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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

I dreaded watching the Doctor Strange sequel, so much so that I avoided it for a while now. I didn’t want to see it for the simple reason that Scott Derrickson, who did such a marvelous job with the first Doctor Strange film, opted out of helming the sequel. Derrickson, who directed such frightfully good films like The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, and The Black Phone, gave us a wonderfully weird and dark Doctor Strange film that was tinged with such strong elements of horror that it was a little unnerving in certain moments. In other words, the first Doctor Strange was pretty fucking great, and remains one of my all-time favorite Marvel Movies.

But since I was a Doctor Strange fan from way back when I was a kid, I finally gave in and watched Doctor Strange in The Multiverse Of Madness on Disney Plus, and guess what? It really wasn’t bad at all. In fact, I kinda, sorta liked it. Well, OK, I really liked it. Yes, I really enjoyed Doctor Strange 2, I admit it.

And I strongly suspect that the reason I liked Strange 2 was the guy who the MCU replaced Derrickson with: Sam Raimi. Most people would normally associate him with the Spider-Man trilogy of films that he made starring Tobey McGuire. And they wouldn’t be wrong. But Sam Raimi also made The Evil Dead films, along with Drag Me To Hell (another horror favorite of mine). Raimi earned his horror movie cred just for the Evil Dead films alone (starring the mighty Bruce Campbell, who has a cameo in Strange 2. Hail to the king, baby!).

While Strange 2 is more of a regular superhero movie, lacking the intensity and creepy darkness that the first Doctor Strange had, Raimi still makes it a really fun ride. The movie starts with the good Doctor attending the wedding of Christine (the divine Rachel McAdams), his former flame who’s now getting hitched to another guy because Strange got himself zapped for five years (see Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame for that whole finger-snapping, sordid story).

But Strange must abruptly leave the wedding (which involves a really cool superhero-costume-change scene) to fight a one-eyed octopus monster that’s trying to kidnap a teenager named America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). America has a very special power where she can traverse the multiple universes with just a thought. Gomez is very good here; she easily projects a sympathetic vibe that automatically makes you want her to be safe.

It turns out that the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) was behind the attack on America (the kid, not the nation), because she wants to use America’s power for her own nefarious ends--which turn out to be pretty sympathetic on their own. Olsen is simply wonderful in this film. I loved her performance throughout. She effortlessly conveys a former superhero (she was in the Avengers, for chrissakes!) now turned villain, who still tries to rationalize every horrible act she does, because she’s doing it for a VERY GOOD REASON, and that by having everybody--especially this frigging Strange guy--not leaving her well enough alone, they are all giving her NO CHOICE WHATSOEVER. And yet Olsen still makes you feel for the Witch, thanks to her superb performance.

The sorcerer verses sorcerer action in this flick is fantastic, and worthy of the cosmic battles I used to read in the Doctor Strange comic. Not only are the special effects very well done--the movie is visually stunning in every sense of that term--but the action is even plotted out very well. And Raimi pays careful attention to the smaller details, like how the Scarlet Witch’s fingertips are blackened from flinging all of those magical fireballs.

Raimi also does a great job playing with the alternate universes, giving us several different versions of our Earth, some of which look pretty inviting, along with different versions of the Marvel heroes, like Captain Carter, instead of Captain America. And, I have to say, after seeing Hailey Atwell in (all too brief) action as Captain Carter, I really wouldn’t mind seeing more of her in this role. I like how Raimi also manages to keep Christine in play, serving as a sturdy sidekick to Strange, who is still the sorcerer supreme in my book, even if he isn’t in this film (thanks once again to that pesky zapping). Benedict Cumberbatch is superb as always as Doctor Strange. I’d gladly follow this guy anywhere, no matter how many eyes he has. --SF

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