Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has celebrated its theatrical debut, and it’s been a polarizing one. Some fans are singing the movie’s praises, while others seem less than impressed, and a question on the minds of many is — should I take my kid to see this MCU movie?
A thread on Reddit started the conversation, but several posts across the social media realm have alluded to one strong opinion. Sam Raimi is the director of Doctor Strange 2, and while he’s worked across more than just the horror genre, he’s known for helping create some gory and quite terrifying films.
The original question asked if the film is acceptable for an 11 or 12-year-old, and without giving too much away, community members tried to help this parent make a good call.
Several Marvel fans gave thoughtful responses and had a lot of insight. The trailers themselves show us that we are in for jump scares when we sit down for the film, but others shared some deeper “scary” elements within the movie.
Twitter was also getting in on the action, and when John Campea shared his thoughts on the film, he got feedback from those who agreed and those who didn’t.
While there were some definite horror elements in Doctor Strange 2, this user makes a good point. Growing up on Goosebumps and vying to be the first one in the library to check out the newest book is a memory we can all relate to.
This Marvel fan thought it was “oddly satisfying” that some kids were terrified by the film, noting that it shows maturation within the MCU.
When it comes to scary movies, the general consensus is a good starting point, but with children and adults, the same — certain elements of horror are going to affect some more than others.
If your children are familiar with pop culture, think of their reactions to something like Spider-Man 2 or Oz the Great and Powerful, and you can go from there.
Doctor Strange 2 certainly is scarier than most MCU films, but the heart of the story deals with death and pain, overcoming darkness, and moving forward in difficult times — it’s actually a great talking point for anyone who has felt paralyzed by loss. Unfortunately, kids aren’t numb to those feelings or experiences either. It might be something that helps children (of a specific age and maturity) work through their own struggles — after seeing some of their favorite heroes in their moments of abandon and of clarity.
At the end of the day, the choice is yours, and only you can make the right decision for your children and your family. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is in theaters now.