Director: Sam Raimi

Story By: Michael Waldron

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Xochitl Gomez, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Rachel McAdams

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Definitely entertaining, but not sure how I am feeling about the Disney vibe on Marvel just yet… 

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Theme & Story: A

Pacing: A

Character: A-

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Entertainment Factors

General Public: Interesting Enough

Film Enthusiasts: Don’t Watch

Experience Seekers (via Visuals & Score): Don’t Watch

Marvel / Action Adventure Fans: Interesting Enough

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TAKEAWAYS:

1. When a girl from another universe who has a very special power is being hunted by the Scarlett Witch, Dr. Strange and the sorcerers and sorceresses of Kamar-Taj work to help and protect her, and bring an end to an ultimate evil power responsible for the hunt. This is Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

Thematically, I watched a film about consequences that can arise when interfering with lives outside of your own, and/or manipulating lives as a means to benefiting your own wants and needs.

Act One pretty much kicks the theme off with a literal interference by our deuteragonist which propels the story forward immediately. The Act also doesn’t waste anytime pulling in the antagonist/anti-hero to lay down the framework for the story.  Overall, it was a very intentional Act in my eyes. 

Act Two unpacked more about the special power guiding the story, also acting as an additional goal of the “hunt” along with the deuteragonist. This Act did a good job with the theme mainly via The Scarlett Witch for me. It provided a necessary character conflict for her which aided the story, especially when the two worlds/universes merged together as a form of “interference” and “manipulation.” 

Act Three was the most engaging for me, and really brings the themes and story together well. That “manipulation through interference” was key to the Act’s progression. 👍🏾👍🏾

2. Scarlett Witch’s fury in Act 3… 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

3. Chile… NOT the “Illuminati” 😂🤦🏾‍♂️🙌🏾

4. If they were charging to see memories… how were they able to see that type of preview for free? Out in the open?  🤨

5. In the words of Joanna the Scammer, “honestly, truly” the film had great pacing. The film is over 116 minutes, and it keeps you engaged through and through. It felt like every 3-5 minutes, there was some battle or stimulating visual on screen. 👍🏾

6. The overall visual effects and cinematography were well done! 🙌🏾🙌🏾

7. To piggyback off point #3, I did enjoy seeing a few teasers of future characters, as well as one of the “legends”. 👍🏾👍🏾

8. It’s always so interesting to see that Regina George got her life together… 👀😂😂

9. You know… I don’t know if I was particularly drawn to any of the character performances. They weren’t delivered terribly, but I feel like there was a safeness to the depth of the characters therefore being nothing more than very intentionally written drivers of the story—which is also a good thing. 

If I had to choose a character that stood out for me, it would be Scarlett Witch. I didn’t like the decision made with her motivation being something that she seemed to “believe” was real vs just making it something she knew wasn’t real but wanted to feel again by any means necessary—she’s not “crazy” or “delusional…” she’s grieving still. 

I was also not a fan of America. It was like watching that Disney Princess film/story that didn’t get the same consideration as Cinderella and Snow White… #IYKTYK I can’t help but also get a Dark Phoenix vibe in the sense that she was put in situations that reduced her abilities—didn’t like the damsel in distress hero. Furthermore, America’s character lacked an origin (unless there’s a Disney series I missed with her). I would have love to know more about her home planet, where these abilities come from/how she discovered them, etc. Maybe an “America” story would’ve been better to release in place of the Falcon and Winter Solider series… or Hawkeye… 

I will say, in addition to the characters carrying out the story well, the thematic followthrough was also solid with the characters. Dr. Strange was not only a character whose life was interfered upon, but one who interfered in the life and universe of others as the film progressed—especially in Act 3 where even manipulation and consequence came into play. Scarlett Witch’s character existence was nothing but interference and manipulation with insight to consequence (both personally and externally), and America’s character was purely interference. 🥴👍🏾

10. Come through for the subtle LGBTQ+ plug via America’s pin. 🙌🏾

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Overall #DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness is What Dreams May Come – meets Avengers Civil War – meets Everything Everywhere All At Once – meets Carrie – meets ParaNorman

I found the film entertaining, but one thing I’ve said for a few years now (since Disney buying Marvel early on) is that the film felt like a Disney film. For some odd reason, Act 3 felt like the Marvel I would have wanted while Acts 1 and 2 came off as literal PG-13 fun…like Spy Kids… This isn’t to say it’s a bad thing, but it is something I think I’m personally going to have to make myself accept with this new Marvel. 

Additionally, I do feel that an America Disney series should’ve been released prior to this film…maybe instead of dropping the Hawkeye or Falcon and Winter Soldier series… 

SN: Stay for the first post credit, you don’t need to watch the second.