Multiverse of Meh-dness: Strange's Sequel Was a Letdown

Okay, so I finally saw Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Look, I love Sam Raimi, alright? Evil Dead is iconic. But this? This felt like two different movies duct-taped together, and neither one was particularly good. Everyone's raving about the 'horror' elements, but come on, jump scares and Wanda covered in blood don't make a good horror movie. It felt cheap. Give me tension, atmosphere, actual scares, not just loud noises and monster makeup that wouldn't look out of place at a Spirit Halloween. And Wanda? Talk about butchering a character arc. I know they needed a villain, but turning her into a straight-up, unhinged murderer felt lazy and frankly a disservice to everything they built up in WandaVision. Where was the nuance? Where was the internal conflict? Just 'I want my kids, so I'll kill everyone in my way'? Pass. And don't even get me started on the Illuminati scene. Talk about anticlimactic. All that build-up for a squad of 'superior' heroes to get taken out like chumps? I get it, Wanda's powerful, but the way they were handled just felt... disrespectful to the characters. Mr. Fantastic using spaghetti to fight? Really? Doctor Strange himself felt kinda... sidelined? He's supposed to be the main character, but he spent most of the movie reacting to Wanda's rampage or being dragged along by America Chavez. Speaking of America – her powers are incredibly convenient plot armor. "Oh no, we're in danger! Time for random portal!" It felt like a cheat code rather than an actual superpower with limitations. And the visual effects, while occasionally impressive, often felt overdone and distracting. More isn't always better, people. Maybe I'm just burnt out on the MCU, but seriously, this movie felt like a missed opportunity. Raimi's direction was there in flashes, but overall, the messy plot, the butchered characters, and the reliance on cheap thrills left me feeling... underwhelmed. I will admit the score was a banger though, Elfman always delivers. But that doesn't save this one for me.