The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
has, since Phase One, followed a near-consistent pattern of releasing good quality
films—not great, not awful, but good.
Their formula is simple: a solid amount of engaging action scenes, likable characters, and, most importantly (and something the DC Extended Universe should take note of), a healthy amount of lighthearted, witty comedy balanced within the action and drama. There’s only one instance where I’ve disliked an MCU film—Iron Man 2, which broke from the formula with brief, insipid action scenes and frustrating character directions—and only a few instances where their films far exceeded my expectations (such as with The Avengers). Doctor Strange does not break from the MCU formula—nor from their usual “good”, three-out-of-four star quality—yet it does offer a refreshing new angle to said formula: focusing on the MCU’s spiritual realms (such as the astral plane) that are separate from its physical world.
Their formula is simple: a solid amount of engaging action scenes, likable characters, and, most importantly (and something the DC Extended Universe should take note of), a healthy amount of lighthearted, witty comedy balanced within the action and drama. There’s only one instance where I’ve disliked an MCU film—Iron Man 2, which broke from the formula with brief, insipid action scenes and frustrating character directions—and only a few instances where their films far exceeded my expectations (such as with The Avengers). Doctor Strange does not break from the MCU formula—nor from their usual “good”, three-out-of-four star quality—yet it does offer a refreshing new angle to said formula: focusing on the MCU’s spiritual realms (such as the astral plane) that are separate from its physical world.
The spiritual worlds allow for two
things: a general focus on the film’s independent story and characters with
minimal interruption from the other “physical world” franchises (boiled down to
a few nods towards the Avengers and a mention of an infinity stone), and free
reign for the designers to get as surreal as t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ the producers allow. “Psychedelic” would be an acceptable
descriptor for how bizarre certain spiritual sections can get (the film even nods
to this when Strange initially believes he’s been drugged with LSD): comparable
to Inception’s dream sequences, but
without any Nolan-style realism holding it back. Doctor
Strange effectively balances witty humor and surreal superpowers with an, ironically, down-to-Earth plot and somber feel. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange has a
similar vibe to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark in both personality, development
and backstory, yet differentiates enough to avoid feeling like a complete rehash.
Cumberbatch may not be on Downey’s
level of becoming the role (Downey is Iron Man), but he certainly does an
effective job in bringing Strange to life—being a character highlight
alongside Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One who, alongside Cumberbatch, gives one of the most impactful emotional scenes seen in an MCU film since Phase One. Doctor
Strange still has its share of faults: the fight sequences can get blurry from
shaky editing, and the powers/abilities are somewhat confusing to follow
(particularly for someone with no prior knowledge on Doctor Strange lore). Nonetheless, Doctor Strange succeeds in doing what it set out to do: being fun,
engaging entertainment with a likable cast, fascinating action sequences, and
a much needed, refreshing change in atmosphere.
