Watching 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' flattened my brain in the best possible way

Parallel universes and stuff.

Berlinda Ang | May 05, 2022, 05:55 PM

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As a lover of all things complicated - time warping, mashing of realities, spells and lores, it was only natural that I would be eager to go for the premiere screening of Doctor Strange’s latest movie, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”.

The concept of multiverses

Back when I was in school, I was still figuring out the idea of wormholes and teleportation with lectures and theoretical physics. I recalled asking my professor if teleportation could ever exist in our lifetime.

But Doctor Strange’s universe has presented an even crazier possibility: travelling through multiverses.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022.

In this latest Marvel movie, we meet America Chavez, who has the power to cross into different universes without needing a Sling Ring. But wait a minute—what exactly is multiverse?

Potential parallel universes

If you’re not that well-versed (haha) with multiverses, here’s how it works.

Parallel universes are basically a thing, where many different versions of the self exist.

Each of these selves live and function independently, without knowing their doppelgängers and the varied outcomes of their different lives.

I think this is what makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fascinating for most, because it then leads us to endless questions of “what ifs?”

What if

What if Doctor Strange did not lose his hands, but lost his heart instead?

What if Christine Palmer is a superheroine too?

What if Wanda could make the hex she casted in Westville real?

What if there is an alternative path for how things could be, perhaps a better path that does not wipe out the existence of half the population for five years?

What if you have enough magic to cross universes to live out your ideal what-could-be?

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022.

And if you could make all these possibilities a reality, what would you sacrifice to make that happen?

I do think that this is the beauty of MCU, the ability to neatly interweave each character’s story and play them out in a complicated but enjoyable dance, with no limits on what could be.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022.

Madness

All the possibilities you ever hope to entertain come alive on screen, and MCU fans will be happy to see familiar characters from other universes coming together in this movie.

If you are like me: you enjoy feeling intense moments via unconventional shots of actors fighting the creatures with their powers, then you will definitely revel in the film's visual treatment and camera work, as well as stunning moves from the characters as they battle characters with hints of horror.

When it comes to the plot, I would say it held up strong, but faltered slightly at the end, rendering its antagonist rather two- dimensional.

Not so much that it marred the entire movie, thankfully.

Tip: To heighten your experience in the cinema, watch (or rewatch) previous Marvel movies/series, especially "Dr Strange" and "WandaVision".

Watch the trailer here:

Top photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022.