Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Story

When young America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) discovers she has the power to open portals to other dimensions, her parents are swept away in the process. America travels the multiverse looking for her parents while also trying to understand and control her power. She encounters a multidimensional Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), who tries to help her but fails shortly before he’s killed.

The earthbound Doctor Strange encounters America in a dream and agrees to help her after he and his friend Wong (Benedict Wong) save her from a monstrous demon. Leaving his long-time love Christine’s (Rachel McAdams) wedding, Doctor Strange sets off in search of the one person he thinks can help America.

Unfortunately, Doctor Strange tells Wanda, The Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), what America can do and where Wanda can find her. The Scarlet Witch wants America’s powers so she can travel the multiverse herself and live in a realm where she can be with her children.

While Doctor Strange and America cross the universe in search of the Book of Ashanti, a sorcery book rumoured to contain special spells, Wanda pursues them through multiple dimensions. She does everything she can to destroy them, but she doesn’t realise that ultimately she’s destroying only herself.

Themes

Multidimensional travel; regret; using violence to solve conflict; sorcery and witchcraft

Violence

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has some violence. For example:

America and Doctor Strange are trying to escape as a fiery demon watches and tries to stab them. Doctor Strange gets a bloody, burning gash in his leg.
Doctor Strange tries to kill America before he’s stabbed through the chest. He falls down dead while America is trapped and stretched apart.
A huge octopus monster tries to crush and kill America.
A monster throws a bus at Doctor Strange, who slices the bus in half and is then thrown into a wall.
Wong slices a monster’s tentacles off with a sword. Doctor Strange impales the monster and blinds it by ripping out its eyeball as it falls to the ground.
The Scarlet Witch blasts warriors out of the way and destroys their weapons. She blasts archers off a roof as they fire on her. Men flee as she destroys a courtyard.
A man is incinerated as he tries to crawl away from the Scarlet Witch.
The Scarlet Witch tries to shoot her way through a window. She crawls through glass shards and comes out all sliced up.
The Scarlet Witch tries to steal America’s power. This involves sucking the life from America.
A man is forced to squeeze mustard into his face and then punch himself in the face.
A book and a woman are both turned to ash.
Soldiers are tortured and killed.
Stone creatures prepare to attack The Scarlet Witch and Wong. They bow before the Witch, and she throws Wong off a mountain.
A man’s chest is pierced with a sword.
Wanda blasts soldiers and robots aside as she enters a chamber covered in blood.
Wanda is hit from behind. She severs an opponent by slicing a shield through their body.
A statue crushes a character. Another character is blasted apart.
A character tries to kill Doctor Strange with a sword. They blast each other, both wearing special bracelets as they fight, flip and punch each other.
The Scarlet Witch overpowers America and tries to suck the power from her. She screams and writhes in pain.
Doctor Strange talks about the little sister he had when he was younger. She fell through the ice, and he couldn’t save her.
There are 2 versions of Doctor Strange. They fight each other in a battle of sound and power. One is blasted out a window and impaled on a spiky fence.
Doctor Strange has to dream-walk into the deceased body of another version of himself. He must fight numerous black creatures that are trying to attack him and Christine.
America repeatedly hits the Scarlet Witch as the Scarlet Witch is banished to another dimension.
Wanda and the Scarlet Witch fight each other.
The Scarlet Witch allows a temple to crush her.

Sexual references

There are no sexual references in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness shows some use of substances. For example:

Characters drink martinis and wine at a bar.
Drinks are served at Christine’s wedding.
America and Doctor Strange are drugged by something in their tea. They both pass out and later find themselves imprisoned in another dimension.

Nudity and sexual activity

There’s no nudity and sexual activity in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Product placement

There’s no product placement in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Coarse language

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has some coarse language.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a fantasy adventure based on the Marvel comic books. It has a fast-paced plot and a lot of special effects, but it also has some violence. It’s best suited to older teenage and adult audiences, particularly fans of the Marvel franchise.

These are the main messages from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness:

The world needs heroes.
We must all face our fears.
If someone stumbles and loses their way, it doesn’t mean they’re lost forever.

Values in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness that you could reinforce with your children include gratitude, happiness, courage, responsibility and persistence.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the real-life consequences of behaviour like:

using violence to solve conflict
taking things that don’t belong to you
hurting others to get what you want
living with regret.