Sam is jumping back into the Marvel Multiverse this week with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Watch the full and spoiler-strewn Sam's Take here:
Directed by Sam Raimi, Benedict Cumberbatch returns as Dr Stephen Strange, trying to help young America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), a teenager with the power to open portals across the multiverse.
This power catches the attention of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) who is dealing with the loss of her true love Vision as well as her children following the events of the Disney+ series WandaVision.
The title says it all - madness is in every frame of this, and we're into Marvel horror now. Big time. Which of course Raimi is known for.
His use of silence and suspense is placed with pinpoint accuracy like a conductor of an orchestra. Aspects of body horror, psycho-thriller, slasher films and good old fashioned jump scares are sprinkled across the entire film for what turns out to be quite a terrifying ride. A big departure from the usual Marvel form.
The storyline touches on one of the most beloved event comics, House of M. Released in 2005, that story follows the Avengers and X-Men attempting to control Wanda and her reality altering powers after she suffers a mental breakdown as a result of losing the children she created for herself. This doesn't go to plan and Wanda creates a new reality where everyone has what they've always wanted.
There's a lot in that storyline that isn't explored in this movie, but the main through line is Wanda's decline in mental health and her attempts to bring back her children.
As a result, Wanda is full comic power Wanda and Olsen is absolutely relishing it. Her performance is expertly played like a ticking time bomb. She's unhinged within her tragedy and given every opportunity to make the Scarlet Witch as menacing and horrifying as she can.
Wanda's character arc is one of the most engaging of the entire MCU. She's lost so much and it has driven her over the edge. Only now, she has the power to bring it all back.
Cumberbatch continues that intense Strange from the comics, like we got in Spider-Man No Way Home last year. The one who while everyone else is obsessing over the events happening on Earth, Strange is in the corner scoffing at them because he is dealing with events on any and every world conceivable.
In this film he does get the job again of defacto babysitter with America Chavez. It does give a foil for his usually stern personality and allows development for him, but I kinda just wanted to see him go on a crazy multiverse hop using his sorcerer abilities. We do get that to a degree, but there could have been more.
Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez is great young energy, bringing in the wide eyed, audience surrogate and levity that acts as a balm to the scary bits. But her character does serve as a bit of a McGuffin and doesn't get a heap to do, other than be an exposition machine.
The music by Danny Elfman is classic Elfman, adding so much to every scene.
It's a full on blockbuster romp that takes you through different realities and universes at such a hectic clip, like a haunted house ride - which is engaging and a feast for the eyes. The animations and CGI are just as psychedelic as the first film, though a little iffy at certain points.
From visual and comic fan perspectives it's mind blowing, despite the characters only spending extensive time in a couple of realities, and a lot of the magical combat being just laser beams.
But the story is kind of lacking. It's self-contained to a point, but not terribly universe shattering.
It's just a person who wants to do a thing for a good reason, but with bad method. There's nothing wrong with a cheeky romp with Dr Strange and pals that's tied up in a loose bow at the end, but it just doesn't give much for where Strange will go in the future, aside from a very rushed post-credits scene.
It doesn't feel like the characters changed much from where they are at the beginning of the film to the end before it gives you whiplash that seems out of pocket. The film struggles to find its emotional core amid the popcorn blockbuster action, despite having the richness of Wanda's arc.
The deep cuts and references Marvel are pulling out of the bag lately are surreal, and there are many more cameos. They should be a complete hot mess but they aren't, they're placed exactly how they need to be.
In this film Marvel are leaning into new genres again like they did with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the tilt at spy movies. This time we get a fully fledged Marvel horror thriller film. The creative licence Raimi seems to have had is immense, and a great step for the future of the MCU.
The narrative shortfall doesn't ruin it completely by any means. It is still a great Marvel movie with all the fun that goes with that, and Elizabeth Olsen's performance is so powerful.
Watch the full and spoiler-strewn version of Sam's Take here: