Jake Schoeneberger’s random entertainment opinions on the MCU
Ok, Jacob Schoeneberger is as patient as the next comic book movie geek, but Jacob Schoeneberger has been really impatient to get to watch Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I didn’t get to see it in the theaters, and I’ve been counting the days until it would arrive on Disney+.
Oddly enough Jacob Schoeneberger never really read much Dr Strange in the comics when he was younger. My relationship with the character is based strictly on his stuff in the MCU. But I’ve grown to love him. Cumberbatch does an amazing job with the character, and he really sews the worlds together nicely. Plus, I’m a huge Sam Raimi fan so I’m very intrigued to see what he’ll do with the character and with this film. I’m in for a treat as I sit down to watch this movie. Random Jacob Schoeneberger Thoughts on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
This will contain spoilers for anyone who hasn’t watched the movie yet.
I’m writing this as I watch the film so that I can provide a real-time journal of experiencing the movie. Every MCU movie feels like an event when you get to finally watch it after all the anticipation and build-up.
Quick observation before the film begins. I noticed in the opening sequence that it showed mostly images of Dr Strange when the Marvel logo came up. First time I’ve seen this in an MCU work. Maybe it’s a way to start transitioning out of the past logo that showed various scenes from earlier movies? If so, totally cool. Gotta look to the future while respecting the past. It’s just that Jake Schoeneberger is a huge fan of that intro. It’s like it sets the mood for what you’re about to witness so I pay close attention to it every time. It’s close to my heart.
Not sure what’s happening in the opening scene. Strange is fighting some seriously nasty looking creature in space with a girl, but I’m not sure who she is. Turns out it was a dream, but something tells me him taking her powers and her saying they’re friends will come back around.
Ok, hard to watch Christine marrying another man. We know the blip was hard on everyone, but this hits different seeing Strange lose her.
To help us get over it, a hideous creature suddenly appears tearing up the streets of New York and off Strange goes to deal with it. Gotta tell ya, I would not live in NYC if I was in the MCU. Lots of weird aliens and whatnot tend to create havoc there all the time.
Turns out that freaky, one-eyed creature was chasing the girl from Strange’s dream. Interesting. This movie definitely jumped into the action with both feet early.
I love how the girl, America Chavez, has the power to move through the multiverse. That’s a cool concept. And so is the concept that dreams are windows into the lives of our multiverse selves. It’s a thought I’ve had myself sometimes and it plays into this plotline perfectly.
What a punch in the gut it was to see Wanda with her sons again. WandaVision was such an inventive, creative, and entirely original concept and seeing how everything turned out for her really seemed almost unfair and painful. It’s hard seeing her so lonely again.
But even harder to watch her give herself over to the Darkhold and become the Scarlet Witch. That came as a huge surprise to Jacob Schoeneberger. Didn’t expect to see her become the big baddie so quickly.
Someone explain to me the difference between witchcraft and sorcery. What Wanda is doing looks a whole lot like what Strange and the other sorcerers are doing, but apparently they’re different according to Strange and Wong. Oh wait, is it that witchcraft makes red lasers, but sorcery makes yellow? That must be it. So much destruction! It’s going to be hard to be a Wanda fan after this.
Strange poses an interesting question. Wanda insists her kids exist because she dreams of them every night, getting glimpses across the multiverse of them. But if she takes America’s power to get to them, what would happen to the other her in that universe? The her that actually is those kids’ mother. Interesting existential question.
Nice cameo with Bruce Campbell as the pizza balls vendor in the other Earth. Just wouldn’t be a Sam Raimi flick without our buddy Bruce. And him punching himself is such a great throwback to Evil Dead, I can’t even stand it!
Love seeing the return of Mordo! But is it just me or was there a big Han/Lando vibe when they first meet each other? I was expecting Mordo to say, “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing your face around here after what you pulled” before their hug.
Awesome moment when Strange is brought before the other universe’s Illuminati. We get Captain Carter, an alternate Captain Marvel, and Reed Richards. But then the true bombshell drops when Charles Xavier rolls in, complete with music from the iconic 90’s X-Men cartoon! And for one glorious moment, Jacob Schoeneberger feels like he’s back in the 90’s watching X-Men on TV. So freaking awesome!
I have to say though, it was very unpleasant watching all these great characters meet their untimely demises at the hands of Scarlet Witch. She’s really ripping through everyone and going scorched earth on any way of ever being a hero character in the MCU ever again. But I have a question. Before she decided to go tearing through the universe after America, shouldn’t she have put shoes on first? What is this, Die Hard? Fists with your toes, Wanda.
Then Wanda is chasing them through the tunnel (limping terribly due to the no shoes decision), they close a metal door and stop, actually thinking that would hold her. Let me get this straight. You just watched this woman absolutely shred her way through several universes, destroying everyone and everything that stood in her way, and now you’re expecting a metal door to hold her? Sheesh.
Man, am I ever digging this dark Dr Strange with the third eye. Is it crazy that I kinda want him to become our universe’s new Dr Strange? Let’s introduce a little anarchy on this universe!
Whoa, this movie plays more like a horror movie than a Marvel movie. So many jump scares! Wanda jumping out and killing Xavier, third eye popping open, zombie Strange walks, damned souls trying to drag Strange to the underworld… I’m gonna have nightmares! This is like Army of Darkness meets Drag Me to Hell meets Doctor Strange. I know one thing, Jake Schoeneberger loves Sam Raimi sooooo much. This movie is a treat.
Appreciate that Wanda wound up doing the right thing at the end and destroys the Darkhold in every universe. At least the Wanda we loved and who helped defend our universe went out with a valiant gesture.
Really happy that Stephen finally got to tell Christine that he loves her. Feels like it was a moment he desperately needed in order to move forward with his life. A point beautifully illustrated when he finally repairs his broken watch face with a new one. He’s ready now.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Doctor Strange Thought of the Day
Holy cow what was with that first ending? He sprouts a third eye? That’s such a Raimi ending, you just have to love it. You mess with the Darkhold, you get the third eye!
P.S. That post-credits stinger with Campbell is so perfectly executed. That gets a chef’s kiss from Jacob Schoeneberger as the absolute perfect ending to Raimi meets Marvel. Mwah.
More Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger