From Director Sam Raimi comes this exciting yet lacklustre film, following Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch through multiverses to eventually save the day. The introduction of the multiverse naturally brings this second generation of marvel films, but surely there is only so much you can do with this repetitive plotline. Sure, it opens multiple possibilities for different characters, stories, and threats in the MCU, but ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ seems to drag out these possibilities to their full extent. Despite this, the film introduces more horror elements to the comic book-based films, perhaps drawing in more horror/gothic fans such as myself. Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff has begun to abuse the powers of the multiverse to be with her children in an alternative universe. Although her incredible powers are shown in the film, it is hard to see past her traditionally feminine and maternal motivations. Wanda’s powers are wasted on a narrative so determined to place even one of the strongest avengers into a mother role, a plotline eerily like Black Widow’s “I don’t have a uterus so therefore I’m not a complete person” plotline. Gross. Once again, the MCU has shown a strong woman and then based her worth on motherhood. We are also introduced to a new character: ‘America Chavez” who can travel between different universes, no doubt we will see this character in future Marvel films. Despite the disappointedly written women, it is great to see some gothic and horror elements being brought into the MCU.
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