On May 6, 2022, the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, finally released in theaters.  In this movie, Doctor Strange teams up with America Chavez, a multiverse traveler, to defeat dark magic brought by Wanda Maximoff.          

I’ve only watched a few Marvel movies as a new fan of the MCU but this was my favorite out of all the ones I’ve watched and I would definitely rate it a ten out of ten.  The plot had so much depth and I was immersed in every moment.  It was so interesting to learn more about the Multiverse and of dark magic.  The effects were even better than the ones from the original Doctor Strange that was released back in 2016.  Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) powers have come a long way since the 2016 movie and it was amazing to see a movie starring him now that he has more control of his magic.  Him and Wanda, played by Elizabeth Olsen, are both very strong characters, leading to eye-catching scenes whenever magic was involved.  However, it was just as interesting to watch America Chavez’s (Xochitl Gomez) journey with her power and her role in the Multiverse.

The acting was amazing, especially that of Olsen.  Wanda had an emotional journey throughout the movie and Olsen did a great job portraying that.  As always, Cumberbatch was outstanding at bringing Doctor Strange to life.  Gomez was amazing at acting out a character that will surely play a big role in the Multiverse in the future and I look forward to seeing her work in other movies.

An awesome movie like this is of course full of surprises.  A particular actor’s appearance in the middle of the movie made me gasp and a surprise character appearance had people in the theater applauding.  The ending of the movie was very unexpected and slightly confusing—but in a good way.  I’m definitely excited to watch Doctor Strange’s journey continue.

While I didn’t really enjoy this Marvel show, it’s definitely important to watch WandaVision beforehand to truly understand the motives of Wanda’s actions in the movie as it adds depth to her character.  I generally rooted for Doctor Strange and America throughout the movie but there were times when I would feel sorry for Wanda despite some of her problematic decisions.  There were some references to events that happened in the Avengers movies so it would be helpful to watch those movies to have a broader perspective of Doctor Strange.

Overall, I would highly recommend people to watch this movie so buy tickets at a theater near you for an unforgettable experience, and consider checking out The Raider Reviewers’ podcast for a breakdown of the original Doctor Strange in preparation for Doctor Strange’s latest adventure.