Film Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ('22; Dir: Sam Raimi)

 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Written by Michael Waldron

Directed by Sam Raimi 

I'm at the point now where I write film reviews only when I feel like I need to for me. I'm not a professional critic. I don't have deadlines, I don't have to get my review out before a film releases, I don't have an editor, I have no interest in trying to sway the public's opinion or launch any sort of analytical discourse. All I want to do is put some of my thoughts on paper when I am moved or inspired to do so, even if not a single person reads them. This will only be the 3rd review I have written so far this year (a far cry from a decade ago when I was writing 50-60 reviews per year) and I am honestly somewhat surprised at how deeply I have fallen for this movie. I admittedly have a soft spot for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (even their worst efforts I enjoy,) but Sam Raimi's film has sunk its claws into my arm in a wholly unexpected way and I cannot get enough. It's living rent free in my brain. 

Art is deeply personal, even in the way each individual consumes it. One person's trash is another person's treasure, after all, and that's partly why as time has gone on my approach to viewing cinema has shifted from any sort of objective approach (even the notion that cinematography or editing or score can be objectively great is a flawed concept when you stop and realize that everyone sees things differently) into a far more personal endeavor. I have no interest in nitpicking or scouring films for plot holes or trying to outsmart them and am instead far more interested in engaging with a work on its own terms and then ascertaining how it makes me feel. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a messy film, there's no doubt about that. There are imperfections in the writing, a few scenes that may have played slightly better with another pass or two, an inclusion of tropes that could have been executed slightly better here and there. It's messy and grand, as Raimi's big budget efforts often are. Yet at the end of the day none of that mattered in the grand scheme of how much I have fallen in love with this movie.

Let's get some housekeeping out of the way first. The technical elements are beautiful, with some really striking cinematography by John Mathieson and plenty of signature Raimi angles and zooms, a bombastic, clever, and surprising score by the legendary Danny Elfman that weaves in some cheeky electric guitar and references to other musical works, and strong visual effects and make-up work. I love the film's use of bright colors when needed, but in particular its use of darkness and shadows. Raimi gets to fully play in the horror sandbox here, and the visuals of the film are appropriately moody, spooky, and gothic. I also adored some of the editing choices, with an emphases on fun transitions and fades that felt delightfully retro, and some harsh cuts that create a really fun rhythm and visual language. The pacing of this film is one of its strongest assets. For the full 2 hour and 6 minute running time the film never stops moving, and it creates for an incredibly thrilling experience. 

Ah, the horror. The horror, the horror, the horror. I mentioned that Raimi gets to fully play in the horror sandbox here, and the DNA of his work that made him a cult icon of cinema is evident throughout much of the film. Whether it be a fight with a giant octopus monster, complete with a deliciously nasty resolution, or a final reel that is heavily inspired by Evil Dead II, so much of this film feels like it was made specifically for me and my sensibilities. It's a little gory, a little nasty, it's delightfully gothic, with lots of candles and witches and magic and jump scares. Raimi gets to incorporate some shocks and gags that may anger general audiences or intense fans, but they had me smirking with maniacal glee. Kevin Feige and co. kept saying that this film would be the first true horror film in the MCU, and that was not a lie. Although there are elements of superhero sci-fi and plenty of exciting action sequences, Raimi gets to go full Raimi and it left me overjoyed. Throughout much of the final act of this film I was giddily cackling like a child. I can't believe he pulls off the madness that he does. There is a magic battle involving music that is one of the most inventive and clever action beats I have ever seen in a movie of this size. The Multiverse of Madness is one of the most purely fun and entertaining moves in the entire MCU, as far as I'm concerned.

I think what really takes this film to the next level for me, though, and why I keep finding myself coming back to it, is the character work. I am going to tread lightly here so as not to spoil anything, but this film presents essentially two many characters in Doctor Strange and Wanda/The Scarlet Witch and their journeys and growth are more similar that one might think. The film asks the relatively simple question of "what is happiness," but through that it explores the cost of grief, loss, and the sacrifices we have to make in order to find whatever happiness means to us. The concept of the multiverse allows us to see different versions of Stephen Strange, and the way that allows our main Strange to learn how to tackle his issues with arrogance, his bravado, and his fears resonates. His relationship with Christine (Rachel McAdams, who gets more to do here than in the first film and is incredibly charming,) Wong (Benedict Wong continues to steal the screen every time he appears in the MCU,) and newcomer America Chavez (played winningly by Xochitl Gomez) compliments his journey of growth, and I feel that by the end of the film Strange has finally come into his own and is a better man because of it. Cumberbatch plays it all beautifully, and Strange is now cemented as one of my favorite superheroes. 

Wanda, on the flip side, is a more complicated affair. I personally found her journey in this film to be utterly compelling and directly in line with where she finds herself at the end of her Disney+ series WandaVision. Sometimes the best path for our characters is not the easy one, not the safe one, not the pleasing one. I know Wanda is one of the most divisive aspects of this film, but I absolutely love that the film goes for it. Elizabeth Olsen is extraordinary in this film; she eats up the screen like a full five course meal. It may be the single best performance ever in a MCU film. She's scary and heartbreaking and awesome in equal measure. My love for Wanda is no secret, and that is only amplified by this film. This aspect of the film is going to be discussed ad nauseum, and as long as the discussion is thoughtful and genuine, I'm all for it. 

With the multiverse being introduced into the MCU in earnest, and with that specific word being in the title of this film, expectations were running rampant as to what exactly this film may contain and how expansive in character and scope it may be. While there are some fun reveals and new characters introduced, I am pleasantly surprised by how relatively limited in scope this film is. This is very much a singular Doctor Strange story, with its focus on the few main players in this film, their emotional journeys, and the horror hijinks Raimi gets to unleash. I appreciate that Phase 4 of the MCU has taken a step back from the larger narrative arcs to refocus on characters and filmmakers getting to have fun in various genres. 

I am deeply in love with this movie. It excited me, it thrilled me, it delivered everything I could have hoped for from a Sam Raimi MCU Doctor Strange movie. It's a delicious, fast paced ride that still manages to smartly explore its characters and throw a plethora of inventive, goofy, and scary sequences into our eyeballs. It's a little messy to be sure - one can't help but wonder how the rushed timeline Raimi and Waldron had considering they took over after Scott Derickson left the project affected the final product  - but it is decidedly one of my absolute favorite movies in the MCU. It's as if this movie was made just for me, and I sincerely hope Raimi gets to direct the inevitable follow up.