Published June 1, 2022
BY RYAN JALILI
Alongside being equated with the extreme hype among fans for this new ‘multiversal’ introduction in the Marvel catalog, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” disappoints by reiterating the repeated issues of recent Marvel Cinematic Universe films and gives a sloppy return to filmmaking from Sam Raimi.
When Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) attends the wedding of his former lover, the ceremony is interrupted by the multiverse-traveling teenager America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) who is being hunted by creatures and others to steal her uncontrollable power to travel through the multiverse.
Now many may view ‘cameo culture,’ where a big character is revealed and everyone cheers, as ideal, but it is ruining what we expect from future installments in the Marvel universe. As a reviewer it is important not to judge a film on expectations from the internet or Twitter, but rather the contents of the film itself.
After a years-long wait of buildup from the Disney+ show “WandaVision,” which included the return of the newly sinister Scarlet Witch, the buildup from the Disney+ show “What If,” which displayed a collection animated characters from Marvel’s multiverse and the hype of studio rumors of multiple cameos, there is a lot riding on this film.
Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness falls flat in its plot structure and a sloppy reintroduction of the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). (courtesy of Marvel Studios)
That said, “Multiverse of Madness” is one of the most terribly paced, awkwardly directed and awfully scripted films in recent memory. This can likely be linked to Raimi, who was given an unreasonable amount of pressure and a convoluted script. After directing Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy nearly two decades ago, Raimi is given his return to the superhero world, as well as the directing world, since his last film was released nine years ago.
The film’s most blatant issues are the story and the pacing. The film just has such a terribly nauseating flow to it and the writing and story direction as a whole are far below Marvel’s already menial story standard. Scenes go back and forth with no rhyme or reason; characters are in the most climactic moments of the film, and it cuts directly to a whole subsection of forced sideplots.
No one is especially eccentric and there are few standout performances. The introduction of
America Chavez has confusing moments, but Gomez does a good job among her superstar counterparts. The reintroduction of the Scarlet Witch is lazily done and her new descent into this version of the character seemed like a big step back in quality from Elizabeth Olsen’s portrayal in “WandaVision.”
To the film’s credit, it does have its own style, and fans of Raimi will likely appreciate the references and filming decisions taken in its directing.
Overall, the film falls flat as a Marvel flick and as a whole just disappoints.
4/10
