Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness earns mixed first reactions

gamesradar.com:

The first reactions to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness are in – and while many critics have praised the Marvel movie's rich visuals, dark vibes, and actors' performances, the verdict on it seems to be pretty mixed overall. 

Following on from the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the sequel, which is rated PG-13, sees the titular mystic arts master try to deal with the potentially disastrous consequences of a forbidden spell gone awry.

Many tweets highlighted the performances of lead Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, and MCU newcomer Xochitl Gomez, who stars as teenage dimension-hopper America Chavez. Viewers also celebrated how dark the film is, calling director Sam Raimi's return to horror is a welcome one. That said, not everyone was convinced. Let's take a look at what the critics have been saying...

"Don't worry, Sam Raimi fans. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness fully goes horror – jump scares, body horror, and a smattering of diabolical kills. It fits in the MCU but has Raimi's deranged creepy campy groovy DNA all over it," New York Times editor Karl Delossantos gushed, before suggesting that Olsen should get some serious award recognition. "Start the Elizabeth Olsen Oscar campaign."

"Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a spectacle but this mid-table Marvel is a mixed bag," admitted Variety and Forbes journo Simon Thompson. "Kicking off summer movie season, the sequel delivers rich visuals and a pretzel-esq narrative, throwing up some neat surprises. Raimi embracing his horror roots is welcome and bold win."

RogerEbert.com editor Brian Tallerico labeled the movie, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Mehness," whileReview Online's Matt