After a long wait, Marvel’s “Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness” debuted in theaters on May 6, 2022. From a strange dream to a horrifying reality, Doctor Strange takes on the task of defeating the Scarlet Witch also known as Wanda Maximoff. However, he seeks help from his newfound friend, America Chavez and his sidekick, Wong. 

“Dreams are windows into the lives of our Multiversal selves,” Doctor Strange said. 

The movie begins with Doctor Strange in a dream with an unknown girl. As they run from a dangerous deity, Strange threatens to take America’s powers. At the end of the dream, a portal consumes both Chavez and Strange. After he wakes up from the dream, Strange continues with his everyday life, but of course, chaos breaks loose.  A large octopus-like monster spawns in the city, wreaking havoc on everything in its path. After Strange performs his superhero duties and kills the monster, he realizes that the girl the monster tried to capture resembled the girl in his dream. Strange and Wong find out that the girl, America Chavez, comes from a different universe and an evil witch sent the monster to capture her. They also find out that Chavez can travel through the multiverse, something that no Avenger could do. The plot thickens as viewers progressively discover one of their favorite heroes became a villain. 

Director Sam Raimi did an amazing job of presenting a problem to solve for each character. This adds depth to the movie and definitely keeps the viewers captivated. Strange, Chavez, and Wong embark on a mission to find the Book of Vishanti, the ancient book that can undo any dark spell in the multiverse. Throughout the movie, Chavez works to hone her power to travel through the multiverse, and Strange searches for his personal identity based on his counterparts.

“I would rate it like a 6 out of 10. I honestly expected more from a Marvel movie and was lowkey disappointed with the film. I enjoyed Wanda but it felt more like a Wanda movie than a Doctor Strange movie.”

“Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness” received a 75% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 86% audience score. However, with the beautiful graphics, sophisticated costume designs, and consistent plot, it deserves at least a 90% score. This movie gives viewers the typical action-filled, exhilarating vibe that comes with all Marvel movies, but also sets a darker, unique, and more obscure mood. Every alternate universe shown in the movie perfectly encapsulates a different atmosphere while still keeping the New York setting evident. 

Chant Rating: A-