Review of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) by Vilhelmhortz — 13 May 2022

I've not been more disappointed in a Marvel movie as with Dr. Strange part 2. This film is going to be proof in film schools for the next decade that you can take a great group of actors, (Minus one major character) and a good director, just to waste all of their time with poor quality writing. As for the character of America Chavez, I'm not sure if it was the writing, directing, or acting but the character was horrendous. The idea was so poorly carried out that she dragged down every scene that she was in. It wasn't that the concept was the problem, but how it was portrayed at every step was laughably insulting. This film couldn't even remain consistent with the last major Marvel movie, let alone provide any sort of logical consistence. Wanda is not a sympathetic villain, she is psychotic and the writers have a strange infatuation with her that continues since Wandavision. Dr. Strange was written to be extremely intelligent and analytical in his prior film, where his arrogance was off putting but something that the character could get away with. Now he just comes off as simply foolish. They make Wong look incompetent and little more than a joke. The cameos were all rubbish and did little more than to make establish characters look stupid. They were trying to make Wanda look like a huge threat, but to me it came off as these supposedly great heroes were all jack asses. This could have been a great movie. They had very talented actors and a great idea, along with a director that could have pulled it off. However the writing was so piss poor that it was bungled at the corporate level. The director had touches that showed through and created some fantastic visuals. It's the reason that this film made it a 3 on my scale. But he was so held back by Disney that it was a waste of his talent. I wonder if there is a Sam Raimi cut?

This movie could have been great. The cast was almost perfect, and with a different actor for America C. and writers that had the skill and freedom to create a compelling script it could have been a home run. Instead we get a lack luster film with actors that do their best to shovel garbage while a kid without enthusiasm or an idea of how to help just gets in their way. This is directed by a guy that has his hands tied behind his back by corporate with one eye blindfolded. All of whom are shackled to a script from a writers room staffed with people lacking the interest to remember major plot details from the last film in the franchise, and missing the life experience and skill to make a compelling narrative outside of an instruction manual for a toaster. And a host of details from major plot points down to the catering from lunch are likely being dictated by Disney board rooms. The Marvel franchise has a huge problem, no matter how much money is thrown at something you cannot make it good. You NEED writers that care enough about it that they remember the major plot points from the prior movies! They need to remain internally consistent during the current iteration of your 'multiverse' narrative. If they cannot do that then they lack the drive to create compelling stories filled with interesting characters. This isn't just from a single problem. Are there signs of to much corporate control over the creators? Yes there is. Are there signs that the writers lack the life experience to incorporate plot points in complex and subtle ways? Definitely! This movie threw a lot at you and then used the tired old 'subvert expectations' excuse when the story lines just didn't stick.