Director Sam Raimi returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ (2022).
Set after the events of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021) and ‘WandaVision’ (2021), the good, sometimes bad doctor, must travel through the Multiverse to stop the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) from coolly sacrificing all and sundry in a bid to fulfill her familial dreams.
Heavy on the cliché psycho mother vibes and introducing a charming Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, a teen who can travel across the Multiverse, the film is a trippy ride through a number of alternate dimensions.
With Benedict Cumberbatch playing a variety of doctors, ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ mashes a mix of MCUs camp one-liners and its epic battles with Raimi’s particular visual style and horror flourishes.
The effect is uneven. Disappointing in its regressive Wanda after all the drama and self-awareness of ‘WandaVision’ and struggling to dig deeply enough into what makes Dr Strange consistently tick into megalomania and darkness, ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ is visually impressive but falls a little short in terms of plot and character motivation.
A tad more could also have been made of Chavez whose powers actually power the film but, given the ever-expanding franchise, hopefully a deep dive into this canonically queer character is coming.
Despite these issues, the film is a promising return to the MCU as the possibilities and perils of the Multiverse are fleshed out in all their strangeness and ability to annihilate each other via incursion.
Starring Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong and Chiwetel Ejiofor amidst a host of fun and surprising cameos, Raimi’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, like all Marvel movies, is not to be missed unless you enjoy being totally lost in the sequels.
Want to win a movie ticket to see ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ (2022) or a movie of your choice at Ster-Kinekor? Simply answer the following question: Who is the film’s villain? Send your full name, cell-phone number and your answer to weekender@namibian.com.na. The winner of the previous competition is Serinna Stephanus.
– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com
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