Movie Review - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Things just got interesting in the MCU. Now, franchises exploring a possible multiverse is nothing new, really. Marvel and DC have been at it for years with their numerous big crossover events in their comics. It's only recently that both TV and film productions have decided to explore it as well. A series of shows that became the Arrowverse, retroactively created a multiverse that included them, 89 Batman, 66 Batman and more. Meanwhile, the last few Spider-Man films (well two of them anyway) have delved into a multiverse of Spider characters ranging from different variations of the hero, to old villains from the non-MCU films appearing on the designated Earth for the MCU (currently dubbed either Earth-616 or Earth-19999). Lots of interesting ideas and this film has become another one of those MCU films where events that have happened before, have led to this. Plus, with Sam Raimi at the helm (who hasn't done any films for nearly a decade), things could get interesting and a few fan favourite characters may make an appearance. So let's take a look:

In the space between universes, dimension traveller America Chavez (played by Xochitl Gomez) and an alternative Doctor Strange (all variations of which in this film are played by Benedict Cumberbatch) are being chased by a demon while searching for the Book of Vishanti. Although this Strange is ultimately killed by this demon, America manages to escape and lands on MCU Earth (which is what I'm calling it from now on until the definitive number has been given to it). MCU Doctor Strange attends the wedding and reception of his ex-lover Christine Palmer (reprised by Rachel McAdams) and although both are at peace with the whole "love won't work" thing between them, he is soon drawn to stopping an octopus demon with assistance from the Sorcerer Supreme, Wong (reprised by Benedict Wong) where they both meet and save Chavez. She explains to them that demons are hunting her down due to her powers of being able to travel the multiverse. Strange realizes that the demons have runes of witchcraft on them and pays a visit to Wanda Maximoff (reprised by Elizabeth Olsen) who has embraced her role as the Scarlett Witch following what went down in Westview and will stop at nothing to find her children with the power of the Darkhold. Recognizing the threat she poses to Chavez, Strange, Wong and the other sorcerers choose to protect her. But what happens instead sees MCU Strange travel the multiverse, where we meet some familiar faces and other things too.

This is a pretty spoiler heavy film if you haven't seen any of the Disney+ MCU shows and also No Way Home. But despite that, it is pretty good. Lives up to the hype, gives us some returning fan favourite characters (including a certain professor and stretchy person) and has some pretty darn good visuals. It's probably only slightly better than the first film, but otherwise on par with it in terms of story, visuals and characters. Doesn't quite answer the question of what other universes are out there that are clearly not alternative versions of the mainstream events (as shown in What If...), but it's pretty much a Sam Raimi film that delivers in all it promises and more. Even has a cameo in there of one of his most frequent collaborators, and if you've seen anything Evil Dead, you know who I'm on about. 9/10