Review of Doctor Strange (2016) by Michael C — 29 Apr 2018

The Marvel Cinematic Universe can easily be divided into two categories - the Sci-Fi/fantasy movies (like Guardians and Thor), and the more earth-based/thrillers (like Iron Man and Captain America). It seems like everyone has one side of it that they prefer. Personally, I'm into the Sci-Fi/fantasy movies, which is one of the main reasons why Doctor Strange is my favorite MCU movie. I know it's not one of the more popular Marvel movies, and my love of it is very personal. I'm fascinated by magic, mysticism, out of body experiences, alternate dimensions, all that good stuff. So it's hard for me to judge this movie in all fairness. It's still a great movie.

The movies' strongest aspect is easily, as I said, the fascinating powers and abilities of Doctor Strange and those who use the Mystic Arts. Watching them harness the mystic energy and use it is such a cool thing. The multiverse scene was probably the best moment in terms of visual effects, possibly ever. Some of the coolest moments are the ones that involve bending reality, and the difference between the real world and the Mirror Dimension. The best scenes are the multiverse scene, the astral projection scenes, and the scene with New York in the Mirror Dimension. The fact that this movie didn't win the Oscar for Best Visual Effects is appalling. The environment of Kamar-Taj is also interesting. It has people learning the Mystic Arts, a library of ancient books, and has doors to the three Sanctums in London, New York, and Hong Kong, which defend the world from evil forces. It feels like an Asian Hogwarts, but it's one of those movie places that you wish were real. Dr. Strange himself is very similar to Iron Man, with the whole cocky rich guy attitude, but Benedict Cumberbatch does such a great job at playing him that you still end up liking the character. The most interesting character, however, is the Ancient One. She brings a degree of moral ambiguity to the movie, and the truth about her is a great twist, and one that's very fun to think about. Mordo was an OK character. He wasn't dislikable or anything like that, but he was far from Marvel's best sidekick. Wong is a boss. That's all there is to it. Kaecilius also isn't Marvel's best villain, but his backstory does make it seem like he knows what he's doing may be right, even if he clearly (as the running joke says) didn't read the warnings. Needless to say, the scene with Dormammu was absolutely fantastic. And despite being one of Marvel's darker movies, it still has some very funny moments in it. I know from a storytelling and character perspective, it really isn't the best, but the fascinating environments, ideas, and visuals make it a personal favorite. I've watched it a dozen times, and I'll probably watch it a dozen more.