Full of stuff I really don’t know how to mention without spoiling, In The Multiverse of Madness is the second installment of the Doctor Strange branch, of this humongous tree we call the Marvel Universe. What stands out the most about this film, is that I really don’t know how to feel about it. Did I like it? Did I hate it? I’m leaving the cinema feeling numb and a little confused. Not by the story itself. The story is fine. But purely by my feelings towards the film as a whole, and how it was paced.

In The Multiverse of Madness should have been called America Chavez. The movie centres America (Xochitl Gomez) mostly, while Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is her trusty sidekick that helps her on the journey to protect her power. What’s her power, you ask? She has the ability to skip into all the different universes. She doesn’t know how she does it, therefore having no clue how to control it. She just knows that when she’s afraid, she jumps. But, here’s the thing. Her introduction into this movie was so abrupt. There was no build up to her. There was nothing to allure us to her existence. This whole thing could have been written really differently. I’m a sucker for a big reveal slash twist.

Close behind, is the story of the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). She too could have easily had her name plastered on the billboards, trumping Strange. It was more like a continuation of WandaVision. Damn it, I’m going to straight up say it. Doctor Strange didn’t deserve the title. Sure, he may have had the key to the final bout, but he becomes easily forgotten about in so many parts of this movie. Except for that Illuminati judging scene. Boy, that was cool. Definitely one for the fans, which is super sweet (thanks Marvel). I know, I tease. Sorry. Not sorry. But that scene that I just can’t mention in detail, is my highlight of the whole film. Want a hint? Think, cameos of existing characters, failed auditions and crossovers of studios. If you know, you know. Anywho… WandaVision does have a major role to play here, so if you haven’t watched it, then probs, maybe you should, before stepping into this. Then, you’ll realize that the wonderful work they did on WandaVision was betrayed by the poor execution of this film.

Side note: Illuminati? Seriously?

I was also left disappointed by the fact that there wasn’t any Loki related content. Assuming you’ve watched it, his whole crazy adventure, breaking timelines and what not, I believe anyway, that it would fit in perfectly here. I finished watching Loki saying, this should take us into Doctor Strange, together with WandaVision. Maybe some more references to Kang the Conqueror since he’s the next Thanos. But maybe Thor: Love and Thunder is the film for that. I guess, we wait to see.

Look, I didn’t hate it. But I didn’t love it. I surely did not care for the Sam Raimi vibe. It did nothing for me. This film didn’t stand firmly enough. It was sometimes cringy, and then it was often overdramatic.

You know what really made me mad? The fact that the nachos didn’t come in two separate bowls at Village Gold Class. That could have turned me to the Darkhold (again, a WandaVision reference). Get your shit together guys, because without one, there cannot be another. (Disclaimer: yes I did send my feedback to Village cinemas about the nachos.)

I was going to give Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness a 3.5, but the more I sit on it and analyse it and talk to everyone about it, it gets more shit. But in saying that, in my defense, if there is one thing you should take away from my review, is that this whole new world here is very unfamiliar to me. I’m still learning about it and I’m still figuring it out, so if the really die hard Marvel fans are reading, please bare with me. I’m still getting to know this new phase and what should and shouldn’t be there.

Rating: 2.5/5