Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the latest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s efforts to jump off new major storylines and characters following Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Jumping hot off the heels of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and carrying on plot threads from the widely beloved Disney+ series WandaVision, Multiverse of Madness finds Dr. Stephen Strange dealing with a whole new dilemma: the multiverse. As the title suggests, Strange, along with sorcerer companion Wong, and superhero newcomer America Chavez, traverse the vast Marvel multiverse in order to stop a looming threat.

Multiverse of Madness continues the MCU’s Phase 4 slate of films focusing on continuing their characters’ stories in new and inventive ways. Strange and Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, are taken into wildly new directions that gives even longtime fans a fresh taste of Marvel fun.

Legendary director Sam Raimi helms Multiverse of Madness, and includes as many of his typical Raimi-isms as Marvel would allow. Cheesy dialogue, bombastic violence, and horror-comedy blend in well with Strange’s signature weirdness. Raimi takes what may have been a bloated and confused movie and turns it into an entertaining, fun, and concise 2 hour trip through the Marvel multiverse.

Of course, no Marvel film these days, especially those pertaining to other universes, is complete without a handful of cameos. Lifelong Marvel fans will be pleased by many of the additions Raimi made to the Illuminati, a parallel universe’s version of the Avengers. Their roster not only includes alternate versions of the many Avengers, but an addition from more niche corners of the MCU, a returning fan favorite, as well as a popular fancast made reality.

While Multiverse of Madness may provide devoted fans with a fun time, newcomers and casual viewers will, unfortunately, be almost totally lost. As the MCU continues to chug along past its characters like Iron Man and Captain America, the universe becomes increasingly more intricate and requires more knowledge of its viewers.

With that being said, the quick-paced nature of the film enables no time to be wasted and sets up Dr. Strange and America Chavez for many more strange and unique adventures to come.