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Tag: Benedict Wong

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ brings horror to the MCU | movie review

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ brings horror to the MCU | movie review

    Doctor Strange has to go up against his fellow Avenger Wanda Maximoff in order to save a young girl and the fabric of the multiverse

    Don’t worry, Sam Raimi fans. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness fully goes horror—jump scares, body horror, a smattering of diabolical kills and all. It’s a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie through and through but has Raimi’s creepy groovy campy deranged DNA all over it. It’s messy, uneven, and ridiculous but also may have made a play to be my favorite MCU movie of all time. Start the Elizabeth Olsen Oscar campaign.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe is at its best when the powers that be allow the director’s DNA to weave its way into the tried and true formula. There was Taika Waititi’s slapstick-infused and witty Thor: Ragnarok, Chloé Zhao’s quiet existential musings in Eternals, and now the groovy creepy fun delights Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    When Raimi, best known for creating the cult classic Evil Dead horror franchise, was first tapped to direct many speculated that the movie may go full horror after all before the universe where that version of the movie existed was quashed. However, if the jump scares, body horror, and smattering of downright devilish and diabolical kills are any indication, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a horror movie through and through. 

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    Of course, though, it’s a Marvel movie first and begins with an action scene traversing through an ethereal low gravity universe where a different universe’s Doctor Strange is trying to reach The Book of Vishanti along with America Chavez (16-year-old newcomer Xochitl Gomez) while being pursued by a giant monster. Just as she is about to be caught, a portal to our universe suddenly opens giving her an escape. Of course, though, things are not that simple and a monster has followed her right in the middle of Christine Palmer’s (Rachel McAdams for the first time since appearing in the first Doctor Strange movie) wedding that a heartbroken Strange is attending. I mean, she is his ex-girlfriend.

    After dispatching the monster, he and Wong (Benedict Wong) learn that Chavez has the one-of-a-kind ability to travel the multiverse. Though, she’s not exactly sure how she does it. Clearly, some force wants that power. Wong takes her to the Masters of the Mystic Arts fortress Kamar-Taj for safekeeping while Strange seeks out Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) for help. 

    However, in a surprisingly quick twist, we learn that Wanda herself is behind the attack in an effort to take America’s power and find a universe where she could be reunited with her sons who she lost in the Disney+ series WandaVision. She gives Strange until sunset to turn her in, which, of course, he does not do causing Wanda to take the fortress by force.

    (L-R): Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange in Marvel Studios’ DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
    Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    What begins as a classic MCU action scene quickly turns into a clear announcement of Raimi as the creative force behind the movie as the horror elements he’s so known for start to creep in — whispered voices, tilting camera angles, quick-cut editing all reminiscent of The Evil Dead. That’s what’s most exciting about Multiverse of Madness. It’s not afraid to be scary. It stretches that PG-13 rating to its absolute limit.

    America again escapes with Strange to the multiverse leading to perhaps one of the most thrilling, deranged, terrifying, and twisted sequences in Marvel Cinematic Universe history that feels more akin to Prime Video’s The Boys than your classic superhero movie. Combined with some stellar and applause-inducing cameos, it propels the movie into a confident and assured second half that brings new (and ridiculous) ideas — a feat for a franchise with 27 movies and six television series.

    Speaking of television series, Elizabeth Olsen continues to be a standout as her storyline continues from her Emmy-nominated turn in WandaVision. It almost makes more sense to call the movie Wanda’s Multiverse of Madness because she dominates every frame that she’s in. She chews the scenery with her villainous turn as a mother trying to be reunited with her kids to incredible and terrifying results. You feel the weight and danger of her presence — even when she isn’t on screen. While Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, and Xochitl Gomez do great work, Elizabeth Olsen easily runs away with the entire movie. She’s even Oscar-worthy.

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    Does the story have the same narrative implications as Spider-Man: No Way Home? No. It’s far from inconsequential, but the story does feel contained. That relative slightness is what allowed Raimi to chew into each action setpiece with his full might. Not a moment of the well-paced and lean 126-minute running time is wasted. The movie hits the gas from minute one and doesn’t let up until it crashes — in the best way possible.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is messy, uneven, ridiculous, and at times confusing — and that’s why I loved it. In all the chaos and depravity is a future where the MCU is more than just a formula. It shows that auteurs with a singular vision can have the vision realized while still fitting into the grander scheme of the franchise. Sam Raimi swings for the outer reaches of the multiverse to absurd results — however, he’s in full control. Every campy unhinged decision is done with a wink and a nudge to the audience. Mileage may vary by viewer. For this critic, it went the distance. Creepy, campy, groovy, devilish fun from beginning to end. 

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    Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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  • ‘Gemini Man’ review — Geminis are the crazy ones

    ‘Gemini Man’ review — Geminis are the crazy ones

    Will Smith plays an assassin whose retirement is put on hold when the government sends his clone to take him out in Gemini Man

    One-sentence review: Gemini Man applies new filmmaking technology to action well, but a thin and boring story makes it not worth the price of admission.

    Details: ? Ang Lee // ?? U.S. // ⏳ 117 minutes

    The cast: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Benedict Wong, Clive Owen

    Where to watch Gemini Man: Now playing in theaters.

    In recent years, Ang Lee has become obsessed with testing the limits of filmmaking technology. In particular, he’s been playing with 3D — Gemini Man and his two movies before it were all shot specifically for 3D — and high frame rates. Most movies are shot and shown in 24 frames per second, which delivers the cinematic quality we’re used to — everything doesn’t quite look real. That’s because you perceive the world without gaps in your vision. When something is filmed, you’re literally missed parts of the image. 

    However, Gemini Man was filmed in 120 fps. Most theaters don’t even have the ability to project movies in that format. I was fortunate (or unfortunate, depending how you look at it) was able to see the movie the way it was intended — 4K, 120 fps, and in 3D. Without it, though, I don’t know if I could even recommend seeing it in theaters. 

    An action-thriller we’ve seen before

    Gemini Man
    Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Will Smith in Gemini Man. Credit: Paramount Pictures.

    The plot and story of Gemini Man are familiar that you can call every single beat before it happens. Not only that, but it feels like Lee isn’t interested in the story at all, only the tech that could be used to bring it to life. Ironically, it makes it all lifeless. 

    Henry Brogan (Will Smith) is not only an assassin, he is the assassin. He’s largely regarded as the best there ever was. However, he knows he’s not at the top of his game anymore. As he says in his opening kill, the smallest mistake could be the difference between killing his target and killing an innocent. That’s why he’s ready for retirement. However, Clay Varris (Clive Owen), head of the mysterious GEMINI project, isn’t so fast to let him go. 

    Brogan soon finds himself on the run with fellow agent Dani (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and his friend and colleague Baron (Benedict Wong) as they uncover the secret of GEMINI. That secret is that 20 years ago, they made a clone of Henry who was raised by Clay to be the perfect assassin — and clearly the reason Lee was interested in the project. 

    Will Smith vs. Will Smith

    Smith also plays Junior using the same de-aging technology that was used on Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in The Irishman. Here, Smith looks a little too smooth and a little too perfect for the effect to truly have a… well, effect. When both characters are on the screen, there is more impact. Deep in the tunnels of Budapest, the two have a brutal hand-to-hand brawl that is quite stunning to watch. Too bad the story is so thin that it feels more indulgent than anything else. 

    Truthfully, the high frame rate and 3D worked well to enhance the action. Without it, it would have felt so plain. It’s immersive cinema. Lee is on to something. The problem is that the time in between the action scenes is so boring that no amount of Will Smith on Will Smith action is enough to make up for it. 

    It’s a shame because the trio central trio — Smith, Winstead, and Wong — are all so charismatic and entertaining to watch on screen. However, they can’t save the corny dialogue and plot pulled straight out of a 90s spy thriller. The ending is so preposterous that my mouth was actually agape in the theater. It’s a movie that I think actually could have benefited from being longer.

    Ang Lee is so good at characters interacting. I mean, his greatest movies are essentially conversation-based — Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm, Brokeback Mountain. He was so interested in the human condition. Now, he’s more interested in the marvel of it all. Here’s to hoping he finds a way to balance the two.