“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Review: Ridiculous fun with a side of contrived nonsense

 

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” 2022, directed by Sam Raimi

★★★☆☆

Skepticism is warranted, even necessary, when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It can’t be overstated how profusely virulent the comic book genre, and especially Disney’s multi-billion-dollar global franchise, has been for the industry, and it hasn’t slowed down for a minute. The MCU’s latest entry is “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” Helmed by Sam Raimi of “Evil Dead” and “Spider-Man” fame, it’s the first film since the MCU’s inception in 2008 to delve into the horror genre. Despite Raimi’s impressive track record, one would be understandably wary of how much his style would really be implemented in such a monotonous, blatantly corporate series of movies. This isn’t the first time Marvel has brought in a respected auteur to direct; Oscar-winning “Nomadland” director Chloe Zhao was hired for last year’s “Eternals,” a film that, despite Zhao’s best efforts to limit green screen use and patiently engage with larger ideas, was weighed down consistently ugly visual effects and expository dialogue. Though “Multiverse of Madness” suffers from many of the same pitfalls, it’s much more recognizable as a project from a passionate, skilled director, and the times when Raimi’s style shines through redeem its most inane moments. This review contains spoilers. 

The film’s most glaring issues stem from its script. The plot follows Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) as he traverses alternate realities to protect America Chavez (Xóchitl Gomez) from hero-turned-villain Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). The concept of a multiverse is seemingly limitless, but the plot is clearly held down by fan service and generally pedestrian story threads. The majority of the premise’s potential is cashed in on recognizable character appearances and comedically silly scenarios that rival even “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in how closely they resemble fan fiction rather than professional Hollywood screenwriting. There are more than a few other issues as well; despite a few more practically built sets than usual, “Multiverse of Madness” is still weighed down by some obviously digital environments and the MCU’s usual lack of emotional depth.  

When the film works, though, it works. Wanda’s emotional arc, largely thanks to Olsen’s performance, is genuinely compelling. Danny Elfman’s score, which works in some chilling electric guitar riffs, is one of the first MCU scores in ages with an ounce of personality. The real saving grace, of course, is Raimi himself, who manages to work in some impressive camerawork and authentically scary elements. The moments where Raimi’s style pops up are exasperatingly brief, but it’s always a joy to see such dramatically canted angles, head-spinning zooms, and even just a hint at campy gore. Perhaps the most Raimi-esque moment comes in the film’s third act, in which Doctor Strange possesses his own dead body in an alternate dimension, becoming an undead version of himself, zombie makeup and all. Raimi fans will also be thrilled to see Bruce Campbell, the “Evil Dead” star who has appeared in all of Raimi’s films, make an appearance as an alternate dimension pizza vendor known as “Pizza Poppa”.

It’s an entire plot overhaul away from perfect, but “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is one of the first Marvel outings in quite some time that has even the leftovers of genuine style and care for the medium in which it resides. It’s an ugly mess at times, especially when Raimi’s style is smothered by the Disney machine, but it’s consistently fun and engaging to a point that most will be willing to forgive its flaws. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is in theaters right now.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"The Zone of Interest" review: Horror in the unseen

Image
“The Zone of Interest,” 2023, directed by Jonathan Glazer ★★★★ ★ It’s hard to know what to expect from " The Zone of Interest" when watching it for the first time. It’s a “Holocaust movie” – a loaded phrase that, in itself, implies undue dramatization, exploitation, and sterilization of a genocide. " Schindler's List " , " T he Boy in the Striped Pajamas " , and " Life is Beautiful" have all seen their fair share of criticism, and rightly so; there’s something insidious about using the real-life death of millions as a basis for entertainment. So when audiences first sit down to watch “ The Zone of Interest” , they may be appropriately skeptical. " The Zone of Interest" , however, isn’t designed to entertain. It feels bad to watch. There’s not even a traditional narrative structure – just a series of vignettes, seen from afar, obscuring and implying the most ghastly crimes behind a large, cement wall. The wall divides the infamous A...
Read more

"I Saw The TV Glow" review: An eerie exploration of identity

Image
“I Saw the TV Glow,” 2024, directed by Jane Schoenbrun ★★★★ ★ It’s hard to overstate what an exciting moment in time it is to witness the true beginning of Jane Schoenbrun’s career. Their debut feature, "We’re All Going to the World’s Fair", is fascinating as a unique piece of internet-infused horror filmmaking that begged to be peeled back and examined. "World’s Fair", though, was limited by its minimal budget and its vague subject matter in a way that made it more inscrutably personal despite its emotional evocations. While "I Saw the TV Glow" still captures Schoenbrun’s unique brand of eerie unreality, it expands on "World’s Fair"’s ideas exponentially and presents them in ways filmgoers have never seen on this scale. There are traces of a lot of other filmmakers here—Schoenbrun has been open about their inspiration from David Lynch, which shows, and audiences will likely find themselves drawing a number of comparisons to David Cronenberg’s ...
Read more

"Bones and All" review: Surprisingly tender

Image
  “Bones and All,” 2022, directed by Luca Guadagnino ★★★★ ½ Director Luca Guadagnino is no stranger to the nauseating and obscene; his 2018 remake of the classic horror film “Suspiria” prompted mass walkouts at its initial screening at the Venice Film Festival, and even his famous coming of age romance “Call Me by Your Name” has its fair share of indelicacies. His latest, the equally tender and horrifying “Bones and All” is, like his others, a slow, uncomfortable burn, but is well-worth the patience necessary to endure it. Reserved performances, a resonant, lyrical score, and some excellent 35mm cinematography help “Bones and All” burgeon into an emotional and indelible piece of art. The plot of the film revolves around two teenagers in the 1980s: Maren (Taylor Russell) and Lee ( Timothée Chalamet), both supernaturally cursed with an unexplainable need to consume human flesh. On the run from police, other “eaters”, and their pasts, the story sees the romantic pair explore all part...
Read more