fans could think of, then this film would get the gold star. Reed Richards, Captain Carter, Charles Xavier, Black Bolt, Maria Rambeau’s Captain Marvel, and even Karl Mordo show up in alternate universes. However, with the lack of a buildup, the moment fails to match up to Spiderman: No Way Home, which will retain the title of best MCU film to explore the multiverse. 

However, a key feature which differentiated the film from previous instalments, even of Dr. Strange himself, is the clear influence of the horror genre, thanks to director Sam Raimi of Evil Dead fame. The horror gets more intense towards the climax of the film, while the premise is typical Marvel, with bright colours and jokes thrown in here and there. While some of the more hilarious interactions lasted the length of the film, like the dynamic between Strange and Wong, the film did become noticeably darker towards its conclusion, with ghouls, zombies, and possession taking centrestage.

I don’t think I’ll forget the picture of a blood soaked Elizabeth Olsen limping after the protagonists in a dark tunnel anytime soon.

New hero or not? The new character lacks, well, character

Last but not least, the audience is introduced to a new character America Chavez, whose bright and bubbly (at least more bubbly than the rest of them) performance gives the film the Marvel vibe even when Raimi’s influence takes over. America is a great character and her unique power drives the plot forward; however, we’re not given much to relate to on her end and by the time the movie came to a close this writer did not feel a particular bond with the character. 

However, shoutout to her two moms, and the pride pin she wears on her jacket the entire movie. 

All in all, the multiverse of madness is a must watch, simply for the visual masterpiece it is, and for a healthy dose of nostalgia if you’re a long time fan. Fans of Strange get to see multiple versions of him in this film (not all of them nice), but for fans of Scarlet Witch, the film is a tad more macabre.  

The stage is set for Dr. Strange to return, with the addition of his third eye and the appearance of Clea, a long-time ally of Strange and his eventual successor in the comics, in the post-credits scene.

Article by Paramie Jayakody