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.

Doctor Strange

A group of sorcerers led by Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) invades a sacred library and steals pages from a book before fleeing into the streets of New York!  The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) pursues, killing about half the invaders.  Kaecilius escapes with the pages that contain a ritual that could destroy the world.

 

Next we meet Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a brilliant neurosurgeon who seemingly brings an organ donor back to life!  He is an arrogant, self-centered jerk but nevertheless a magnificent surgeon with miraculously steady hands.  Then tragedy strikes.  In a car accident, his hands are mangled and, even after extensive reconstructive surgery, he has difficulty just writing his name.  Desperation takes him to Nepal and the Ancient One.  Though initially a skeptic, once convinced that there is magic, he studies voraciously and quickly becomes proficient in advanced sorcery.  He is soon embroiled in the conflict between the Ancient One and Kaecilius, proving to be the central figure in the final outcome.

 

In the mid credits scene, a bearded Thor discusses Loki and Odin with Doctor Strange.  Strange offers his help in finding Loki for the purpose of getting the Asgardians back to Asgard.  Unsurprisingly, Strange will appear in the forthcoming Thor: Ragnarok.  At the end of the credits, the villain of the next Doctor Strange movie reveals himself.

 

The movie has a very strong Inception feel to it with the mirrored cityscapes that fold upon themselves.  Though often humorous, this plays much more seriously than Ant-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy.  The magic system is solid and well made.  That the movie limited its forms was a good call.  Unlike Harry Potter, we aren't bombarded with all sorts of magic.  Basically, it comes down to magic gateways, invoking a mirror world, conjuring weapons or shields, and astral projection.  Each of these are shown enough times to make them all old hat by the end of the movie.  More spells can be added in later movies but I like that we stuck with some basic tricks for the first outing.

 

Yet again, Marvel has taken one of their lesser characters and created a great film.  When I was reading Marvel in the 80s, I read almost exclusively Fantastic Four and X-Men, both of which Marvel sold the movie rights.  Marvel has more than made do with the second and third string characters.  Thumbs way up for Doctor Strange!