The Horror of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2024)
The horror of the multiverse is unleashed with the legendary Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and it pleases me to inform you that this movie can be considered an actual bonafide horror movie.
Warning: Mild spoilers ahead; nothing plot-related, but there are specific horror elements that are going to be mentioned.
Given that the MCU is a franchise that is often accused of playing it safe, many of us couldn’t help but wonder: just how scary could this movie be?
These thoughts ended up getting even worse when notable horror director Scott Derrickson (Sinister, The Black Phone) was let go, even though he had directed the first Doctor Strange. Thankfully, the MCU brought in one of the masters of the horror genre, Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness), which started to settle the minds of everyone again.
With the release of the trailers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it was starting to look like Marvel and Raimi were really going for the horror. In fact, these trailers don’t quite sell just how much horror is in this movie.
While this is by no means the scariest movie ever made, Marvel did go for it by bringing in things like a haunting soundtrack, which even includes a creepy music box motif. There are brutal kills that are actually bloody and gory. There are genuine jump scares throughout the movie. There is an actual horror movie chase scene, not to mention a scene involving someone contorting their body that is bone-chillingly terrifying. By no means are these scar you for life moments, but they definitely allow this movie the classification of a “Beginner’s” or “Entry-Level” horror movie, which certainly has its place in the horror community.
Something else that is noticeable is that it seems Raimi got a lot more comfortable including the horror as the movie progresses. The first twenty to twenty-five minutes of the movie feel pretty par for the course when it comes to MCU movies. Then all of a sudden you are hit by horror elements later in the movie, such as zombies and spirits called the Souls of the Damned, which feel t so much more along the lines of Raimi’s work. It’s truly a sight to behold and is fantastic that Marvel and Disney allowed its director this level of control.
There is a ton of death in this movie, and these deaths can get to be over the top and gruesome, but that’s a lot of what makes these types of horror movies fun. Combining the multiverse and the supernatural aspects of the comic book genre allows for the horror to come out in full force. After being constantly critiqued for having a “sameness” to it, the latest addition to the MCU goes in the other direction, allowing its famous director to really make it into his own.
Also, there is a nice cameo of another horror icon, Bruce Campbell, who horror fans should immediately recognize as he is Ash from The Evil Dead franchise.
While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is in no way a perfect movie, it should be commended for not shying away from horror for fear of not appealing to the masses. After the flop that was the last superhero horror movie, The New Mutants, it’s great to see that this didn’t scare away the studio and that they were still willing to go through with their plan. Hopefully, this movie will lead to more superhero-horror movies in the future, but only time will tell as there are seemingly no plans at the moment.
Next. The Aviary: Interview with directors Chris Cullari and Jennifer Raite. dark
Did you like that the MCU brought in the horror genre? Do you hope to see more superhero-horror movies? Let us know why or why not in the comments section!
Most scenes in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness were delightfully scary in a way that still fit within the MCU, which can be credited to Sam Raimi and the talented production team behind the film. With so many scary and shocking scenes, the most terrifying moments stand out.
Suddenly, Scarlet Witch lunges from the mist at Charles and snaps his neck. Seeing Professor X's death was not only a sad moment for fans, but a scene that truly terrified the audience as it showed Scarlet Witch brutally murdering one of the most innocent and beloved Marvel characters.
First and foremost, the directing was clumsy and campy, and did not serve the content in the slightest. Sam Raimi, known for the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man films and assorted zombie flicks, managed to make Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness look more like a cheesy, artsy independent film.
In the comics, Doctor Strange's third eye is an organic manifestation of the Eye of Agamotto. It represents the wisdom of the sorcerer Agamotto and his fellow Vishanti, allowing Strange to see his enemies' true intentions and break magical illusions.
“It's spooky at times and scary at others,” the “Evil Dead” and original “Spider-Man” trilogy director previously told Fandango. “It's unknown what you'll find in the multiverse. It's within that unknown that suspense and darkness exists, a tool to titillate the audience's fear.”
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has a PG-13 rating in the US. According to the Motion Picture Association film rating system, a movie with a PG-13 rating means "some material may be inappropriate for children under 13... Parents are urged to be cautious."
Black Bolt deals a massive blow to Earth-838 Strange and gets the worst death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He is the first of the Illuminati to go during the fight with the Scarlet Witch. She removes his mouth. In a panic, Black Bolt whispers in his head.
On top of concerns that the film can't function as a standalone, critics also feel that some characters, namely Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), lack depth.
In total, the film has grossed $688.1 million globally. It took less than two weeks for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” to outpace its predecessor at the box office. The original “Doctor Strange” ended its theatrical run in 2016 with $232 million domestically and $677 million globally.
However, the original Strange eventually got the upper hand and sent the other Strange out of the window where he fell to his death, getting impaled by his own fence. Palmer cautiously walked up to Strange's body when his third eye opened one last time, terrifying Palmer.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' mid-credits scene introduces a new character, Clea, played by Charlize Theron, a sorceress who arrives to ask Strange for help as his actions triggered a terrifying incursion. Clea is pivotal to Doctor Strange's storylines in Marvel Comics.
Jumping forward in time, the scene follows Strange out for another walk with a fetching scarf on, only to find himself confronted by a purple-costumed woman who appears from another dimension. Her name is Clea, she's played by Charlize Theron and she has a bone to pick with Strange.
In 2017, Doctor Strange took possession of the Stone and used it to defeat Dormammu. The following year, during the Infinity War, Doctor Strange relinquished the Stone to Thanos in exchange for sparing Iron Man's life.
See below for the exact times and descriptions of the 12 jump scares in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which has a jump scare rating of 3.0.
The film is more infused with horror than it is a strict genre work, playing around with scares here and there while still plodding ahead through the more typical superhero fare. For better and worse, it still very much follows the Marvel formula.
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