Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
For the second time this year, movie audiences are thrown into a multiverse storyline at the local Cineplex. Oftentimes these movies perplex me as my brain is not hardwired to think that way as, I recently discovered, I’m more of a linear- thinking kinda guy! Going in to see DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, I prepared myself mentally to pay very careful attention to all the minute details that could entail so that I not leave the movie perplexed as to what occurs. What I wasn’t prepared for was that there is a lot of homework to be done ahead of time. Do not be discouraged by reading these opening remarks as I can state emphatically that this latest Marvel adventure takes us on an entirely unique and vastly entertaining joyride.
When we quickly discover that the dazzling opening action sequence is only a dream, we see Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) dress to impress to attend a wedding. During the reception, attendees are aghast at the destruction happening on the streets below where an octopus Cyclops monster is trying to kill America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), the object of the aforementioned dream. With the assistance of Strange’s sidekick Wong (Benedict Wong), the monster is vanquished, and we learn that America’s superpower is that she can open portals to other universes. In her quest to find her parents that she accidentally threw into a portal when she was young, not only has the many incarnations of Doctor Strange she met in different dimensions unable to help her, but America is also relentlessly pursued by Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) who wants to steal her power. To say more would contain spoilers that I am loathe to provide.
DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS is successfully unique as it is the first Marvel movie that can be classified as a Horror flick versus an Action/Adventure one. Whereas Director Sam Raimi may have helmed the first three “Spider-Man” movies, he is best known for giving the world “Evil Dead” and “Army of Darkness” and his proficiency in the Horror genre is put to effective use here. Whereas the action scenes are perfunctory and nicely executed, I genuinely enjoyed his many visual homages to Spielberg’s Indiana Jones catalogue and de Palma’s classic “Carrie.” Heck, there’s even a “Star Wars” reference here! The last time Doctor Strange had a standalone feature was 2016 and I enjoy the snark and swagger Cumberbatch always brings to the character. It’s grandiose without the Tony Stark arrogance. Oh yes, the cameos in one extended sequence were nicely presented and I enjoyed watching Rachel McAdams and Chiwetel Ejiofor return to the fold. What I enjoyed less, and this bears repeating, was the amount of homework required to fully enjoy DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Having yet to watch “WandaVision” on Disney+ (it’s still in my playlist alongside “Loki”), The Scarlett Witch’s motivation was lost on me as I am unfamiliar with her backstory, which was only rudimentally examined here. Much of the joy of watching the Marvel Studio movies was how they would seamlessly incorporate events from previous movies. Yes, it helped if you read the comic books for further insight into the characters and their motivations, but you didn’t HAVE to. This new trend of exposition may alienate those who don’t subscribe to streaming services.
Tony Chambers, the Disney Executive VP of Theatrical Distribution, kicked off the recent CinemaCon convention by saying that DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS had already earned $42 million in advance ticket sales ahead of its bow. Whereas I never value a movie based on its Box Office, I can confidently state that those with the advance tickets and those who will stand in long lineups will thoroughly enjoy this latest Marvel marvel. I know I certainly did.
Walt Disney Studios Canada release MARVEL’S DOCTOR STRANGER IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS May 6, 2022.
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