Movie Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) directed by Sam Raimi

Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has been having horrible dreams where he is fleeing with a teenage girl (Xochitl Gomez), fighting a large, seemingly undefeatable demon while trying to acquire a book of power. Strange wakes up to his own nightmare--his beloved Doctor Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) is getting married to another guy. Strange goes to the wedding anyway and has an awkward time. During the high-rise reception, a fight break out in the streets below. It's a large, Avenger-class fight with vehicles flying through the air. Strange goes down to help and discovers a demon attacking the girl from his dreams. Wong (Benedict Wong) shows up and helps fight off the demon. They go off with the girl who claims she's from another universe. She says Strange's dream actually happened. She has the ability to travel between universes and, as proof, shows them the dead body of the Doctor Strange from her universe. She does not really have control over her powers and the demons are being summoned by someone who wants her powers. She's reluctant to trust this Doctor Strange since the one from her universe would have stolen her powers to keep them from the demon. Strange goes to recruit Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) to help protect the girl and fight the magical demons since Wanda has great magical powers. Things get worse from there.

Like most Marvel movies, the story moves at a swift pace and has tons of action and dramatic moments (and special effects). Unlike most Marvel movies, director Sam Raimi shows his style in the film. The storyline has many horror elements that Raimi is able to capitalize on (though the movie never really becomes a full-on horror). Magic never looked more occult in the Marvel universe. Many of the scenes of peril have a sharper edge. The traveling through different universes also showcases Raimi's creativity as does some transitions and other visual elements. And, of course, Bruce Campbell has a cameo. I am a huge fan of Raimi (who is most famous for directing the Tobey Maguire Spider-man films and the Evil Dead trilogy) so I was very happy with the film. It blends the best of typical Marvel films with the best of Raimi's distinctive style.

The movie also grapples with some larger issues. First, other people ask Strange if he is happy. Instinctively he replies yes but on reflection, he realizes a lot of things that would satisfy him are out of reach (like Christine) because of his powers and the subsequent responsibilities he has. Saving the world is not as satisfying for him either. These reflections lead into the other theme: Is Strange really a hero? The Stranges from other universes make reckless and/or selfish decisions that cause more problems than they fix. This Strange has a history of wanting to be in control and to "go it alone" which has had mixed results. The film doesn't explicitly resolve the issue. Strange is still a work in progress.

This movie is definitely a step up from the original Doctor Strange film and advances a lot of stuff in the larger Marvel cinematic storyline (which includes the series content from Disney+).

Recommended, highly for Raimi fans.

Book Review: Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & Torment by R. Stern et al.

 Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & Torment written by Roger Stern and Bill Mantlo with Gerry Conway, art by Mike Mignola and Kevin Nowlan with Gene Colan

A graphic novel full of Doom! Doctor Victor von Doom, that is. He's the leader of Latveria, an Eastern European country that hails him as a beloved leader though everyone outside thinks of him as a despot. He is an expert in science and has a working knowledge of magic (his mother was a gypsy accused of sorcery), making him a formidable foe.

In the main story, Doctor Doom and Doctor Strange are both invited to a mystical competition to see who is the greatest sorcerer on Earth. Doom has spent his life studying both science and sorcery, so he is a viable contender but does not win. Strange is the victor though in this contest a boon is given by the victor to the person in second place. So Strange owes Doom a favor. Doom knows exactly what he wants--to free is mother's soul from Mephistopheles, the ruler of Hell. She was unjustly taken by the Lord of Demons and Doom. Being a loving son (who knew he had one good quality?), Doom wants to free her. Doctor Strange recognizes the request as an actually worthy task and agrees to venture into Hell to save the soul of Mrs. von Doom. The story gets bizarre, touching, and smart as the two try to best the ruler of Hell on his own turf. The tale is entertaining and satisfying, weaving in a lot of character moments for the two stars.

In the second story, Doctor Doom goes to one of the deeper dungeons in his castle to summon and fight a demon for his mother's soul. It's an earlier issue of Astonishing Tales that sets out his yearly quest to free his mother's soul from Hell. It's not really clear why they put this after the first story. 

In the third story, also predating the first, Doctor Strange has lost his disciple Clea. Somehow word got out and everyone with any inkling of the occult comes to Bleecker Street to become the Sorcerer Supreme's new disciple. Even Victor von Doom in Latvaria hears the news and considers studying the mystics art with Stephen Strange. But he's too egotistical and too busy with matters of state (restoring order after some usurper messed things up). Doom's appearance is just a few pages and is a precursor of the main story above. 

The final two stories feature Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner. The only connection to the other material is that Mike Mignola did the pencils. These are some short, more mythological stories. In one, Namor saves a white horse that's drowning at sea; in the other, he's in the Saragossa Sea and has a strange experience where he's transported to the past and has a dalliance with a female pirate captain. 

Highly recommended for the initial story. The others are more filler/background information.

Book Review: Doctor Strange The Last Days of Magic by J. Aaron et al.

Doctor Strange The Last Days of Magic written by Jason Aaron with art by Chris Bachalo and others

In this continuation of The Way of the Weird, Stephen Strange faces off against the Empirikul, a group of dimension-traveling warriors set on wiping out magic everywhere. The Empirikul is led by the Imperator, a being whose parents were killed to satisfy a false god. Now he is all about science and how great and powerful it is--powerful enough to destroy magic in every dimension he travels to. Now he's in Earth's dimension and is rapidly eliminating all magical items and people. Doctor Strange is in a fight where he has no mystic powers, how will he ever win?

The premise is interesting (science vs. magic) but the execution is not engaging. The storytellers give a sense of the epic scale by referencing other magic users who are killed or lose powers. But those people don't elicit my sympathy--their powers are used mostly for selfish aggrandizement and so the loss doesn't seem so bad (except when they are killed, of course). The Empirikul, on the other hand, are almost too sympathetic. Making science fundamentalists an enemy is interesting but they come off like a Monty Python Spanish Inquisition rip-off. I found it hard to take them seriously.

Not recommended.

Book Review: Spider-Man/Doctor Strange: The Way to Dusty Death by S. Lee et al.

Spider-Man/Doctor Strange: The Way to Dusty Death written by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Chris Claremont, et al., with art by Steve Ditko, Frank Miller, et al.

This anthology of team-up tales featuring Spider-Man and Doctor Strange ranges from 1965 to 1999. The stories start with Spidey and Strange fighting the sorcerer Xandu, who gathers powerful mystical artifacts (and steals them from Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum) in a effort to bring his beloved Melinda back from death. In later stories, they face foes famous (Doctor Doom, Dormammu) and not so famous (Silver Dagger, The Wraith).

An anthology like this has lots of advantages. The thematic core, Spider-Man helping out Doctor Strange, makes a great blend of contrasts--Spidey's wisecracking street smarts and brawn with Strange's esoteric magical abilities. Many battles happen in a mystical dimension, putting Spider-Man out of his comfort zone and enabling exposition about the bizarre mystical mumbo-jumbo that the writers make up. The anthology also cherry-picks stories from thirty years' worth of comics, so the reader gets the best ones.

Recommended.

Parental Advisory--the book is rated T+ on the Marvel Rating System, which may be for the occultish elements of Doctor Strange's life or also for an unusual amount of scantily-clad women (Melinda's outfit gets skimpier and skimpier from story to story, eventually down to a Princess Leia bikini). The violence is pretty standard and not particularly gory.

Book Review: Doctor Strange: The Way of the Weird by J. Aaron et al.

Doctor Strange: The Way of the Weird written by Jason Aaron, penciled and colored by Chris Bachalo

After a brief (one page) review of Doctor Strange's back story, this book leaps into his life as Sorcerer Supreme living in New York City. He has plenty of odd psychic jobs to do. He helps out a librarian from the Bronx who has mind maggots coming out her skull; she is willing to repay him by organizing his (rather dangerous) library. Meanwhile, a big mission is looming, threatening both magicians and Sorcerers Supreme in many different dimension, and that threat is on its way to Earth.

The book has a good blend of comedy, drama, and magic. Stephen Strange is still somewhat full of himself, leading to comic dialogue. The big threat, magical death and destruction in other dimensions, is slowly revealed, building up the dramatic stakes. The depiction of the magical in our world (what Strange sees through his third eye) is well done and easy to understand--nothing too weird or incomprehensible ever happens. The story is enjoyably written and drawn.

Movie Review: Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor Strange (2016) co-written and directed by Scott Derrickson

Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a hot-shot neurosurgeon at the top of his game. He takes high-profile and high-challenge surgeries for the glory and the money. His skills and photographic memory are unmatched. Unfortunately, he's also full of himself, so much so that he disrespects his fellow surgeons and won't bother with ER emergencies. A car accident severely damages his hands. All his attempts at a Western medical solution fail to restore his physical abilities so he turn East in desperation. He is drawn into a world of mystical arts and abilities, where he is trained by the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) in hopes he will join their forces and protect the Earth from multi-dimensional and mystical threats.

Superficially, the story is a carbon copy of Tony Stark's character arc--the cocky but competent loner who is humbled into seeing the world differently, learns to work with others, and sacrifices himself for the greater good. Even so, Strange is his own person and Benedict Cumberbatch gives both charm and honesty to the character, making him a compelling hero who must overcome his flaws (one of them being his self-unawareness).

Cumberbatch also has the comedic ability to match the tone of the Marvel films. The film's lightness buoys the viewer through the tougher parts. The theme of accepting your situation is mostly tied to Strange's hands, which shake visibly after his accident. He is determined to undo the damage done to him so he can return to his normal, comfortable existence. Learning to accept how things are and that new possibilities could be even better is a long process for him. He is able to work through some issues and come to a much better place by the end of the movie. Other characters also struggle with this issue, giving a well-rounded feel.

Visually, this is by far the most impressive film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When Strange enters into other dimensions of reality, the special effects are beautiful and breath-taking--as amazing as the visuals in Avatar. The movie includes the city-bending from Inception and the energy whips from Iron Man 2, but raise both to a new level. Plenty of other amazing effects are included. The 3D is worth the extra cost.

Even though the film has so many bits of other films in it, enough new and original material and characters are introduced to make this a fun and captivating watch. The actors all do great jobs. The story has enough spin on the usual formula to make it enjoyable and fresh.

Highly recommended!