 All right! I finally watched the new Doctor Strange film on Disney+. It's quite a doozy and worth a lengthy discussion. This movie is available for viewing at home and I think a full spoiler review is a good idea. I liked it overall, but The Multiverse of Madness has a few glaring issues. Let's talk about it!
You guys probably know the plot already. America Chavez is a superhero from an alternate universe and she tries to escape from a demonic creature through a portal that brings her to our current dimension. Doctor Strange and Wong try to save this girl when Wanda Maximoff goes on a bloodthirsty rampage to resurrect her children from WandaVision. After the characters travel through an endless loop of alternate dimensions, Doctor Strange convinces America Chavez to harness her powers and save the day. It seems like Wanda changes her mind, destroys the Darkhold book, and sacrifices herself to eliminate additional dark threats. Do you really think she's dead? I seriously doubt it, but that's how superhero stories work. They bring back dead characters all the time. In the end, Doctor Strange mysteriously develops a third eye and encounters a sorceress named Clea, before departing on his next adventure. Are you confused yet? I found the ending really weird and confusing. Despite having some issues, I enjoyed The Multiverse of Madness quite a bit. Some people might disagree with me, but I believe Sam Raimi was the right director for this movie. His projects have a lot of showmanship, entertainment, and camp, which works very well for this type of film. Let's face it. The Multiverse of Madness has a million different universes, variants, and realities with nonsensical sets of rules. It can't possibly make sense, but Raimi keeps the audience entertained with a decent amount of action, strong visual effects, humor, and cool oddities. This movie is weird in several positive ways. Some of the characters were enjoyable and well developed. Wong is always great and I actually thought Doctor Strange was a decent protagonist. Usually, I think Doctor Strange is better as a supporting character, but he held everything together and showed emotional range. As expected, his powers are impressive and his multitude of variants are quite entertaining. America Chavez is a brand new character and I found her utterly delightful. She has a lot of personality, spunk, wit, and very unusual abilities. Somehow, she can open gateways to other dimensions, which is pretty scary and fascinating at the same time. Maybe we'll see her on a Disney+ show one of these days. I didn't even mind seeing Baron Mordo again, even though his role is small. The first half of the film is awesome. It falls apart halfway through, but the movie starts out really strong. The Multiverse of Madness has a really interesting premise and the plot holds up for the first hour. Keep in mind, alternate universes and timeliness are extremely difficult to portray in cinema. Normally, everything turns into a huge mess, but it came together in a surprisingly sensible way for a decent amount of time. It incorporates major story points from WandaVision successfully and reveals Wanda's full transformation into the Scarlet Witch. This film throws a menagerie alternate dimensions at the audience with relative ease and I'm curious to learn more about some of these locations. Unfortunately, the momentum doesn't last. Once this movie reaches the halfway point, the story falls apart and certain elements keep getting worse. The plot makes less sense in the later stages and it becomes a lot more confusing. The grand finale is interesting and fun on a visual level, but I was pretty dazed at that point. Toward the end, it’s better if you watch the movie without thinking about anything. I felt disappointed with a handful of characters. Wanda is just another Marvel villain who doesn't work out very well. She's a far cry from the comic's epic villainy and grand power. I understand her motivations, but she's completely one dimensional and totally evil without a single redeemable quality. It's hard to believe she went from a reliable Avenger to a demonic witch in a short time window. Most importantly, I don't find her particularly powerful. The Darkhold has a lot of power, but she's very weak compared to her counterpart in the comic books. Also, I don't think we needed to see the Illuminati in this movie. Th Illuminati includes an alternate version of Peggy Carter, Reed Richards, Professor Xavier, Captain Marvel, and Thunderbolt. Supposedly, they're the most brilliant people in their universe, but I thought the entire group was completely incompetent. They didn't believe Wanda was a threat at all, which is both insane and unobservant. So, she killed them all within a few minutes. I didn't think it was necessary to bring back Christine Palmer either. Her character is exclusively a love interest for Doctor Strange and beyond that point, she serves no purpose. Did you like the ending? I just thought it was weird and confusing. For some reason, Doctor Strange has a third eye in the middle of his forehead. I'm familiar with third eyes in mythology, but it doesn't have a clear purpose in the MCU yet. Here's one of my pet peeves about Marvel films. Many of them preoccupy screen time to set up sequels, Disney+ shows, and conflicts in other movies. I want a film that can stand on its own without relying on a connected universe. That's why movies like Black Panther, Shang-Chi, and Guardians of the Galaxy are some of the best viewings in the MCU. With that said, I appreciated seeing Clea in the mid-credits scene. Wanda introduced an interesting point early in the film. Doctor Strange breaks the rules and everyone declares him a hero. Wanda breaks the rules and the public views her as a villain. Granted, they have entirely different motivations. Doctor Strange wanted to save the universe and Wanda tried to revive her children, who were a product of black magic anyway. However, her point makes sense in the third act. Doctor Strange uses the Darkhold, creates a zombie, and harnesses the power of demons to achieve his goals. It's okay because he's the protagonist. I heard grumblings from critics and people on social media about misogynistic double standards, but my interpretation is a little different. Basically, Doctor Strange is the protagonist and Wanda is the antagonist. That means his intentions must be good and her intentions must be evil, regardless of the outcome. I'm just chalking it up to lazy writing. You probably think I disliked The Multiverse of Madness, but it's actually pretty good with new ideas and a multiverse that makes some amount of sense. Overall, it's a decent film with a few cringeworthy elements. Nobody is perfect. What did you think about the new Doctor Strange movie? Leave your thoughts in the comment section. This was a fun post. I'll probably write more spoiler discussions in the future. Be safe out there and come back again next week. Good night!
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Yikes! There's a lot of information to recap on today's post. I'm primarily covering games that spark my personal interest because there simply isn't enough time to cover everything. Honestly, this year's Summer Game Fest was pretty forgettable and I don't know if the pandemic, working from home, or other problems are effecting the video game market. The gaming industry is going through many changes and it's impossible to see what's happening in the future. I'm just going with the flow!
Summer Game Fest This event is a general showcase for many developers to announce their upcoming games. The following games caught my attention. Aliens: Dark Descent Who knew the public needed another Aliens game? It looks very similar to the Aliens film with a different story and twin stick shooter mechanics. Personally, I thought Dark Descent looked confusing with perma death, a lot of strategy elements, base building, and way more gimmicks than the typical Aliens game. I could picture the quality going either direction. It might be amazing or a total mess. Either way, it's coming some time in 2023. American Arcadia This side scrolling indie game seems interesting. The protagonist is fleeing a false utopia while the authorities are in hot pursuit. It's worth noting the player character is just a regular guy. He doesn't have weapons, super powers, tremendous physical strength, or anything remarkable. It might be interesting to see a perspective through a new character archetype. I don't recall a release date, but keep watching for upcoming news. The Callisto Protocol This survival horror game was already showcased at the PlayStation event, but the Summer Game Fest gave more details. Basically, The Callisto Protocol is a spiritual successor to the Dead Space franchise. That's kind of funny because the remake of Dead Space is coming out during the upcoming Spring season. However, The Callisto Protocol looks really scary and impressive from a visual perspective. It might be tough as well because the protagonist will have minimal defenses. You should get hyped because it's coming out on December 2nd, 2022. Fort Solis I watched a cinematic trailer with a little bit 0f gameplay for a new horror game in space. Apparently, space horror is quite a trend nowadays. It was hard to judge this project, but I'm sure it will be tense, challenging, and interesting. Hopefully, the gameplay and scare factor will be adequate. Don't obsess over this game because it's probably years away. Gotham Knights This game doesn't look very good, but I'm excited anyway. Give me an adventure in Gotham City any time. In case you need a refresher, Batman is supposedly dead, which means Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood are the new protectors of Gotham. I'm tired of Batman anyway, so it's cool to see a different cast of characters. Gotham Knights is basically a third person adventure game and RPG. It's still coming out on October 25th, 2022. The Last of Us Part I Does anyone want a remake of The Last of Us? Too bad because we're getting one anyway. In fact, it's releasing on September 2nd, 2022. I thought it looked pretty good with new animation on a modern game engine. Keep in mind, PlayStation kept the original motion capture and voice acting. At least it's maintaining the best elements from the original release. The developer is building the gameplay and everything else from scratch. Unfortunately, this game is a whopping $70. PlayStation, get out of here! This remake can't possibly be worth such a steep price, but I'll play it anyway. Layers of Fear I don't know if this horror game is a sequel or reboot. Usually, the Layers of Fear games are survival horror games with an emphasis on exploration, puzzles, and running away from enemies. I've never played these games, but it doesn't seem like they have combat. It might be a fun experience for gamers who enjoy stealth horror, such as Outlast and similar titles. I wonder if it will show up on Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus. It seems like that type of game. Planet of Lana This indie title was a notable announcement from the Day of the Devs showcase. It seems like a young girl and her alien cat are exploring and surviving on an extraterrestrial planet. The animation looks very charming and both characters work together to solve puzzles. I don't know if this game will have stalker enemies or other something else to make the gameplay more tense. Planet of Lana is coming to the Xbox Series X and PC later in 2022. I hope it shows up on Xbox Game Pass, but that part wasn't announced. Resident Evil 4 The Capcom showcase gave marginally more details for the remake of Resident Evil 4. It looks very exciting, but I don't know why Capcom showed another trailer. It just seemed like the same type of footage from the PlayStation State of Play. At least they're aiming for a Spring 2023 release window. I realize delays are becoming the standard in the video game industry, but don't underestimate Capcom. They're been working on this project for quite some time and we already saw a decent amount of gameplay. Street Fighter 6 I also saw more details for Street Fighter 6. It seems like we're getting many characters from the earlier games with a more immersive environment. I'm a little unclear on the game design, but players might have opportunities to walk through an environment and find personalized fights. This game is coming to PlayStation consoles, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2023. System Shock The PC showcase revealed a trailer for the upcoming remake of System Shock. Finally! Gamers have been waiting for years. It looks quite faithful to the original System Shock in terms of ambiance and gameplay. I hope it's scary enough. It seems like Dead Space and Resident Evil became the industry standards for horror. Look, it's another scary game in space! I don't think it has a release date yet, but 2023 or 2024 sound like reasonable assumptions. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge Believe it or not, the latest TMNT was one of the best announcements. It's an old fashioned brawler with 2D graphics and a plethora of references to the original animated series, movies, and games. I grew up watching and playing TMNT, so this game is a real treat. You should be excited because it's available now, including on Xbox Game Pass. It's very entertaining and I think gamers should give it a shot. Xbox and Bethesda Showcase Microsoft had their own showcase for several titles. The majority of their releases will debut on Xbox Game Pass. Here's a list of games that sparked my interest. As Dusk Falls Okay, this narrative adventure looks really cheap, but it's coming to Xbox Game Pass, so don't complain. The story appears to split the perspective of two characters who are at odds with each other. Keep your expectations low for this one. I don't know why this game was created, but it's releasing on July 19th, 2022. Diablo IV Apparently, the next Diablo game is much further along than I anticipated. Diablo IV will feature the same style of gameplay from earlier titles except with larger environments, open world elements, random boss encounters, and more multiplayer options. The developer is also adding more post-launch content for years to come. It seems like Activision Blizzard is investing a lot of stakes in this game. If Microsoft’s acquisition is successful next year, we might be fortunate enough to see Diablo IV on Xbox Game Pass. Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn This action adventure game really grabbed my attention. The gameplay appears to combine hack and slash combat with ranged weapons. Flintlock also features a cute and helpful creature companion. The public still needs to learn a lot about this release, but I’m catching some vibes of GreedFall and The Witcher. Basically, it’s a fantasy adventure game. Flintlock is launching on Xbox Game Pass some time in the first half of 2o23. Gunfire Reborn Yes! Let’s play a game with cute and naughty gun toting animals! I’m pretty sure this game released on PC and mobile devices a couple years ago, but it’s coming to Game Pass later in 2022. It seems like Gunfire Reborn is a first person shooter and roguelike game with RPG elements. That means you go back to the beginning after dying, but characters probably keep experience and certain items. I’ll give it a shot. Why not? High on Life This quirky first person shooter features unusual and comical alien weapons in cartoonish environments. Maybe it will be a humorous equivalent to The Outer Worlds. I don’t know many details about this game, but weapons will have a variety of powers and gimmicks. High on Life will also debut on Xbox Game Pass in October of 2022. The Last Case of Benedict Fox Here’s another indie game coming to Game Pass in 2023. The Last Case of Benedict Fox appears to be a mystery game that focuses on exploration, puzzles, and stealth elements. I doubt combat will be major feature. It has a similar animation style to the upcoming American Arcadia, except much darker. It might even have ties to the Cthulhu Mythos. We’ll just see how it goes. Redfall Microsoft finally released significant gameplay from Redfall. I don’t find the premise notably original, but it’s fine. It’s kind of like a zombie game with vampires instead. Redfall features four playable characters with different abilities. I would say it looks like a blend of Back 4 Blood and Borderlands. I think it’s going to be a really fun experience and we get to blow away vampires at launch on Xbox Game Pass. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl The video footage for this game was far more serious. GSC Game World is a Ukrainian developer in Kiev who’s been struggling with the Russian invasion. Some of the team members actually joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Additional team members moved to Prague for game development while others stayed in Ukraine and worked under tremendously stressful conditions. Regarding the game itself, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is a post-apocalyptic RPG that’s coming some time in 2023. Let’s hope everyone from GSC Game World can move forward with their lives safely. Starfield I finally had a glimpse of Starfield’s world building and gameplay. Maybe my expectations were unrealistic, but the presentation was kind of disappointing. It looks interesting with a wide variety of missions, character designs, and exploration, but the video footage didn’t seem very clean. At this point, Starfield has issues with frame rate and the animation. I have to admit, it seems like a typical Bethesda game. Starfield falls in line with similar titles, including subpar graphics and bloated environments with too much filler content. I usually enjoy massive games, but mainstream audiences don’t have that type of attention span. Luckily, this RPG is coming to Game Pass within the first six months of 2023. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Welcome to another licensed multiplayer game. Again, I have mixed thoughts because asymmetrical games don’t have very good quality as a general standard. This game will pit four survivors against three killers, including Leatherface. I hope it will give players like me a chance to play on solo mode, even if it includes bots. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch in 2023. Further Observations The Xbox showcase also revealed a template with a number of games that are coming within the next twelve months. I noticed Somerville, Atomic Heart, and Party Animals are still listed for 2022. That probably means we'll see those games in the Fall or Winter. I didn’t see Midnight Fight Express on the list, but it should drop of on Game Pass this Summer. Additionally, Replaced is on the list for the first six months of 2023. Hideo Kojima also announced a partnership with Xbox. He didn't reveal the upcoming game's title and I assume it's in the very early stages of development. One day, we'll get a full blown reveal. That's a wrap! 2022 is a really weird year for gaming, but we're getting some exciting releases and probably more news to come in the near future. It seemed like publishers focused on Summer of 2022 and a section of 2023, which means we'll probably get more announcements for this year’s Fall and Winter lineups at a later time. I think E3 is returning next year, but it doesn't seem like a relevant event anymore. After all, publishers have their own showcases every few months. I'll figure out a topic for next week pretty soon. In the meantime, be safe, treat each other with respect, and game on! |
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