Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
By creating set pieces that put personality over pixel count, Sam Raimi gives the MCU a much-needed boost of visual innovation. A ponytailed Defender Strange and America Chavez running from a ribbon demon in the opening chase through the void between universes creates a fast-paced, terrifying atmosphere right away. Particularly during Wanda's siege on Kamar-Taj, when she moves with a terrible, smooth purpose, the hand-to-hand fighting has visceral weight. The "wavy, sketchy" magical trails, the subjective camera work that flies among universes, and the practical-meets-CGI aesthetic that gives magic a tactile rather than weightless sensation are some of Raimi's most memorable scenes. Each realm is differentiated by vivid color schemes and odd landscape, and the sequence of multiverse hopping, in which Strange and America crash through more bizarre realities, offers true visual amazement. Raimi creates terrifying scenes that feel out of place in the mostly family-fr...
