Multiverse of Madness is a Masterpiece

If I had to narrow down my favorite types of films to two genres, it would definitely be superhero films & horror. Since I was a kid, superheroes have been a major fixation of mine, joined by horror in my early teens. If I'm not watching a spooky movie or show, chances are I'm rewatching WandaVision or marveling over Civil War for the millionth time. Scattered amongst my tattoos are horror icons and Marvel icons, I cannot get enough of either. I'm autistic, so you can definitely say that Marvel & Horror films are two of my major fixations. The MCU is a solace for me now, just as the X-Men comics were for me as a kid, feeling like a mutant all my own.

Sam Raimi has also been a major part of my life. As mentioned, I'm a horror junkie, but as a kid, I was wildly obsessed with Xena the Warrior Princess to an almost embarrassing level. I was Xena for Halloween when I was a kid...yeah, it was intense. Anyway, Sam Raimi not only gave me Ash from the Evil Dead saga, but he gave me Xena. Also Darkman? A deeply under-appreciated film. He also, of course, gave us the Spider-Man films that were part of so many of our shared youths. So, my excitement at him taking the helm of Multiverse of Madness and melding a few of my own fandom universes meant everything to me.

Now, I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't had a moment to see it yet, so I'll keep this spoiler-free. However, Multiverse of Madness made me jump more times than many of the horror movies I've seen lately. Perhaps it was because I wasn't expecting to be scared in a Marvel film, but it was honestly kind of refreshing. You didn't quite know what to expect at first. There were also delightful quips of humor that not only made it familiar as a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, but a Sam Raimi film. It was part Evil Dead, part Army of Darkness, a little bit of Xena with some Spiderman: No Way Home. Of course, it was dusted with bits of it's own flavor to make it some sort of a special concoction, perhaps a spell in a bubbling cauldron, whispered under baited breath.

We are surrounded by familiar faces like Wanda Maximoff & Stephen Strange, but we also meet a handful of new faces including a delightful new addition to the Marvel Crew, America Chavez. She's a perfect match to Dr. Strange's sarcasm, getting many a witty retort in. Xochitl Gomez is incredible in the role, capturing the teenage angst of being young with phenomenal power in worlds you can't control. She has her moments of fear, moments of incredible strength and a delightful amount of jokes. There's appearances by favorites old & new, and it definitely doesn't disappoint in the surprises. The special effects in the MCU get more and more impressive with each film, and Multiverse of Madness is visually stunning and honestly epic. It brings to life worlds we could only imagine, and universes we could only dream of.

Of course, don't move from your seat during the end credits, as in Marvel tradition there are end credit scenes for this as well. There's one mid credit scene, and one final scene at the very end of the credits, so stay tuned! The soundtrack was also done by the legendary Danny Elfman, so it doesn't disappoint to sit and listen during the credits.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was directed by Sam Raimi, written by Michael Waldron, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, with Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams. It is officially in theaters now!