The following contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, now playing in theaters.

One of the best elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- at least in theory -- is the plethora of visual concepts that can come to life. Films in different corners of the shared universe should have unique looks to them. The best of these films tend to embrace this, like Black Panther and Guardians of the Galaxy. And while it may not be perfect, it's something Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness accomplishes well.

Doctor Strange 2 is a self-styled bizarre film for the genre, introducing wild and unique magical spells and powers that border on the visually ridiculous. However, it's a great addition to the MCU, where anything should be possible theoretically.

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Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness

The MCU has had a bit of a mixed relationship with magic in the past. The Thor films originally played the Asgardians and their peers as advanced alien life-forms instead of genuine magical deities (before increasingly embracing a more supernatural edge). Like Doctor Strange and his allies, even overt magic had their powers explained and showcased as more straightforward lasers, shields and weapons. Hints of the true supernatural -- such as the powers of Dormammu in Doctor Strange or Strange using a variety of spells in his battle with Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War -- have teased the true potential of magic in the MCU. But even WandaVision, which fully embraced witchcraft, used it for straightforward fights and spells.

That's not the case with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While the typical magical shields are still employed at various points, the titular hero is quick to use increasingly ridiculous spells across the course of the film. When a car is about to crush a civilian, Strange summons a monstrous head to consume it. Strange conjures two giant hands when he needs to grab a lamppost to throw at a demon. He and Wong try to contend with Wanda by summoning hydras from their hands, a sudden and somewhat silly spell that remains inventive. Perhaps the film's best sequence is a duel between Doctor Strange and a demented variant of himself. Conducted entirely through music, Strange weaponized musical notes while his doppelgänger used musical bars to contain the notes and halt the attack. Magic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is weird, and that's a good thing.

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Doctor STrange in the Multiverse of Madness

The MCU has grown more confident in these bizarre magical elements of the Marvel Universe, embracing characters and concepts that previous audiences might have scoffed at. But magic has remained relatively and disappointingly straightforward. Melding it with martial arts (as they did in Doctor Strange) at least gave it a sense of motion, but it lacked the sheer creativity and gonzo memorability that magic in the original comics can have.

This is all changed for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where magic is a far looser and more dangerous element that some can control in shockingly effective ways. There are fewer overt spells and more unique spellcraft, which helps contribute to the film's overall "anything goes" elements. While this may be a slight detriment to the overall quality of the emotional beats, it's a huge boon for the actual visuals of the film.

By his very nature as a magical figure in an already pretty ridiculous world, Doctor Strange should be trippy, inventive, and memorable. While the previous Doctor Strange film accomplished the trippy element in certain sequences, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness fully embraces how over-the-top magic can -- and should -- operate in the MCU. It opens the door for more creative uses of magic beyond the (still present) previous uses, and it's exactly the kind of bonkers imagery the franchise needs more of, helping separate this aspect of the series from other entries in the franchise.

To see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' take on magic for yourself, the film is now in theaters.