A review of the new movie “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness”

Any film that has one of the words ‘strange’, ‘multiverse’ or ‘madness’ in the title is going to attract my interest and one that features all three in the title is cat-nip to me. Anyway it’s a Marvel movie and I never miss one of these. So expectations were high when I booked an early showing in IMAX and it does not disappoint, although to derive the most satisfaction from the work it helps to be an aficionado of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on both the large and small screens (which I’m not but my companion was). 

From the opening seconds, the movie has plenty of spectacular action, lots of effective special effects, and some mind-bending narrative that can be quite confusing. There is some humour and a fair bit of horror in this inventive addition to the MCU canon directed by Sam Raimi who helmed three Spider-Man movies. It may have a 12A certificate but I don’t think I could take my 11 year old granddaughter to something at times quite gruesome.

Benedict Cumberbatch is back in the titular role and has a lot of fun playing different versions of Dr Strange from different universes. His prime opponent is ex-Avenger Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch with Elizabeth Olsen reprising the character. In between them is a young woman whose fictional name (America) and real name (Xochiti Gomez) are unusual. So is her special power: the ability to “dreamwalk” – to enter into other parallel universes.

A scene is which Strange and America crash from one universe to another is a sheer delight. However, to say much more about the characters in the story would be to spoil some enjoyable surprises. It is enough to know – as the Doctor’s friend Wong tells him – that “The Scarlett Witch is a being of unfathomable magic. She can re-write Reality as she chooses, and is prophesied to either rule or annihilate the cosmos”.

As is now usual with Marvel movies, be sure to stay for not one but two inter-credit sequences.


 




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