Plot holes all over the place. Lots of things didnt make sense. Wanda made her kids with magic but couldnt do it again. She could astro project to another universw where the kids were and could send demons thru the multiverse but couldnt travel herself. She killed the one she loved but felt nothing when she did but somehow we are supposed to believe she loves the kids she doesnt have?

All nonsense.

Sam Raimi definitely put a splash of horror in this action film. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is darker & more violent than any previous MCU movie, which could be considered a strength. However, I felt like there was not enough multiverse and maybe too much madness. Despite the entertaining visuals, the plot is fairly chaotic, and the acting & dialogue are inconsistent. This movie is an entertaining ride, but it's a little too messy to stand on its own.

I liked this movie and I think it's a fine addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It has the distinct directorial style of Sam Raimi with some quirky camera choices, horror elements and quick montages. The fight scenes and magic are more creative than in previous films, such as the musical battle. The visual design of the universes are very distinct and feels like other worlds have really come to life. It was very exciting to explore other worlds and other versions of Dr. Strange. Scarlet Witch has a truly terrifying presence.

While I enjoyed the movie overall, it did disappoint some expectations and could have been better. As my review title states, it's more like Wandavision 2 than Doctor Strange 2. I kept wondering, whose movie is it? Elizabeth Olsen steals the show as Wanda, a corrupted demonic figure who fits the "slasher" role in this film, but her characterisation was also a bit too single-minded to feel like a real person.

The pacing is very strange. It often skips about from one scene to another before they have really been explored or digested, leaving us with only a glimpse. This film feels like the characters are abruptly jumping between several films that have been awkwardly smashed together, unlike the first Doctor Strange film which was extremely focused. Cool scenes like the Illuminati were wasted by being disposed of so quickly. The multiverse isn't really explored beyond red and green being swapped and pizza balls being "free".

The writing leaves a lot to be desired. As mentioned, this is essentially Wanda's story so nobody else is given much to work with. America Chavez is just there to run away from things, Christine Palmer is just there to give Dr. Strange something to anguish over and Wong is just there for the special effects. There are glimmers of character development but it goes nowhere. We keep seeing that Dr. Strange and Christine Palmer don't work out in any universe, which we already knew, but they keep repeating it for some reason, and it's not a compelling character relationship. Dr. Strange realises that he's really no different from the other versions of him, so he has to accept what he's got in this universe and not pine for things that are out of reach (i.e. Finding happiness without Christine). But he also realises that he can choose to be different from the other versions of him and work for the greater good without throwing anyone under the bus (i.e. Letting America Chavez keep her powers). Which one is it? What does he learn from the other versions of him?

On a finer level, the dialogue had lots of problems. It was often very cheesy, like the supposedly inspiring speech Dr. Strange gives to America Chavez near the end. It was also full of blunt exposition, like the encyclopedic infodumps about multiversal powers, the Darkhold, the Vishanti, the Illuminati, Thanos and so on. There are times when it felt like the writing room had an extensive Q&A session where they tried to cover every possible viewer doubt, concern or plot hole, but instead of weaving the details in naturally, they just made the characters parrot their explanations verbatim, which sounded contrived and awkward. For example, there was one scene where the film stops so that Wong can ask Wanda point-blank why she wants full multiversal powers instead of just staying in one universe with her family. This happens a lot during the film.

The writer Michael Waldron was chosen because of his experience with multiverse stories, especially Loki. This sounds great until you realise that Waldron has already run out of ideas and just wrote the same story again:

• Main tension: The powerful protagonist is put in cuffs and deprived of his powers (Loki: Loki; Dr. Strange: Stephen Strange).

• He is brought before a powerful tribunal of celebrity cameos with AI assistants to account for crimes against the natural order. Protagonist responds with snarky remarks (Loki: TVA, Owen Wilson and Miss Minutes; Dr. Strange: Illuminati, Patrick Stewart and Ultron robots).

• The tribunal has some heroic story for the public, but they are hiding a sinister secret (Loki: Time Keepers maintain the Sacred Timeline; Dr. Strange: Strange sacrificed himself to defeat Thanos).

• Due to having no powers, the protagonist resorts to hand-to-hand combat in their headquarters (Loki: Loki & Sylvia vs. TVA; Dr. Strange: Stephen Strange vs. Illuminati Mordo).

• They turn out to be staffed by imbeciles who couldn't catch a shoplifter. They are dispatched easily in combat so the plot can continue (Loki: TVA vs. Anyone else; Dr. Strange: Illuminati vs. Wanda).

• Main plot: A female character is being pursued because she has powerful abilities to transport herself across time and space and keeps evading everyone (Loki: Sylvie with orange portals; Dr. Strange: America Chavez with blue portals).

• Main threat: A female character possesses the minds of other people to attack (Loki: Sylvie's enchantments; Dr. Strange: Wanda's dreamwalking).

• Lazy and blunt exposition technique: Protagonist uses a machine to bring his memories to life (Loki: TVA timeline viewer; Dr. Strange: Shop display that projects your past trauma to the whole street).

• Lazy and blunt character development: Protagonist is forced to encounter an alternate version of a significant female character from his life to make him realise something about himself. She otherwise serves no story purpose (Loki: Simulation of Lady Sif; Dr. Strange: Illuminati Christine Palmer).

• Eventually, protagonist finds a deranged man who lives alone inside a castle in a post-apocalyptic realm. He knows more about the vaguely defined dangers of the multiverse and must be dispatched (Loki: He Who Remains; Dr. Strange: Sinister Strange).