Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwitel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sheila Atim, Patrick Stewart, John Krasinski, Hayley Atwell, Bruce Campbell, Charlize Theron, Anson Mount
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Runtime: 126 mins. Reviewed in May 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc

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Rating notes: Fantasy and action violence

Dr Strange is a superhero of the Marvel Universe, formerly a surgeon, now something of a magician, ready to be an Avenger, but here having adventures of his own, complicated by his and the audiences moving from universe to universe and this multiverse of madness.

Box-office-wise, we seem to find ourselves in a world of contemporary multiverses – especially if we are devotees of Spiderman (with Dr Strange himself turning up there, wherever there is). But, more recently, the Daniels were able to sum it up: Everything Everywhere All at Once. Which is, more or less, what is happening in this on-screen multi-verse of madness (with many versions of Dr Strange).

There is so much colour, sound, special effects in the opening credits – which is but a foretaste of things to come.

Which led to the continual question: what is the collective noun for a multi-verse of universes? The mood of the film initially suggests – a potpourri of universes.

So, here is Cumberbatch back again after some Spiderman and Avengers adventures, mindful of his initial role as a surgeon, now conscious of his status as magician and super powers. Wong is back, as is Ejiofor. And, maybe not quite as romantically as we had hoped, McAdams is back as Christine. But Tilda Swinton is not back.

The other looming presence here is Olsen, having had great television success as Wanda Wandavision. She mentions that in moving from universe to universe (and there is one spectacular sequence where we are whisked through a multitude of universes, including an animated one), that the characters are dream walking.

A dreamwalking of universes?

Central to this adventure is the young woman, American Gomez, wandering the universes, encountering Dr Strange, needing to be rescued, but also needing to affirm her own superpowers, especially in confrontations with Wanda (who in one universe/or more is a power-hungry witch but who in another is a devoted mother).

A kaleidoscope of universes?

This is reinforced by Dr Strange confronted by a panel of powers that be, presided over by, of all characters, Stewart’s Dr Xavier, with other superheroes led by Krasinski signalling The Fantastic Four and Hayley Atwell coming from Captain America.

There is no point in asking the reader if they are still with me. Cause and effect have no place much in this scenario, little place for logic – one thing happens, then another, then another, and even more…

So, what are we watching, why are we watching it – perhaps fascinated by Cumberbatch? Intrigued as to what might happen next because it is so unpredictable? Predictable, however, and the final credits do have a touch of trailer, Dr Strange will return.

And unpredictability of universes?

Disney