Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is running through a bizarre plane of existence where the wreckage of some ancient structure swirls about in a gravity-optional kaleidoscope.  Running beside him is a girl with unstated powers that she cannot control.  Chasing them is a demonic creature that appears to be nothing but a vast coil of flaming strands.  It is trying to steal America's powers.  Before Strange can prevent that by taking her powers for himself, he is killed.

Strange awakens from the nightmare!  He dresses, using his magic to tie his tie.  He attends the wedding of his love interest, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams).  After the ceremony, he sees a disturbance and jumps into action.  He finds a one-eyed tentacle beast attacking... the girl from his nightmare!  After defeating this beast with the aid of Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong), they take hold of the girl and discover her name is America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and her power, which she cannot control, is the ability to travel between the various realities of the multiverse.  Strange intends to protect her better than his other version did.  Their opponent proves immensely powerful, forcing Strange and America to flee across the multiverse in search of an ancient book.  On the way, more alternate versions of Strange, his enemies, and his allies are met in alternate realities.

Generally fun, but not without some glaring issues.  At one point, the villain is faced by several other reality 'Avengers.'  The male superheroes are eliminated with a barely any effort, hardly a wave of the hand.  The female superheroes prove formidable, but why?  Why couldn't they be as easily disintegrated as Mr. Fantastic or mutilated like Black Bolt?  Perhaps, with the villain being female, it was thought that brawling among women would be better accepted.  Rather than a sequel to Doctor Strange, this is more of a sequel to WandaVision, which I did not see.  For a second-tier character throughout the MCU, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) is suddenly an immensely powerful character.  Maybe she always was and I just didn't notice?

America is mostly just a victim, a wandering McGuffin.  Other than a desire to eat pizza and to run in terror from the latest monster, she has no character.  Based on her backstory, her mode of dress and name don't make sense.  She has this American flag motif in her clothes and her name is America, but she's from some alternate reality where she had two mothers.  And her portals between realities are star-shaped.  Huh?

This is Sam Raimi's first movie in 8 years and marks his return to the superhero genre.  Sam brought along Bruce Campbell for a cameo as Pizza Papa.  I would have preferred him as Ash, especially since the undead arrive in the finale.  Indeed, something similar to the necronomicon also plays a major role.

Good popcorn fun.

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