Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Movie Review

In 2016, one of Marvel’s more underrated characters made his big screen debut. Six years and multiple cameos later, Dr Strange has returned for his second outing with director Sam Raimi at the helm. It should have been a brilliant match, but the result is less than impressive.

Following on from both Wanda-Vision and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Dr Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) spell has conjured universal rifts with many dangers lurking within. With Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) now on the warpath to claim her lost children, Dr Strange enters the multiverse to protect a young girl named America (Xochitl Gomez) who possesses the power to travel between worlds. Multiverse of Madness features a straightforward story that stumbles on the details and pacing. For the most part, we focus on Strange’s perspective as he travels from one dimension to the next, encountering various horrors on his way to obtaining an elusive book. Some of these moments offer great fan service, but they don’t mean much to the overarching plot as the film gets bogged down in exposition. The second act hits a slump as characters talk to the protagonist about their version of reality until the next action sequence takes over. Fans will notice some references to Raimi’s previous work on the Evil Dead series, which generates some inventive action in the final act. Apart from this, the sense of tension and urgency falls short.

Benedict Cumberbatch remains adept in the lead role and in another nod to Evil Dead, he plays several versions of the same character. This expands the protagonist in a zanier, more speculative way as we see how Dr Strange might have been in other events. Outside of the returning Benedict Wong however, most of the supporting characters don’t make an impression. There’s little at fault with their performances; instead it’s their backstories and how they fit into the bigger picture. America Chavez isn’t very interesting at all; aside from learning briefly about her parents, there’s a lack of depth that keeps you from getting invested in her character. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) is incorporated in a different way within the story, but she’s mostly along for the ride, never rising above her basic characterisation. Scarlett Witch is capably done with Elizabeth OIsen injecting a high level of emotion, but her appearance is lessened by re-treading similar ground to her previous small-screen series.

Entering the realm of the peculiar, Multiverse of Madness features an excellent suite of special effects that ranks among the best we’ve seen from the MCU. From the moment it begins, the film fires on all cylinders when it comes to immersion and altered dimensions. The settings bend, contort and twist with some great camerawork to boot. Locations blend into each other and the creepier worlds we visit are very well presented. The highlight is a creative wizard duel with music notes flashing off of instruments before being used as projectiles. Danny Elfman also returns to work with Sam and his soundtrack features a capable tinge of horror elements. My only gripe with the presentation is how restrained it feels as a part of a wider franchise. Sam Raimi has a highly stylised approach to cinematography and it’s a shame he didn’t get to be more creative with his angles and overall feel.

For all the hype surrounding the multiverse and Sam Raimi’s return to the superhero scene, Dr Strange 2 is a bit of a let-down. The main performances are good and the special effects are some of the best we’ve seen from this series, but nearly everything else surrounding those elements is sorely lacking.

Rating: 3/5 Stars (Fair)