Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Doctor Strange is back and can you believe just how much hand waving he's doing? It's so much hand waving!

This movie is a fun movie, it's fast-paced (maybe a little too fast?) But is really just a good time. It's definitely a fridge movie though.

What's a fridge movie I hear you ask? A fridge movie is when you watch a movie, and in the moment everything makes sense, but then you wake up at midnight, you're a lil hungry, so you go to the fridge and open it up to get yourself a lil snack, but then something randomly comes into your brain that makes you go "wait a minute..." And you realise that movie you watched earlier had some holes in it.

Not that I'm some kind of plothole hunter, honestly amazing stories and movies have them and they shouldn't detract from the experience unless they're really egregious. I do however think there are some character motivation things in this that really do leave you wondering what's going on with some people in this. But that's for spoiler time I guess.

Overall Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a fun superhero film, it's pretty revolutionary in that Sam Raimi just said F it I'm gonna make a horror film, and obviously it's still Marvel so we don't go too far but this film definitely has a different feel than the rest, which is needed as the "Marvel Formula" has gotten a little stale lately.

I'm going to give this an 7/10, it's a really fun, fast-paced film that will not leave you bored for even a second. That being said, it's let down by inconsistent visual effects, occasionally confused character motivations and the by-product of its fast-pace being that nothing in this movie is given any time to breathe.

SPOILERS AHEAD FROM ACROSS THE MULTIVERSE THERE ARE SPOILERS IN ALL OF THEM ALL FROM ME EVERY VERSION OF DAN IS SPOILING EVERY VERSION OF THIS MOVIE LETS GO

So Wanda just learned absolutely nothing from Wandavision did she? Like she seemed pretty guilty about enslaving all those people but then here she's like I'll kill a kid I don't care I'll do anything for my stupid annoying kids.

Also is Vision dead everywhere? He never shows up which makes me wonder. Unless he's not always the dad? I'm not even sure his robot ding dong could impregnate a human lady.

Alright before I get totally lost in dumb thoughts let me say I love the creative fights in this. Yes you get the usual firing different colour generic lazers at each other but you also get some pretty amazing stuff. I like when they have the shield up and she uses the power of gaslighting to break that down. I enjoy that in revenge Dr Strange sets up a tile that when you step on it you receive mental health issues.

There are some gruesome deaths in this. When Wanda smashes the Illuminati into a thousand pieces, those murders are brutal and actually a bit horrific. That guys mouth disappearing will haunt me forever.

Wanda looking like Stephen King's Carrie by the way, I think that's an intentional homage and I love it, well played lads.

Also Bruce Campbell is back, I swear Raimi wants to kiss him. Can't blame him, I wanna kiss him too.

Oh yeah speaking of gay love there's lesbian mom's! That's all, it's very brief but hey it's nice of Disney to give us some diversity. If they edit it out in China I'll riot.

Oh I should talk cameos, so Patrick Stewart and John Krasinski are the big names here, as Professor X and Mr Fantastic respectfully. It's fun stuff and I love how they don't overly milk it, they aren't like CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, it just feels organic to the story.

I actually expected Marvel to suck itself to completion more by taking us to universes we were more familiar with (Venom, Morbius, Raimis Spider-Man felt locked in but wasn't!). I actually appreciate them not doing that, was more fun seeing these wacky world's where sometimes red means go and sometimes you're paint.

Oh and how horrific is the ending possessing your own dead body, man that's creative but so messed up.

I did really enjoy watching Wanda dealing with grief again. It's so heartbreaking when she realises you can't just slot yourself in, although I will say Happy Death Day 2 actually did this better. Find me another review that brings up that film I bet you won't.

I just finished Moon Knight and man Marvel are all in with the emotional damage lately. Will Disney pay for my therapist because these movies are making me realise I have a lot of unresolved issues. Not Wanda level issues though, I wouldn't use my mystery red powers to do anything other than add an inch or two to my... Height. Let's say height.

I really wish we spent more time in wacky multiverse places and not just New York (but a bit different). I feel like hanging out in animation for a bit would have been amazing, or something like that anyway. Just make it feels crazy, why not?

Oh and I really enjoyed the music fight thing, I fight you with my piano but take this it's a harp! Good stuff and really creative.

Sadly I think this is one of those that'll drop from a 7/10 to a 5 or 6, as the more you think about it the less you'll like. That being said, in the cinema you won't be bored at all and you'll enjoy it, but it's not going to leave a lasting impact on you in the way other Marvel films have done in the past.

Post credits scenes are something nerdy from the comics and then Bruce Campbell being like look guys I stopped punching myself which is great stuff.

Regarding that first post credits scene, it's so funny to me that Dr Strange is like OH LORD I HAVE BEEN POSSESSED I HAVE A THIRD EYE!

Then in the post credits he's like, you know what, this is alright actually. I can live with this. I'm making it work.

Classic Sam Raimi.