Movie: Doctor Strange 2
Doctor Strange 2 Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams
Doctor Strange 2 Director: Sam Raimi
Where to Watch: In Theaters
Review by: Russell D’Silva – Doctor Strange 2: Benedict Cumberbatch starrer to serve as sequel to four Marvel titles including Spider-Man [View Full List]
Also read: What to watch on OTT today: Before Doctor Strange 2, you must watch these 7 movies and web series
There was a time when Marvel movies and shows were all about fun, frolic and setting up their next installment. While the third aspect obviously still remains, the first two have gradually eroded away since phase three of the MCU and now, in phase four, they’re all but extinct. With the exception of Spider-Man No Way Home, Shang-Chi and Eternals have both been heavy-handed and way too dramatic to varying degrees while The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Winter Soldier were just flat-out complex and serious. Nothing wrong in being a bit serious and dramatic now and then, but when you forgo your roots and the primal reason folks watch superhero movies, things are bound to get stale sooner rather than later. That happens with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – a film so serious, confounding and pretentiously smart for its own good, without being actually smart, that you’re left wondering if you’ve come to watch a superhero movie or Christopher Nolan mind -bender sans all the nuances that makes a Nolan movie actually smart. – Doctor Strange 2 box office prediction: Benedict Cumberbatch starrer to rake in above $200 million in US over 1st weekend; will collect THIS much worldwide
So, are you excited about what to watch this weekend or what to watch this week and wondering whether Doctor Strange 2 is worth your time? Scroll down for my full Doctor Strange 2 movie review… – What to watch on OTT today: Before Doctor Strange 2, update your MCU knowledge with these 7 movies and web series
What’s it about
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness sees our eponymous superhero (Benedict Cumberbatch) at loggerheads with fellow Avenger turned adversary Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) over a teenage girl, America Chavez, who’s unique powers can open instant portals to multiple parallel universes .
Watch the Doctor Strange 2 trailer below:
What’s hot
Of course, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is slick and state-of-the-art, but boasting about its CGI is like saying there’s enough of mutton in a biryani – the balance of masala and aroma of the rice is what makes the biryani actually stand out. What’s good is how the technology is used to create multiple fantastic worlds that truly evoke the feeling of a multiverse. Director Sam Raimi also brings all his old expertise as a horror filmmaker to create some truly scary moments. As for the acting, everybody is top notch, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen walking away with maximum honours.
What’s not
Sam Raimi made two of the best superhero movies ever, Spider Man 1 and 2 with OG Spidey Tobey Maguire – the gold standard that has stood the test of time perhaps because he wasn’t burdened with the weight of tons of well-aimed corporate canon to take a brand (not just a franchise) forward. Also, if you’re making things this complex and serious, you need to pull your socks up and explain the logic behind it all, or else risk getting egg on your face – Doctor Strange 2 can seldom back up its complexity with rationale.
Additionally, the entire main point of conflict for which Scarlet Witch turns foe and downright evil is riddled with plot holes and pretty pointless, too, for those who’ve seen the miniseries, WandaVision, which serves as the main focal point for this film. And what’s with expecting your audience to watch every movie, web series, animated show, miniseries, short film, and lord knows next what to follow your next movie (I have, but not everyone has and shouldn’t) – corporate manipulation at its worst. Also, to reiterate, there’s a difference between dark and interesting and dark and dull, with this MCU outing being supremely drab for major portions, so much so that 2 hours feels like 20 at times. To make matters worse, it also has two of the most uninteresting post-credit scenes.
BL Verdict
Not everyone superhero movie can pull off being a Dark Knight, and if you can’t, being a Deadpool more than suffices. On top of being quote drab, Doctor Strange 2 also expects its audience to pass a revision test of all that went by in the MCU, including recent Marvel web series, when sometimes, all you wish to do is enjoy a movie on its own. I’m going with 2 out of 5 stars for the spectacle and some bit of genuine horror.Rating : 2 out of 5
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