Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 14, 2022

Doctor Strange has become one of the key figures in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ("MCU") landscape, a landscape which was once dominated by the likes of Iron Man and Captain America; the reigns of MCU centrality seem to be drifting towards Strange, who has rightly become a fascinating character of emotional depth, physical power, and entanglement in some of the biggest MCU storylines of this generation (or "phase"). Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness builds the character's legacy by reaching well beyond his own self and into something farther away yet still familiar at the core. It does quite a bit of character story building amidst some frenzied action and a surprisingly dark narrative that courses through a number of dimensions, literal and metaphorical dimensions alike.

Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is saddened that the girl of his dreams, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), is marrying another man, and he is also shocked to discover that the other girl of his dreams is, in fact, reality. His haunting nightmares are, in fact, visions of an alternate universe in which he has tried to save a young girl he comes to know as America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), who has the ability to travel at will through the multiverse. Strange approaches Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) for help, only to learn that she is, actually, behind the attacks, and that she, as the powerful Scarlet Witch, will stop at nothing to secure Chavez's power.

The plot basics are relatively simple, but the film is certainly awash in tightly interwoven content that only the dedicated and diehard MCU fans will appreciate in all its sprawling grandeur. There are practically uncountable layers piled throughout the film, as well as tentacles reaching across the MCU universe; those who are best versed in all of it will be the most rewarded, but the film is also open and accessible to relative newcomers as well, finding a way to chart its essential course without the need for full understanding or appreciation of the larger content maelstrom that permeates practically every inch of screen real estate. The juggling act makes for a fine Marvel film in totality, not one without some weakness in secondary characterization, visual effects that don't break any new ground (not that they really need to in this stage of the MCU), and action that feels familiarly staged. At this point most of the externals and ancillary components have been seen in some form or fashion before, so the film is rightly more concerned with the character beats than it is the physical prowess, which is of course still up to par for the MCU.

Genre veteran Sam Raimi (the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man films) directs with all of the care, precision, depth, and intensity this film demands and the MCU requires, a job well done particularly considering the plethora of precisely moving parts within the film. Raimi builds a picture that is at once both classic MCU fare but also a picture with a darker side, clinging to some serious Horror overtones (another genre with which Raimi is intimately familiar) as the film eventually becomes a classic pursuit film where the unstoppable force relentlessly stalks its prey. The film features a few nifty cameos and some interesting multiverse reality bending that will please fans who will enjoy seeing some different faces in familiar roles.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Disney brings Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to Blu-ray with a typically striking 1080p transfer. The image is crisp and sharp, leaving little to the imagination. The presentation excels in terms of delivering a sharp, stable picture, capturing facial complexities with ease, superhero costume characteristics with impressive intricacy, and world details with relentless textural might, be they real or digital or hybrid. There is no easing up on the gas here; the pictures is in full command of its definition and clarity. Colors are bold and mighty, revealing the colorful world(s) with nonstop vividness and perfect saturation. Bold oranges leap off the screen, America's denim jacket is pleasantly accurate, natural greens delight, and so on and so forth. Skin tones look healthy and full. Black levels are deep, and whites are crisp and effective. There is no distracting source noise or other encode issues to report. This one looks just about perfect.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As far as Disney soundtracks go, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless presentation is not half bad. It's not hushed at reference volume and it's not too thin or lacking bass as are some of its peers. While the track could certainly stand for some more depth and oomph than what is present, the track at least delivers a fairly satisfying and somewhat balanced listen, finding capable, though still not ideal, aggression, volume, and punch in its action scenes. As always with Marvel and Disney movies, surround content is not wanting; the track is fully engaged around the listener, delivering an environmentally active joy that drops the listener both into calm environments and actin-packed sonic spectacles alike. Musical delivers soars, again lacking major bass but still finding adequate depth to support the wide front spacing, clarity, and surround implementation. Dialogue, as expected, is clear, well prioritized, and center focused for the duration.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness includes a standard suite of bonus content: three featurettes, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and an audio commentary track. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase.

• Constructing the Multiverse (1080p, 11:10): This piece looks at the process of creating new worlds, the film's villain, mid-film surprises, the fun of exploring the multiverse, visual effects, and more.
• Introducing America Chavez (1080p, 3:29): Bringing this relatively new Marvel character to the MCU. It looks at her power and Xochitl Gomez's work.
• Method to the Madness (1080p, 5:02): A look at Sam Raimi's work on the film.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 2:28): Humorous moments from the shoot.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 3:06 total runtime): Included are A Great Team, It's Not Permanent, and Pizza Poppa.
• Audio Commentary: Sam Raimi, Richie Palmer, and Michael Waldron chat up the film.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As long as Marvel keeps cranking out generally solid movies like this, then it would seem that there may be no end in sight for the MCU. One must wonder when the time might finally come when some measurably worthwhile hiatus between movies might arrive, because it seems there's always an MCU film in theaters or new to home video these days. The hunger seems to be dissipating a little, especially as the complexity becomes ever more, well, complex, and that might be the defining characteristic of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a film that plays well enough on its own but also all but demands its audience be familiar with an extremely large amount of related and interconnected content to fully enjoy. It's getting very big and very crowded in the MCU. It'll be interesting to see when a pause, or even a reset, might be in order. Disney's Blu-ray delivers the expectedly high-quality video, an unexpectedly "better than usual" lossless soundtrack, and a fair array of extras. Recommended.