by Foster Harlfinger, Contributing Writer
Marvel Studios’ so-called “Phase 4” is a contradiction of sorts. Though the studio has made obvious efforts to break free from the Marvel formula by branching out to mediums like television and animation, or by hiring visually distinctive directors like Chloé Zhao (Eternals), such efforts only make the restrictive effects of their formula more apparent. No film better exemplifies this creative conflict than Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Marvel’s latest $200 million outing follows our favorite Master of the Mystic Arts, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) as he traverses the multiverse using the mysterious abilities of feisty teenager America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). Aided by a scene-stealing performance from Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch, a handful of surprise appearances, and a return-to-form score from legendary composer Danny Elfman, Multiverse of Madness seemingly has it all, but unfortunately for most Marvel fans, Multiverse of Madness does not always deliver on the promise of its multiversal premise. Given the last-minute rewrites and “six-week long reshoots as recently as November 2021,” one wonders if Multiverse of Madness could have ever lived up to the immense expectations it set for itself following the record-breaking success of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
In hiring director Sam Raimi, one of the few living filmmakers who can truly be called a visionary, Marvel has taken its largest calculated risk in years. Longtime fans of Raimi know the man wears his horror influences on his sleeve, though the pervasive horror elements within Multiverse of Madness will surely surprise fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) who remain largely unfamiliar with the Evil Dead franchise director’s filmography beyond the original Spider-Man trilogy.
If Multiverse of Madness deserves praise for one thing, it is its willingness to fully unleash the madness of Raimi’s delightfully zany filmmaking style unto the world. Raimi’s uncontrollably fluid and dynamic camera movements put the cinematography in every other Marvel property to shame, and the film’s wonderfully grotesque horror imagery certainly sets Multiverse of Madness apart from the comic book film genre. Unsuspecting Marvel fans likely did not have numerous jump scares, the re-animation of a decaying corpse, or a gnarly Scarlet Witch possession sequence on their Bingo cards, but one can’t help but respect Raimi’s childlike enthusiasm for a good old-fashioned scare.
It is difficult to overstate what a difference it makes to have someone with such a strong personality behind the camera. The clear upgrade in the film’s visual style is clear when contrasted with the undeniable feeling of “sameness” present within the majority of Marvel’s film and television projects. Even seemingly minor choices like having extras filling out the background during the New York City fight scenes or heightening the sound of falling water droplets for dramatic effect give the film life.
Unfortunately, despite the generous creative freedom afforded to Raimi in the director’s chair, the same can not be said for the film’s lackluster screenplay. The Marvel formula holds Multiverse of Madness back from being a truly great film, though many Marvel fans will surely hold the opposite opinion that Raimi’s horror influence gets in the way of Marvel’s otherwise airtight and consistent structure. Either way, the two modes of filmmaking clearly conflict with one another, both here and in Chloé Zhao’s Eternals. For all its faults, one can’t help but appreciate a film like Zack Snyder’s Justice League for allowing its director to run completely wild with its story and presentation. Sure, allowing a filmmaker unlimited creative freedom tends to result in a polarizing film with a wide range of opinions, but isn’t that part of the fun?
Marvel’s obsessive need to connect every one of their films to the broader MCU storyline and their insistence on maintaining the same tired sense of Marvel quippiness across all its properties hurts the individual films. The humor rarely lands as it should in Multiverse of Madness, and significant parts of the storyline feel as if they are setting up for future sequels rather than relishing in the potential of a more self-contained story. Had Marvel extended the same creative freedom to the writing department as they did with Raimi’s direction, Marvel could have had a truly great film on their hands.
As it stands, Multiverse of Madness remains an interesting case study of a truly visionary director working within the studio system. The multiversal story may be underwhelming, but Raimi’s direction and penchant for horror gives Marvel’s 28th feature film more personality and stylistic flair than perhaps any other film in the MCU. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is far from a perfect film, and it will surely polarize most Marvel fans, but I will take a messy film with bold filmmaking over one that is safe and predictable every day of the week.
Score: 7/10
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