I was hoping for the best when going to see this film and I'm happy to report that Doctor Strange definitely delivers in more ways than one. Not only does it help advance the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it takes you on a wild ride in the process. You don't have to wait long for the ride to kick off as the action hits almost immediately after the opening credits. I appreciated the way the movie gives you a little taste of this magical world and what you can expect before scaling back a bit.
I can't say enough about how well Benedict Cumberbatch played the role of Stephen Strange. Strange is an arrogant, pompous doctor in desperate need of a humbling experience. His journey as a man of science first was captured well by director Scott Derrickson. Throughout the film, Strange doesn't just accept the impossibilities of what he's seeing as a new truth, rather he tries to connect it to the world he has always known. It takes him awhile to accept everything that's happening around him as it should have.
The theater we watched the movie in wasn't packed by a long shot and I'm not surprised. It's one of those movies where you want to wait and see what your friends thought first or, in this case, what I thought. Doctor Strange gets a lot of things right including the subtle, detailed touches. The cape was probably one of my favorite characters in the movie and I'm not even joking. Oh, and make sure you stay for the end scenes during the final credits, ESPECIALLY the first one.
Whether you see the film on a regular screen or a special Dolby Screen like myself, you will be blown away by the special effects. I promise not to ruin anything, but I will say there's so many cool nuances here (again with the details) to keep your wow-factor high. The magic, in and of itself is amazing, but throw in the shifting landscapes (think Inception), the running on walls, and the crazy metaphysical journeys with hundreds of vibrant colors and you'll find yourself having an eye-gasm.
Doctor Strange is trippy in a very original kind of way. Sure, there are flashes of different films within, but never any one film you can directly reference. I have an even greater appreciation for its "trippiness" because everything within the realm of the movie is eventually explained. There were moments in Inception that I still don't get. I mean, a dream within a dream...within a dream? Come on! Doctor Strange takes you to some weird places, but never without an explanation of some sort.
If you were worried about how good this film was going to be, worry no longer. Phillip McSween is not only telling you to watch Doctor Strange, but go see it in theaters! You won't regret it. I give it a solid 82.
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