Doctor Strange, My Thoughts

It is here! The 14th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has finally arrived! Doctor Strange has cast his spell on theaters! Was the film a fun trip through alternate dimension, or was it a bad spell blowing up in a sorcerer's face? Let's find out.

For those not in the know, Doctor Strange first appeared in the comic book Strange Tales #110 (July 1963). Co created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Stephen Strange was a brilliant but arrogant neurosurgeon. When he lost the use of his hands in a car accident, his search for a cure led him to the Ancient One. The Ancient One, a powerful sorcerer, tutors Strange in magic, and the lessons also give the arrogant doctor a bit of humility pie. Now, as Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange protects the world from a variety of mystic threats, from the Dark Dimension's Dormammu, to Baron Karl Mordo, a rival sorcerer who went down a darker path.

There have been attempts to make a Doctor Strange film since the 1980s, and the character did appear in a notorious 1970s TV movie. However, it has only been with the success with the MCU has Marvel Studios been able to introduce Stephen Strange, and with it, the MCU reveals its mystical side. So, what did I like about it?

First the visuals. Seriously, the visuals of this film were...well, with lack of anything else to describe it, they were out of this world. Seeing the scenery twist, shift, and fold throughout the movie, it was like Inception on steroids. I seriously asked myself if I got slipped some LSD before I entered the theater. It felt like this film dropped a gallon of the stuff, and it was amazing to watch.

Another was the casting. Yeah, I have heard complaints about the casting of the Ancient One (in my opinion, they should have shown that the Ancient One's appearance differed depending on who gazed upon them, but it may have ended up too confusing if badly handled), I liked the cast, and I felt they did well with their roles and what they had been giving. I also loved their portrayal of the Dark Dimension, one could tell they were trying to capture Ditko's drawings.

The Stan Lee cameo was funny and very clever. Minor spoiler, he appears on a bus reading a book called The Doors of Perception. It was a book Aldous Huxley wrote about a trip he took on mescaline. Nice little touch there.

I also got some great laughs during this film. I know some may complain about the humor in the MCU movies, but I like it. The MCU is fun. Let heroes be fun.

My only complaint about the film was the villain, Kaecilius. I thought Mads Mikkelsen did do a good job, and he looked pretty cool, but I did feel his motivation was a bit Final Fantasy-emo. However, it didn't ruin the film for me. Kaecilius was a minor obscure character from the comics, so it was nice to see a minor character get a major role. Shows that these people did their research, and dug deep into Strange's mythos. I like that.

Doctor Strange was a fun film. Whether you are a fan of the MCU or not, give it a look. It's an entertaining couple of hours, and there's a ton of razzle-dazzle in it. It's a great ride from beginning to end.