Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Twisty, sometimes terrifying MCU film has scares, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 101 parent reviews
Based on 214 kid reviews
Kids say that the film is a mix of gory and creepy elements, often highlighting its intense violence and horror-like themes, which many feel makes it unsuitable for younger audiences. While some appreciate its CGI effects and character development, others express disappointment over the reliance on witchcraft and the film's divergence from previous storylines, deeming it too dark and violent for a typical Marvel offering.
- violence concerns
- dark themes
- CGI effects
- character development
- not suitable for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS takes place after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Loki, and WandaVision -- all of which are referenced in some way in the film. The movie starts with Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) attending the wedding of his friend/former partner Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). During the wedding reception, Stephen transforms into Doctor Strange to intervene in a supernatural fight between two characters from the multiverse: a giant, evil, one-eyed octopus-like monster and a teenage girl named America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). Having met another version of Doctor Strange, America knows that the creatures are being dispatched to steal her multiverse-traveling power, which she can't control and only manifests under severe, life-or-death distress. Strange enlists the help of Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) to track down the Big Bad responsible for trying to hunt and kill America, but things don't go as planned. Stephen and America are thrust into yet another universe, where they seek help from that universe's Doctor Strange ... and whatever other superheroes might lend a hand.
Is It Any Good?
Director Sam Raimi's signature love of adventure and the macabre makes this Marvel sequel darker, more twisted, and more exciting than many other MCU movies. Fresh off of his scene-stealing supporting role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange here faces one of the MCU's most formidable and powerful beings -- and teams with one of its most intriguing characters. America Chavez is fascinating, but while she has a lot of screen time in The Multiverse of Madness, her backstory is less important than the urgent fact that she's being hunted across the multiverse. Gomez is a charming and expressive young actor, and her time with Strange brings out his softer, less brusque/arrogant side. She's one of three women characters in the film whose performances elevate the movie beyond the original. McAdams is sort of the opposite of most of the MCU women, who start out as friends, rivals, or colleagues and end up as lovers. Christine is the one who got away. She returns here in two incarnations, and she's just the no-nonsense, truth-telling partner Doctor Strange needs in the titular madness of the multiverse.
Then there's Olsen, whose Wanda seems to be in a perpetual state of grief over what she's lost since the battle against Thanos. She embodies the Walt Whitman quote "I am large, I contain multitudes." She's empathetic even when she makes unimaginable choices (like keeping an entire town under her control in order to live out her domestic fantasies in WandaVision). Of all the post-Blip Avengers, she's the one most unable to move forward, and there's an authenticity to her anguish that makes her storyline so heartbreaking. Raimi, working from a script by Loki writer-producer Michael Waldron, leans into darkness and horror that's both physical and psychological. Luckily for audiences, there's laughter to be shared, too, as well as top-notch cameos that may leave viewers gasping in surprise. This isn't the best, the funniest, or the most star-studded Marvel film, but it is memorable, melancholy, and good for a fright.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Doctor Strange's violence and how it veers into horror. How does it compare to what you've seen in other Marvel movies? For those familiar with director Sam Raimi's work: Which scenes here were reminiscent of his famous horror films?
How does "not getting the girl" impact Doctor Strange? How does the alternate Christine show him compassion and love? What does he learn from the two Christines?
What were Wanda's motivations? Why might this be seen as problematic? How do you feel female characters are generally portrayed in the MCU?
Why is the relationship between America Chavez and Doctor Strange important? How does representation play a role in her character profile?
Discuss the various Marvel superheroes who appear in this sequel. Which ones act as role models, and which ones don't? Is what's right and wrong always obvious?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 6, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : June 22, 2022
- Cast : Benedict Cumberbatch , Elizabeth Olsen , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Benedict Wong , Rachel McAdams
- Director : Sam Raimi
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes
- Character Strengths : Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 126 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : intense sequences of violence and action, frightening images and some language
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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