Events from the "Wanda Vision" TV show on Disney+ set up the plot in this film but even if you missed that show, you will still be able to follow the central story. Elizabeth Olsen returns as Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch and she just about steals the film out from under Mr. Cumberbatch.
While the central plot is simple to follow, it is actually a disappointing storyline that at its core is about the lengths a mother will go through to be with her kids. For a film with the title "multiverse of Madness", there really isn't a big focus on the concept or construct of an actual multiverse. There are a few set pieces that are film highlights and fan favorites that introduce more surprise Marvel characters (films to come later) but one of the best scenes where Dr. Strange and his young friend America travel through many multiverses goes by much too fast.
Mr. Cumberbatch is terrific as Dr. Strange. He continues to capture the character perfectly and his snarky attitude makes you miss Tony Stark just a little bit less. Xochitl Gomez plays America Chavez, a young woman who can travel between the multiverse and has a power that is coveted by Wanda. Also returning are Benedict Wong as Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo and Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, Strange's ex-fiancé. The leads are terrific especially Mr. Cumberbatch and Ms. Olsen but the characters get bogged down by the barrage of trippy CGI. And speaking of the special effects, they go from sloppy to excellent depending on where you are in the film.
The film is directed by Sam Raimi, who has played in the Marvel universe before and has a fun sensibility to the material. He can't resist a good zombie. He even casts an old friend in a surprise cameo.
As usual, there are two extra scenes, one mid credits and one post credits. The mid credit scene is a short but important tease. The post credit is just silly and can be skipped without missing anything.
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