Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, written by Michael (Rick and Morty) Waldron and directed by Sam (Evil Dead/Spider-man) Raimi, springs off Jon Watts' Spider-man: No Way Home, though this Strange sequel was in the pipeline well before such, its intent squeezed through such swell, Twilight Zone-tripped miniseries as Loki, What If...?, Moon Knight and above all, WandaVision.
Benedict Cumberbatch resumes his role as the Sorcerer Supreme, who's taken a backseat to Benedict Wong's worthy Wong, but he and his multiple reflections will always be the supreme one to Steve Ditko purists. Here our overriding Stephen Strange knocks upon a barrage of dimensional doors, doing his best to get to where he belongs (wherever that might be) by aligning the universe(s) into a nice, sane stream for all our endless sakes.
Along the Danny Elfman-orchestrated way, Strange faces Chitwetel Ejiofor's once virtuous Karl Mordo, but is he the story's prime villain as sources have relayed? Is he a villain at all? And what of Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch? We all know she plays a huge part in this adventure. Perhaps her reverie-ridden heart is the key to throwing everything out of whack, but on the other hand, perhaps the key lies within Strange himself, or rather his many selves. That's what our focused Strange must determine.
With all this comes intrepid teammates and exciting cameos: the aforementioned Benedict Wong as (of course) Wong; Michael Strudbarg as sensitive Strange rival, Doctor Nicodemus West; Xochtil Gomez as eager, one-and-only sidekick, America Chavez (a big-time catalyst with more individualistic power than she knows); Rachel McAdams as reprised (lost-love) beauty, Christine Palmer; and (yep, it does happen, folks) Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier (X).
But what of John Krasinski's Captain America? Okay, maybe he's Mister Fantastic instead. Well, some things are better left for surprise, though pre-publicity and budding gossip may have already thwarted that. On the other hand, fans should be quite pleased to know that Bruce Campbell does enter the mayhem, but then why wouldn't he? This is, after all, a Raimi movie.
For the most part, the story celebrates its consistent, allegorical upheavals, with Strange's alternate-reality offshoots understudying the ups and downs of everyday, exhausting life (that which many of us endure through our nine-to-five shackles, though sans Strange's Salvatore Dali manifestations). If one pays attention (as one must for such a hurlyburly sojourn), Strange's reactions to his predicaments are as important as what's inside the many Lovecraftian portals he finds. Indeed, diligent folks will appreciate our hero's calculated choices, and those who sit on their laurels can still enjoy the metaphysical toil if they dare conjure the gumption.
Also, that Strange isn't granted unconditional heaps of help (regardless of what he or his reliable compatriots offer, and they do many times over) works to the story's benefit, for his need to hold the proverbial knife acts as an inspiration at a time when any autonomy is frowned upon by the conformist mainstream. Cumberbatch's Strange, therefore, fills Ditko's mold ideally, without any blatant conservative statements required (though we all know they're implied).
I don't know if Multiverse of Madness lends any more to Marvel's parallel-dimensional novelty than those those chapters that have lead up to it. However (and yet again), Strange's steadfast plunge to get things done is what's most appealing, for it makes him even more significant (more omniscient) than he was in his first, mega-buck outing, not to mention his related Avenger jaunts. For the sake of his progression (and the entirety of Marvel's Phase Four), that means a lot. The Multiverse can't exist without him.
Now bring on Strange 3 (as well as another Avengers trilogy). Twist them about forevermore! The Multiverse is rich with infinite possibilities; so why not milk them for every dreamy drop they're worth?
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