Can Kids Watch Doctor Strange 2: Multiverse of Madness Review written by the Unicorn and the Elf on April 15th, 2022. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Watch
Movie: Doctor Strange 2: Multiverse of Madness
Rating: PG-13 (Possibly should have been rated R)
Genre: Superhero, Adventure, Action, Horror, Suspense
Length: 2 hr. 6 mins.
Age suggested: 14 and up (depending on the child’s temperament to horror)
Release Date: May 6th, 2022
Warnings: THIS IS A HORROR MOVIE. There are many scenes of terror, dread, intense gore/violence, and grief. The film also deals with the loss of family members. For more details, see our ‘Can Kids Watch Doctor Strange 2’ section below.
Doctor Strange 2: Multiverse of Madness Summary
Although this is technically a sequel to the first Doctor Strange, the events of this film really pick up more from Spiderman: No Way Home. The action kicks off right away as we are introduced to a new character as well as multiversal travel. This quickly draws the attention of Doctor Strange who must defend the new character from a threat more powerful than he could ever imagine.
Doctor Strange 2 Review:
For a spoiler free recap- you can watch our Youtube short right here. The review below does contain spoilers.
**SPOILER WARNING**
-Can Kids Watch Doctor Strange 2?-
The quick answer is probably not (and definitely not for an kid aged 12 and younger). For teens, it definitely depends on what the kid can handle. Doctor Strange 2 is definitely a horror movie and contains a lot of gore and violence that greatly exceeds anything seen in prior MCU films. For example, these is a character whose head explodes and you do see the visual of his brain caving in and then exploding out. There are also many beloved characters from the franchise that meet brutal and violent ends.
On top of this, the overall atmosphere is very dark and at times the dread is actually palpable. The Scarlett Witch becomes a literal monster movie villain throughout this film as she transitions from a sitcom mom to a blood/oil covered beast who will destroy anything in her path. Lastly, there is a fair amount of loss of all kinds. Loss of parents, loss of child, and loss of sibling all play a role in the film and may be triggering for teens who have recently dealt with loss.
Can kids watch Dr. Strange 2? Personally, part of our team of adults is skipping this one. And I certainly would not want to take anyone who is not a teen yet. This is not a family friendly Marvel movie. Good reviews do not make it a family friendly watch.
If you want to read a more spoiler filled review with plot details- check out this one!
–Why Watch Doctor Strange 2–
If you can handle the darkness that Doctor Strange 2 provides, you really are in for a wild ride. It does a great job at introducing this new character, America Chavez and really drawing you into her story and personality. The overall plot development of Strange is also well done, as he must personally grow being in charge of a young kid.
Overall, the biggest plot mover is Wanda turning to the power of The Scarlet Witch as she dives deeper into darkness until there is almost nothing left. How much can one human, albeit a super human, really take? There are also several new characters that get introduced in this film. Even if they do not play a larger part in the MCU, it is still very fun to see them on the big screen.
-Story Review-
The storyline in this movie felt very much like it was being strung through a multiverse mixer. The larger focus was on Wanda. And it felt like they were just remixing Wandavision in a less sympathetic and more intense way- and not one we enjoyed. Loved Wandavision- so ready for her to catch a break and be cast in a positive light. It also completely ignored the impact of Vision in Wanda’s life. Elizabeth Olsen was amazing, and her acting was top-notch. And we are excited to see more of America, even though I think this was a disappointing introduction. WHY introduce the youngest hero ever, the one that kids are going to identify most with, in the first real horror movie installment in the MCU? I love Xochitl Gomez, but I do wish they had cast an afro-Latina actress since America is afro-Latina in the comics.
The cameos were fun but made the marketing seem inaccurate since they were acting like there were going to be way more cameos, especially since they revealed Professor X and Captain Carter in the trailers. A lot of the cameos seemed to really just be there to tie the ‘What If’ series into this movie. Almost as a way to excuse the darker storyline.
The VFX was lacking as well, especially when characters were in the air. The horror elements were executed skillfully with great visuals. But it just wasn’t quite what we were expecting effects wise for a Dr. Strange 2. It’s a solidly middle-tier Marvel movie, that could’ve had some great moments that ended up being disappointing.
Doctor Strange 2 Discussion Questions
Dr. Strange Multiverse of Madness Themes to Discuss:
Pride, Humility, Potential for Good and Evil, Descending into Darkness
- What did you think of this movie compared to other MCU movies? Were you expecting how dark it got?
- Which new character were you most excited to see in this movie?
- Where do you think the MCU goes from here?
- How did you feel about Wanda’s motivation? When did you empathize with her?
- Where do you think we will see America Chavez go from here?
- If dreams are portals to other universes, what’s the weirdest universe you have seen?
Thanks for reading Can Kids Watch Doctor Strange 2: Multiverse of Madness review. Before you go, check out these other posts:
–Spiderman: No Way Home Discussion
–Shang Chi Parent Review
-Is Black Widow Appropriate?
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