Highbrow Magazine - wandavision https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/wandavision en ‘Doctor Strange’ Brings Lots of Flash but Little Substance https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19946-doctor-strange-brings-lots-flash-little-substance <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 05/20/2022 - 18:50</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1drstrange.jpg?itok=XkPftVRS"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1drstrange.jpg?itok=XkPftVRS" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When superhero fatigue starts to hit, you need something out of the ordinary to shake you up. <em>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness</em> has the ingredients to jolt someone awake from their coma, but it doesn’t quite get there in its execution. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Following the concepts in <em>Spider-Man: No Way Home</em>, this movie uses the multiverse as a central plot device and how tampering with it brings chaos. Things come to a head and Doctor Strange enters a conflict with Scarlet Witch, a.k.a. Wanda Maximoff, who is now a powerful villain in the Marvel storyline. Unfortunately, as interesting as the concepts are, their execution of them isn’t clean and lacks the great character work that <em>No Way Home</em> had.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">One new character, America Chavez, is central to the plot because she can open paths to the multiverse. The problem is that amidst all the chaos of the movie, her character doesn’t get a chance to develop, and she ends up feeling like a human MacGuffin. Wanda also lacks character, which is a shame because the whole point of the show <em>Wandavision</em> was to develop her as a sympathetic character as we saw her transition into being a villain. Her motivation is understandable, and the audience is familiar with her but she doesn’t click as well as she should. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2drstrange.jpg" style="height:600px; width:405px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Even without strong characters, the film is still a visual feast for the eyes. Whenever Doctor Strange is involved in a Marvel plot, you can count on spectacular set-pieces and mind-bending visual design. This movie definitely doesn't fail in that regard, as it’s full of impressive fight scenes and impossible geometry that draw the eye like nothing else. Even some of the villain designs look more interesting than usual, which is likely due to Sam Raimi’s vision as director. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When Disney began promoting the film, there were some who thought it would have a horror edge to it and that idea was only emboldened when Raimi was announced as the director. While Raimi’s unique touch is visible in various parts of the film, I wouldn’t say it goes far enough to truly separate it from all the Marvel movies. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3drstrange.jpg" style="height:340px; width:605px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">At this point in the Marvel cycle, there should be more chances being taken, not just with the plot but with the whole tone and dialogue of the movies. Multiverses, alternate realities, and changing timelines are high-concept ideas that artificially raise the stakes of the plot, but it still feels too similar to what came before. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Viewers who have been hardcore Marvel fans will most likely enjoy this especially because of what future projects are teased in this movie, but those who feel fatigued or jaded might come away feeling indifferent. It’s got plenty of eye candy, but the character work that Marvel is known for falls short.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Ulises Duenas is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/doctor-strange-multiverse-madness" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">doctor strange in the multiverse of madness</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/doctor-strange" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">doctor strange</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/sam-raimi" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">sam raimi</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/marvel" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marvel</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/benedict-cumberbatch" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">benedict cumberbatch</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/marvel-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">marvel movies</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/wandavision" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">wandavision</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/wanda-maximoff" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">wanda maximoff</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ulises Duenas</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 20 May 2022 22:50:07 +0000 tara 11100 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19946-doctor-strange-brings-lots-flash-little-substance#comments