As entertainment writers, Joshua Miller and I, each viewed the Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in theaters last weekend.  However, we had very different experiences due to our contrasting backgrounds with Marvel. Joshua has seen every Marvel Studios’ movie, watched every show, and read a bunch of comics, while Thomas has seen a grand total of 3 and a half Marvel movies, and zero shows or comics.

What did you think about the plot?

Joshua: “The plot was very fast-paced and attention grabbing. It’s mostly a continuation of WandaVision with some elements from Doctor Strange and Spider-Man No Way Home. The plot is driven by the aftermath of WandaVision and how that series has changed Wanda.”

Thomas: “For the most part, the plot held up. Some of it seemed non-impactful and resolved too quickly, but I think these were really longer plots spanning over multiple films, that I didn’t really get to see all of. […] A minor thing though that bugged me was America’s name, it felt like it needed an explanation.”

What was entertaining about the movie?

Joshua: “The premise is very interesting and exciting for me, both as a stand alone movie and for the ramifications for the wider MCU [Marvel Cinematic Universe]. […] You know, projects like Loki, What If?, and Spider-Man No Way Home have been teasing and setting the groundwork for the multiverse but this is the first time that we really get to explore it. And getting to see alternate worlds allows there to be nods and cameos from the wider Marvel world which I really enjoyed as a fan.”

Thomas: “There was a lot of action, as I expected, like, it’s a Marvel Movie, but very little of it felt super unnecessary. There was also a lot of horror in this film, too, but not enough to change the genre, really. It was still very action-packed and funny.”

What did you think about the Dialogue?

Joshua: “The dialogue works well to drive and explain the story and characters. It provides needed context for some of the elements, especially with it being a Doctor Strange movie and a lot of the stuff like spells and artifacts having really weird and complicated names. Some of the dialogue, however, came off a little weak and campy, but it just added to the Sam Raimi-ness of the movie.”

Thomas: “The dialogue was good enough to not draw attention to itself, I think. Sometimes though, like the Scarlet Witch’s monologue of being reasonable, or […] Dr. Strange telling America inspirational and reassuring lines felt a bit cliché.”

What did you think about the Cinematography, Editing, and Effects?

Joshua: “The cinematography and editing was a major part of the movie’s horror feel. They use many tropes and techniques that really added to it. The special effects also allowed them to go an extra level on some of the gore. […] The entire movie felt like a Sam Raimi movie with everything either being scary or campy. […] The special effects met the standard that fans have come to expect from Marvel Movies, although the practical makeup of Zombie Strange felt much more campy than scary.”

Thomas: “I think the effects were pretty amazing, if kind of graphic sometimes. The Scarlet Witch’s bleeding, or the magical orange stuff that Dr. Strange could manipulate, […] I was very impressed. The cinematography, also, was good enough to not draw attention to itself, and my favorite scenes were in the alternate universe Dr. Strange’s mansion, with the massive multiverse storm outside the windows. Overall, it definitely suspended my disbelief.”

What made this movie special?

Joshua: “This movie is unlike any I’ve seen before. The concept by itself is incredibly unique. I mean, it’s a horror movie about a magic doctor traveling to alternate universes to save a teenager who can punch and kick star-shaped portals in reality from getting their powers stolen from them. This movie is also unlike any marvel movie that came before it. It features a campy horror style mixed in with some intense gore accompanied by an outlandish plot with new twists on old characters.”

Thomas: “I’m glad I watched it, […] this is the first Multiverse-themed movie I’ve watched and was interested in how they would use it. It definitely wasn’t the standard, formulaic Marvel movie that I kind of expected. I’m also glad I got to meet some cool characters beyond the standard superhero. […] It’s definitely made me more willing to go see a Marvel movie.”

How comprehensible was it to you?

Joshua: “I found the story easy to follow and understood all of the connections to the wider MCU. I was able to understand references to past movies like Doctor Strange and Avengers Endgame. […]  I recognized the characters, both from past movies and ones we hadn’t seen before on the big screen. I was able to keep up with the multiverse shenanigans thanks to rules that had already been established in previous titles”

Thomas: “Even though I didn’t recognize any of the actors, it wasn’t hard to pick up on who was who, for the most part. At least I think I figured it out. I didn’t have any background knowledge for the characters from other films, but it wasn’t too long before I felt like I understood their motivations, ‘cause past events that impacted them were alluded to, and I didn’t need much more than that.”

We both got something different out of the movie, but I think it’s safe to say we both enjoyed it! If anyone is on the fence about going to see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness because you haven’t seen many other Marvel movies, I hope you found this helpful.